May Day brunches usually keep restaurants busy, but coronavirus restrictions are preventing tables from fully booking up. To attract customers, restaurants are setting up outdoor eating spaces and May Day to-go bags.

The bulk of all business is expected for Saturday.

"Our tables are well-reserved for Saturday, especially for brunch," said director of SOK's accommodation and catering chain management, Harri Havia.

Around 70 percent of SOK’s 500 restaurants and bars will be open for business over the weekend. Their main focus is on establishments serving food.

Traditional May Day locations, such as Hotel Vaakuna's 10th floor restaurant in Helsinki's city center, have garnered the most interest, said Havia.

"I suspect that the Kappeli terrace will be quite crowded, weather permitting," he said.

On Saturday, restaurants will be able to serve all-day brunches and lunches even in regions with the tightest restrictions. According to CEO of the Finnish Hospitality Association (MaRa), Timo Lappi, restaurants all over Finland have reported an abundance of reservations.

"There is a lot of pent-up demand," said Lappi.

Restaurants will, however, have to close their doors on May Day at 7pm in areas with high infection rates.

May Day to-go bags for picnics, brunches

In addition to Saturday lunches and brunches, restaurants have invested in to-go meals.

Restrictions only allow for 50 percent of customer capacity inside restaurants and some people might still not be ready to venture indoors.

Takeaway food has been important throughout the pandemic, according to Havia. On May Day, takeaway food takes on a bigger role, with "May Day Bags" to-go available for dining at home.

"Some restaurants even offer picnic baskets," he said.

Many are expected to gather for picnics in parks. In some parts of Finland, restrictions on gatherings still apply, but small gatherings are not prohibited.

Bars focus on terraces

The weather determines May Day sales, according to Antti Raunio, CEO of Night People Group, which runs several nightclubs and bars.

"This May Day will be very terrace-heavy, fingers crossed," Raunio said.

Five out of twenty of the company's bars, located in Helsinki, Seinäjoki and Kuopio, are open on May Day, however, with an emphasis on terraces.

"May Day is a glimmer of hope for the industry, but our expectations—keeping in mind the limited capacity and other restrictions—are not huge. At the moment, our sights are fully set on the time after restrictions are lifted," Raunio stated.

Lappi meanwhile noted that people will likely flock to terraces, saying they were not subject to capacity limitations.