We had our “staycation” last weekend.

With holidays cancelled and school and university looming, it was time for a bit of TLC, and instead of travelling anywhere, the kids and I decided we’d go out every night to a new restaurant.

And I’m glad we did, because we discovered a new gem as a result: Atomic Burger in Oxford.

The instant I walked in, I knew it was my sort of place – superhero décor and 80s pop videos on the TV – the latter in particular making me feel right at home, as the 80s was probably the last time I actually watched pop videos!

But it wasn’t just the aesthetics I liked – it was the way they’ve used the need to get Covid-secure to improve their entire operation.

We checked in with a QR code, sat down at a table and scanned another code to get the menu up.

Rather than taking you to a badly designed PDF, the code sent you to a page where you could check out what was on offer and choose what you want, with your order pinging its way to the kitchen straight from your phone.

This was a big advantage for my two teens, who managed to get their mobile phone fix over with early doors, paving the way for actual human interaction as the meal progressed.

And for me, it meant no waiting around to order, and no awkward eye-catching to ask for the bill – you just paid on the app, which we did just after ordering Oreo milkshakes to go; it’s tough, but we all have to do our bit to help out!

All in all, Atomic Burger gets a big rubber stamp of approval for me, taking the requirements of the current situation, and using them to deliver an even better experience.

Plus, the food was delicious!

And it got me thinking: as life goes back to something approaching normal, the businesses that use this opportunity to improve their customer experience will be the ones that’ll win long term. What could you be doing differently?