MRM EXCLUSIVE: How Restaurants Can Use Pandemic-Era Consumer Behavior to Inform Their Strategies

Despite widespread COVID-19 vaccine availability, the restaurant industry is still in a vulnerable position in the U.S. This isn’t lost on the National Restaurant Association, which sent a letter to Congress this summer to highlight the results of a recent consumer confidence survey and to urge leadership to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Consumer behavior is still in a state of flux: The association reports about 60 percent of adults are changing their restaurant use because of the Delta variant, and another 19 percent have stopped frequenting restaurants altogether.

If restaurants can survive the coming months, myriad opportunities will present themselves. Beyond a welcome reprieve from 18 months of eating at home, sit-down dining experiences can provide a sense of normalcy; people are eager to return when it’s safe to do so. Additionally, there’s a chance for businesses to capitalize on the growing takeout and delivery trends. If restaurants respond to…