Franchise Portfolio Diversification: Trends Taking Shape in 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a lot of chaos and accelerated several trends within the restaurant industry. From full service to fast-casual to legacy fast-food brands, the one constant was disruption. Many brands were able to turn a profit from the lockdowns and social distancing orders by shifting operations toward drive-thru, delivery, pick-up, and curbside models. This approach required fewer front-of-the-house staff to maintain a dining room, complied with government orders, and kept many brands from closing. 

As the pandemic has progressed, initial approaches to challenges have subsequently required a high level of flexibility. Just as one issue seemed fixed, another presents itself.  Today, operating a restaurant can seem more like a game of whack-a-mole than the running of a profitable business. Labor shortages and other factors are affecting the global supply chain in never-before-seen ways, and certain commodities are intermittently not available, or if they are…