As with everything else, Covid changed the way foodservice works.  For a time, restaurants had to shut down due to stay-at-home orders and social distancing rules.  During the month of March, roughly 3 million jobs and $25 billion in sales were lost in the restaurant industry.  Many of these businesses never recovered.  The ones that did were resilient, innovative, or had money in the bank.  Some received governmental assistance, and that cannot be counted on as a business strategy.

Additionally, during the past six months, the price of food has risen exponentially.  In an industry where the profit margin is often low, owners can raise the prices to their customers or cut back on selection or quality.  This is a significant balancing act.

The safety of customers and employees paired with health department regulations may change how you serve food, seat people, and run kitchen operations.  You might think outside the box, offering curbside pickup, creating a new seating arrangement, or offering outdoor seating.  This can be a sensitive subject among employees and customers and must be treated with care.