Covid 19 coronavirus: Kiwis hungry for takeaways eat 5 weeks' worth post-lockdown

New Zealanders managed to ingest five weeks' worth of takeaways in the first week after moving to alert level 3.

That's according to a report from ASB, which also says that in the future households might prefer cheaper luxuries like takeaways to more expensive big-ticket items.

So did level 3 arrive just in time to help save the hospitality industry?

Mike Egan is the president of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand and co-owner of Monsoon Poon in Wellington and Auckland, along with the Boulcott Street Bistro and Burger Liquor in Wellington.

Cars lining up at an Auckland takeaway on Tuesday 28 April as New Zealand returns to level 3 restrictions.

Egan told Morning Report the industry kicking back into action was a welcome distraction for many.

While reports are often focused on drive-through takeaway, Egan said restaurants are adapting to the times and creating at-home meal kits.

"We seem to be getting great support from regulars who have a hankering from the flavours of those restaurants."

They're innovations that might stick around but Egan said our social natures mean we'll want to meet with friends when we can.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

"We're not food factories, we're like little public living rooms."

Egan's restaurants are running on a tiny portion of staff who work in bubbles; three people will work instead of seven, they'll work for a few days and then will swap out with another team.

"It gets them out of their home and gets them thinking about work - people do love work."

While some of the association's members are itching to reopen, Egan said he himself is leaving the opinion on when up to the experts.