Wellingtonians are already dreaming up their first food orders as the capital prepares for an overnight alert level drop.
Tomboy cakery and café owner Kate Marinkovich during the last level 3 trying out her door for contactless pickup. Photo: RNZ / Hamish Cardwell
All of New Zealand south of Auckland moves to Covid-19 alert level 3 from 11.59pm.
While level 3 has infamously become known as level 4 with takeaways, not everyone was choosing to open up this time around.
Mount Victoria cake shop, Tomboy, owner Kate Marinkovich spent Tuesday preparing her store for contactless orders.
"I feel like I've hit the ground running a little bit but, yes, I think we're all good," she said.
"We're pretty organised and ready... more relaxed going into this lockdown knowing we'll come out of it."
Marinkovich said operating at level 3 was "absolutely" a large team effort between her and other small businesses throughout the city.
A nearby cafe was delivering fresh bread for her to make sandwiches, and a local wholesaler had helped her secure some fresh yeast.
"I mean even through social media I've had some really wonderful pushes from other businesses who aren't going to open for level 3 but just encouraging people to sort of support local and small businesses."
She thought businesses were making a "great" decision to not open, amidst the Delta strain of Covid-19, if that was a viable option.
However, opening up Tomboy was a necessity for Marinkovich.
"I want to open. I want to be able pay my staff and keep my business afloat, so ... I'm pigeonholed to do it."
Shoots Microgreens' Wellington general manager Remie Morris said people also needed to remember there were food producers providing ingredients to hospitality businesses.
But she was expecting it to be a quiet day of deliveries, which it ultimately was, because she was aware less businesses were opening for takeways during this stint of level 3.
"I definitely saw a lot of places last year that were a little bit desperate to get back into the rhythm of things."
She said businesses had found the takeaway model "difficult" to manage.
At Oriental Bay, people spoken to by RNZ felt the move to level 3 was enough, despite it being less of a change than is seen when moving to levels 1 and 2.
Javiera Villouta said she would be heading out to get a takeaway coffee on Wednesday on her daily walk outside of her "crowded house".
"It's not going to change much ... I guess life doesn't really change, we're still in lockdown."
However, the move to level 3 allowed her to see "the light at the end of the tunnel".
John and Gail Thomason were keen to support local businesses and thought the move to level 3 was worth it.
"It's a sign we're on the right track," Thomason said.
Thomason said "it's a small change for us but I think it's a very big change for some of the businesses and, to the extent we can, we'll help and support them through that change".