How Fast-Casual Marketers Can Prepare for 2022 Dine-in Traffic

4 Min Read By Doug Reifschneider

Since the first panic-inducing months of the pandemic in 2020, the restaurant industry has proven to be far more resilient than people would have expected. Sure, many establishments shuttered under that first wave of pressure and change, but those that adapted either survived or thrived. 

The establishments that made it through did so because of product, platform, or both. Food that naturally travels well—chicken wings, burritos, Chinese food—was bound to have a leg-up. But the platform is where the real winners shook out.  

Smart QSR and fast casual chains like Chipotle and Shake Shack reconfigured their strategies to lean heavily into delivery apps, digital ordering, and loyalty programs. Sit-down establishments often did the same by upping their digital chops, adding curbside pickup, and even erecting sidewalk dining parklets when dine-in returned in a limited capacity. 

Now, as we enter 2022, predictions indicate a big shift back to sit-down dining. (We’ve all heard the…