INDEPENDENT RESTAURANTS PREPARE FOR A LONG DISRUPTION

The emergency measures taken to survive the COVID-19 pandemic are being systemized into long-term norms for the nation’s hard-pressed independent restaurants, with 42% planning to invest in permanent safety enhancements and other changes to their physical setups, according to new research.

The findings suggest that operators within the sector do not foresee their plight improving near-term. About 28% of the respondents said the biggest challenge they face is a continuing slide in dining-out demand within their markets.

The difficulty of winning back customers was underscored by respondents’ stated marketing plans. About 31% said they are offering more promotions and discounts, and 12% said they were distributing coupons.

Overall, 60% of the surveyed operators said they are touting the additional steps being taken to keep customers safe.  

Second on the list of cited problems was a limitation on dining-room capacities. Sixty-eight percent of the operators said they were functioning at 50% or less of their pre-pandemic seating levels.  About one out of four respondents (24%) have yet to reopen at all.

More than 1 of 4 respondents (28%) said they intend to provide more seating by adding or expanding patios.

The participating operators expressed little concern that dine-in business could be cannibalized by to-go sales. Only 7% said they feared customers would opt for takeout or delivery over a sit-down meal.