![\"covid](\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/GettyImages-1313673209-1024x683.jpg\")
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The experts on viral diseases cited COVID-19 air transmission as Public Enemy No. 1, but forewarned that we shouldn’t discount all possible contamination sources. Social distancing \u2013 a brand new term in 2020 \u2013 became commonplace.<\/p>\n
An industry in crisis<\/h2>\n
Restaurants are one of the most vulnerable sectors at the best of times (which isn’t the case now). Over 60 percent of independently operated restaurants go belly-up in the first three years, according to a reputable analysis<\/a> conducted by Ohio State University researchers back in 2005. Although derived 17 years ago, many believe it’s a resilient statistic.<\/p>\n The COVID-19 pandemic has considerably worsened the survival odds, with restaurant sales cratering by $240 billion in 2020<\/a> versus their expected levels. According to the National Restaurant Association, estimates of restaurants forced to temporarily or permanently close when COVID-19 was at its height ranged between 80,000 and 110,000.<\/p>\n When it came to restaurants and bars \u2013 from iconic fine dining establishments to holes in the wall \u2013 people conjured up visions (and with it substantial fear) that symbolized the worst of the virus spread. These converged on:<\/p>\n To be fair, gyms, movie houses, sports arenas, catering facilities, shopping malls, and others were also prime pandemic targets. They all eventually faced similar shutdowns and restrictions. Unfortunately, restaurant owners were the worst hit, and only the most agile would come out on top.<\/p>\n The obvious solutions seemed to revolve around:<\/p>\n However, in many cases, it was easier said than done. For example, weather interfered with terrace or road seating arrangements, as did real estate coding laws. Underneath it all, there was significant concern that the traditional full-service restaurant models (FSRs) wouldn\u2019t make a comeback after the virus faded. The worriers were spot on \u2013 they didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n In summary, the restaurant and bar industry throughout the USA experienced arguably the most severe crisis of any kind in its history. Bankruptcies and permanent closures were rife. Unfortunately, the remedies were few and far between in the face of a virulent outbreak. Still, some noteworthy trends emerged.<\/p>\n Digital delivery services were already taking off in 2018 but skyrocketed in 2020. A reputable analyst<\/a> in the sector asserts that the volume coming through the pipeline in 2020 ($45 billion) was at least 10 percent ahead of 2022 pre-virus projections. Even more impressive, revised expected numbers for the latter year align with the previos 2025 growth parameters ($66 billion). In other words, we’re witnessing three years of consumer spending squeezed into less than a third of the time. Here’s the crux of third-party delivery:<\/p>\n Remote working is another lifestyle change that is here to stay even after the virus is gone. At least half of the world\u2019s employees work remotely from the comfort of their homes, avoiding stressful commutes and savoring more family time. This trend circles back to third-party restaurant deliveries (see above) for lunch and mid-morning snacks, fueling the curbside pickup and takeout restaurant shift. As a result, suburban eateries are the likely beneficiaries, while downtown coffee shops and convenience restaurants serving the business community will experience a dwindling customer base.\u00a0It’s a trend unlikely to reverse anytime soon.<\/p>\n Common sense tells us that the seismic changes in everyone’s working, commuting, and socializing habits will never entirely disappear. Why? For plenty of reasons, the most common being:<\/p>\n So is there light at the end of the tunnel for full-service restaurants in 2022?\u00a0The restaurant industry is still struggling<\/a> to reach even 2020 hospitality servicing levels, but analysts expect it to climb faster in 2022. Indeed, speaking more specifically:<\/p>\n While deliveries have compensated for the drop-off in full-service dining, it’s not nearly enough. In short, the restaurant experience is going through a tough time. To get a good perspective of what the stats are telling us, we should note that:<\/p>\n Restaurant success depends on carving out an edge when it comes to:<\/p>\n It’s vital to go touchpoint by touchpoint to ensure your service is nothing but excellent. Sogolytics can help you get a handle on your customer experience (CX)<\/a>. Reach out<\/a> to one of our experts today, and learn what you can do to create a superior restaurant experience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The COVID-19 pandemic hit the US in early 2020, and aside from the dire health consequences, it came so fast and furious that nobody knew what precautions worked and what didn’t. Precautions for keeping the virus at bay covered ranged from keeping all surfaces sanitized to washing hands at every turn, in addition to quarantining packages delivered to the home, meticulously rinsing fruits and vegetables, and wearing masks whenever venturing forth. The experts on viral diseases cited COVID-19 air transmission as Public Enemy No. 1, but forewarned that we shouldn’t discount all possible contamination sources. Social distancing \u2013 a brand new term in 2020 \u2013 became commonplace. An industry in crisis Restaurants are one of the most vulnerable sectors at the best of times (which isn’t the case now). Over 60 percent of independently operated restaurants go belly-up in the first three years, according to a reputable analysis conducted by Ohio State University researchers back in 2005. Although derived 17 years ago, many believe it’s a resilient statistic. The COVID-19 pandemic has considerably worsened the survival odds, with restaurant sales cratering by $240 billion in 2020 versus their expected levels. According to the National Restaurant Association, estimates of restaurants forced to temporarily or permanently close when COVID-19 was at its height ranged between 80,000 and 110,000. When it came to restaurants and bars \u2013 from iconic fine dining establishments to holes in the wall \u2013 people conjured up visions (and with it substantial fear) that symbolized the worst of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":49239,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[204],"tags":[415,176,351,779,780,778,430],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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![\"covid](\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/GettyImages-1222401270-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThird-party delivery<\/h2>\n
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How working from home impacts restaurants<\/h2>\n
Other factors related to the restaurant experience<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nConclusion<\/h2>\n
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