Traffic snaked out of carparks and on to streets in parts of Wairarapa today as people got their takeaway fix as the region moved to Covid-19 alert level 3.
Demand for a McDonald's in Masterton stopped traffic. Photo: 123RF
Hospitality businesses, large and small, are back offering contactless service, with burgers and chicken nuggets front of mind for many people in fast food lines.
One woman told RNZ she had to call the police because the line out of McDonald's was stopping traffic from moving through a central roundabout.
It was something McDonald's Masterton owner Andre du Preez was expecting after having to involve police for traffic management during alert level 3 last year.
But he's glad to be open for multiple reasons, including getting his staff out of their homes.
"The staff get bored at home."
"People are just sitting there ... how much Netflix can you actually watch?"
Du Preez said seeing his staff smile was "very good" and "an important factor" in opening.
While he thought operating at Level 3 was easy he would rather see the Wairarapa region at alert level 2, primarily for businesses purposes.
"I think the Wairarapa is a bubble within a bubble."
"Our integrity of this virus is very good in keeping it out," he said.
However, at Kāinga Eatery, which only opened three months ago in the nearby town of Carterton, customer traffic was much slower.
The carpark outside was almost full, but owner Shelley Rutene said only a few customers had come her way.
Most are going to the supermarket.
It was what she had expected but thought coffee sales would be more popular.
Rutene is happy being at Level 3 in a personal sense and for everybody's safety, but she is wary of it being an unsustainable situation for her business.
She thought about not opening at Level 3, but decided to after getting advice from other business owners.
"Another reason to open was for my staff to reconnect again with each other.
"It was important for me to do that and I decided to do it," she said.
On the streets of Masterton, the move to Level 3 is insignificant for most people.
Vicky Lewis said her bubble was "sort of just doing the same old, same old" with takeaways not a priority.
"We're not really rushing out to get anything."
Sally Morris agreed, saying she was into the cafe scene but until she could enjoy it instead of takeaways she would stick to cooking at home.
But she was keen to see Wairarapa move to alert level 2 soon.
"It's getting warmer now and it would be nice to just get out of the house," Morris said.
Hannah Sullivan wanted to see people supporting local businesses instead of major companies, having ventured out to get a coffee in the morning.
She thought it would be good if the region could be in level 2 next week but "only if it's safe".
"Any longer would probably effect the businesses quite a lot and if there's no cases in the region I don't see why we shouldn't do that."
