McDonald's customers have been grumpier, more fruit and vegetables have been bought and diamond art seems to be the much-needed supply as people brace for potentially tighter restrictions.
Rotorua McDonald's staff have been bearing the brunt of angrier customers all week after the initial announcement on Tuesday night.
"Everyone's freaked... they've been grumpier to staff," franchisee Rob Parry said.
"If the announcement tonight is that we're going to go to level 3 ... we will be demolished at that point."
While the number of sales had been steady this week, drive-through orders had significantly risen while instore purchases had plummeted.
"Dozens" of new procedures had been implemented between level 1 and 2, which included all staff wearing masks.
He expected to be run off their feet if the country moved to level 3, and said while they would not be able to operate at level 4, it would be a small trade-off for months of freedom down the track.
"If we have to go into level 4 ... and get another four months of normality, I think there's an appetite for that," Parry said.
"If that's the way it is, then so be it, we'll support it as much as we can."
Palmers Garden World owner Darryl Pierce said there had been a significant rise in the number of edible plants being bought this past week.
"Vegetable plants, fruiting plants, seeds, fertilising mix ... We've brought in a lot of extra stock, just in case."
He said coming out of level 4 in April there had been a dramatic rise in "people getting back to basics" and growing their own food.
Palmers Garden World owner Darryl Pierce says the drive-through plant service will return if level 3 does. Photo / File
If the country was to move to level 3, they would re-implement the contactless plant drive-through which had proved popular earlier this year.
A move to level 4 would mean the doors would be shut to the public and Pierce would stay at the nursery to maintain the plants - a 63-day stint last time.
"And make sure I've got a business to come back to."
Uncle Bills, which sells a range of products from crafts to storage containers to pantry items, had increased demand in masks.
The assistant manager told the Rotorua Daily Post their masks had sold out on Wednesday and people had since been inquiring about more.
There had also been inquiries about diamond art, which is a colour-by-number activity with stick-on diamonds, as well as more crafts being sold.
But as people flocked to get supplies, there were last-minute restaurant booking cancellations at Abracadabra Cafe.
Manager Kate Turner said the cancellations were out-of-towners who canned their trip to the city.
She said they would continue to do deliveries and contactless click-and-collect at level 3 and believed they would survive if they needed to move to level 4.
Foodstuffs New Zealand head of corporate affairs Antoinette Laird said there had been a "significant" rise in demand for the online shopping service.
