Johannesburg – The Pineslopes Boulevard shopping centre in Fourways, Johannesburg, has added an outdoor big screen in its parking lot as an additional to the recently launched roadhouse-style Drive-in-Diner.
This project is a collaborative initiative that’s aimed at assisting restaurants affected by the decline in sit-down dining due to Covid-19. It adheres to social distancing protocols as parking bays are staggered and wait staff are equipped with masks and hand sanitiser.
JSE-listed property group Fortress REIT is the owner of the shopping centre.
The Drive-in-Diner concept allows customers to enjoy “the retro-dining experience of a classic roahouse”, operated on a collaborative basis by the centre’s restaurants, said a statement by the company.
Customers can order takeaways from the comfort of their vehicles, with meals delivered by wait staff on roadhouse-style clip-on window trays.
The addition of outdoor movie screenings means customers can now enjoy “the nostalgic ambience” of a drive-in movie theatre experience as an additional accompaniment to their meals.
“We’re trying to add as much value as we can to the Drive-in Diner initiative, especially for our restaurateurs who have experienced a decline in sit-down dining despite the relaxation of regulations under Level 3 lockdown,” says Vuso Majija, director of Fortress REIT’s retail portfolio.
“By adding our big screen we’re able to further augment the customer experience, which hopefully means they’ll be willing to spend more time in the company of our restaurants.”
