Is Business Dining Ready for a Resurgence?

Is business dining making a comeback after being hit hard by the
pandemic? Industry expert and Dinova CEO Alison Galik joined The
Main Course to discuss the topic. Dinova is a preferred
dining program provider that connects restaurants and companies.


Galik joined the company three years ago after a career in
corporate travel procurement and technology. Pre-pandemic
business dining was booming. “It was the third largest expense
category for companies, and average checks for it were 49 to 200
percent more than consumers,” she said.


Once the pandemic hit, the company shifted gears somewhat. “Our
goal is to direct business dining spend to network restaurants.
That didn’t’ change, but some of our messaging did. We had to
focus on safety regulations and invested in adapting technology
to share with restaurants and businesses accurate information,”
Galik added.


They also shifted promotions from event space to encouraging
companies to throw virtual celebrations, meal pickup, and gift
cards. Now, their focus is on the vaccine and what that means for
reopening. Galik noted the most crucial part for restaurants is
safety. “Business diners must be safe.”


In addition to new messaging on promotions, safety, and
regulations, Dinova is spreading ideas around opportunity.
There’s new tax legislation that allows for 100 percent of
business meals to be deducted, which they are communicating to
their network.


Galik also sees an ample opportunity for fine dining. “They could
become a preferred meeting space to support business connections
for those corporations that stay closed or will limit visitors
long-term.”