Endurance is a theme that reappears many times across the storied history of Botín and its owners. Nowhere is this attribute captured more astutely than in its restaurant’s oven. It has burned continuously since 1725, enduring through the Spanish civil war and more than one major global pandemic. “Even when our restaurant was forced to close for two months during COVID-19, we still came in and fired the oven every single morning,” Antonio recalls. “It was important for us to show everyone we were still here and that we would still endure, no matter what.” This defiant perseverance is a hallmark of Antonio’s 18th-century institution—and, as he and his family discovered during COVID-19, 21st-century digital tools help make it possible.

Botín made its first foray into the digital world about 15 years ago with the launch of a standard website. In the years that followed, the restaurant updated its presence online with maintenance of a Google My Business page and use of social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The restaurant also began integrating new tools on its website. For instance, it allowed patrons to book reservations through a service called ‘El Tenedor’ or ‘The Fork.’ “These digital tools were already becoming important before the pandemic, because our bookings were coming more and more through the internet,” Antonio says. They also helped the restaurant grow. The three years preceding COVID-19 were fantastic for Botín. “We had the best sales in our restaurant’s 300-year history,” Antonio recalls. “We also had the most clients ever, at about 600 per day, with tourists accounting for nearly 70% of the total.” Then, in March 2020, the restaurant’s sales collapsed instantly as tourists returned home and lockdowns went into effect across the country. “It felt like a catastrophe,” Antonio recalls.