Having an appetizing meal while breathing in the freshness of the air and enjoying the openness of the sky! Thought about a terrace restaurant? You are mistaken, it’s a Ferris wheel restaurant in Hungary.
The coronavirus pandemic has affected the global tourism sector severely and the story of Budapest is no different. Hit by the huge decline in tourists, Michelin-starred Hungarian restaurant Costes has hosted a skyline dining event on the Budapest Eye Ferris wheel by following all COVID-19 protocols to increase sales.
The owner of the restaurant Karoly Gerendai says that turnover at one of his reopened restaurants declined to about a tenth of the pre-lockdown stage, which forced him to think of different ways to boost the business.
“Now that there are not many people either on the wheel or in the restaurant because there are no tourists, the opportunity arose that we could do this. It is now especially important for people to be able to be separate from other guests to be safe, and the Ferris wheel is ideal with its separate cabins,” Mr. Gerendais said at the event at the landmark attraction in central Budapest.
This innovative Costes dining experience tickets cost up to $154.40 each for a four-course meal and it was sold out within days, Gerendai said, as the local people were seeking an opportunity to get out of the coronavirus restrictions and enjoy.
“We wanted to get out a bit and enjoy the experience again because we have been living quite close. We used to go to restaurants quite often; we have been to two Michelin-starred ones, but because of COVID we stopped going. So this is the only chance for us now because here we are really separated,” says a visitor who came with his family.
Mr. Gerendai is planning to continue this event when warmer weather arrives in the spring, even though the cool climate of October night did not stop the customers.
