After a Year of COVID-19, Restaurants Are Ready for a Reboot

The past year ushered in some big, unprecedented changes. For the average person, one of the most visible changes witnessed was the overnight impact on the restaurant industry. With strict government health lockdowns in place, dining out became a thing of the past. Restaurants found themselves facing many unknowns, from how long their doors would be closed to how to manage staff. Restaurant owners were forced to grapple with a question they may have never thought they would have asked themselves pre-pandemic: “Will my business survive?”

One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. restaurant industry has lost roughly $255 billion, with about 110,000 restaurants temporarily or permanently closed, according to the National Restaurant Association. Yet despite the losses, there’s a high degree of optimism for the industry. As vaccination rollouts continue and business restrictions lessen, a resurgence in patronage will likely begin. However, the post-pandemic industry will face…