The U.S. Restaurant Industry Recovery Through Second Quarter has Been Slow and Steady

The second quarter of this year reflects a period during which state and local governments lifted pandemic restrictions, restaurants reopened, people got vaccinated, and consumers used restaurants more than they did throughout the pandemic, reports The NPD Group. Consumer spending at restaurants was up +32% in the April-May-June 2021 quarter compared to the same quarter last year, and for a pre-pandemic view, flat compared to the same quarter in 2019. Restaurant visits, dining in or off-premises, increased by +22% in the quarter compared to the same quarter last year and were down -7% compared to the second quarter of 2019, according to NPD’s daily tracking of the U.S. foodservice industry.

Quick service restaurants (QSRs), representing 81% of restaurant visits in the U.S., realized a gain of +15% in visits in the second quarter compared to a year ago and a -5% decline compared to the second quarter of 2019. Throughout the pandemic, QSR restaurants, particularly...

OpenTable Launches New Safety Tools for Diners and Restaurants

In this next chapter of the pandemic, restaurants and diners are facing new hurdles as they look to navigate changing restrictions, masking and vaccination requirements and more. While in NYC the rules are clear - as of August 16 you must show proof of vaccination to dine indoors - in other cities the rules vary. To help, OpenTable, the world's leading provider of online restaurant reservations and part of Booking Holdings Inc., rolled out updated safety precautions, which now include details on COVID-19 vaccine requirements, and Direct Messaging to streamline communication between restaurants and diners.

"Dining demand in the U.S. is down 13% compared to just one month earlier with cities like Minneapolis, Seattle and New York showing significant declines. Just as restaurants were starting to rebound from...

Technomic's Take: Roadblock to Recovery for Restaurants

By all accounts, the restaurant industry is roaring back to life as vaccination distribution spreads, dine-in restrictions are lifted and improved weather throughout most of the country sends consumers flocking to restaurants to dine with friends and family. Operators are reporting same-store sales approaching, and in some cases exceeding, pre-pandemic levels as pent-up demand drives the dine-in surge and off-premise orders remain strong.

For restaurant operators eager to return to full capacity, however, significant headwinds remain as the restaurant industry struggles to fill jobs to meet this booming demand. The biggest challenge facing operators in this current recovery period is finding staff willing to work. There are numerous other factors that are impacting...

Nearly Half of Canadians Plan to Dine On-Premises Now that Pandemic Restrictions are Relaxed

Canadians were anxiously awaiting COVID lockdowns and restrictions to be eased and lifted, and so were restaurant operators. It’s been a long 15 months and 46% of Canadians told The NPD Group that they plan to physically eat at a restaurant, bar, or coffee shop now that COVID-19 restrictions have been eased. Restaurant operators are eager to greet them back and pick-up their dine-in business, which was most impacted by mandated pandemic restrictions.

Dine-in or on-premises restaurant orders/visits have improved since the beginning of the pandemic but, as a basis for comparison, were still down -85% in April 2021 compared to April 2019. Off-premises orders and visits, which include...

The Road to Recovery for U.S. Restaurant Chain Customer Transactions Varies by Market

Geography matters when it comes to pandemic recovery for U.S. restaurant chains. A mix of factors, like pandemic-related restaurant restrictions, the closing or opening of units, or chain performance, even the weather or event, can impact restaurant chain customer transactions in a specific market area, reports The NPD Group.

For example, restaurant chain customer transaction declines in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) designated market area improved from double-digit declines last year to -4% in May 2021 compared to May 2019, a pre-pandemic basis of comparison. DFW ranks in the top 10 markets to recover from the steep customer transaction declines caused by the pandemic last year. In addition to Texas lifting COVID restaurant restrictions in March, the market's May customer transactions reflect...

Technomic Reveals Steady Performance Improvement for U.S. Foodservice

Technomic released the April TIndex (Technomic Index), an index that provides a benchmark to help analysts and industry leaders track the health of the foodservice industry in the United States.

“For the month of April, the TIndex increased to 94.6 from 94.1 in March, showing strengthening results especially within the restaurant segments,” explains Joe Pawlak, managing principal at Technomic. “This represents the continued performance improvement and recovery of the industry as...

Retailers to State & Local Leaders: Clarity Needed on Mask Orders

Retailers are asking state governors and mayors to thoughtfully consider the practicality of state and local orders that track The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance announced last Thursday giving fully vaccinated individuals approval to resume indoor and outdoor activities without wearing a mask.

In a letter sent to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Chairman of the National Governors Association and Mayor Greg Fischer, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), and...

Canadian Restaurant Industry Learns to Pivot and Adapt Despite Visit Loss Due to COVID-19

It has been over a year since the COVID-19 global pandemic began and the Canadian foodservice industry, one of the business sectors most impacted by restrictions, has had to learn to adapt. In the quarter ending March 2021, keeping in mind that the global pandemic was declared in mid-March of last year, total foodservice traffic in Canada was down -9% compared to same quarter year ago when visits were down -11% versus prior year, reports The NPD Group. Although there is improvement from last year, it’s also important to note that since the first quarter of 2019 through the first quarter of 2021, 326,000 foodservice visits (or orders) have been lost, according to NPD’s continual tracking of the Canadian foodservice industry.

The quick service segment, which prior to the pandemic was already equipped to efficiently handle off-premises operations, like carry-out and drive-thru, ended the first quarter of this year with...

Sysco Offers Two New Foodie Solutions Toolkits as Summer Approaches

Sysco Corporation, a leading global foodservice distribution company, announced that it has launched two new online toolkits to its Foodie Solutions platform. The Labor & Hiring and Summer Solutions Toolkits are the latest in a series of carefully curated tools to help foodservice operators succeed while generating additional revenue and meeting consumer expectations.

Labor & Hiring Toolkit – As restaurants reopen amidst a tight labor market, the Labor & Hiring toolkit provides a comprehensive resource for hiring, training and retaining restaurant employees, including tips such as taking action on employee feedback and offering incentives to improve retention. This comprehensive toolkit also features...

ANALYSIS: Boxed Beef Cutout Surges at Record Pace to Start Year

Boxed beef prices have remained elevated to the start the year. In fact, demand has been...

Canada: Dine-In Restaurant Visit Declines Soften in February when Restrictions were Eased
The pent-up demand for indoor dining was evident in February after dine-in restrictions were eased in Canada’s largest provinces. Dine-in restaurant visits increased by 4 percentage points in February compared to January, an increase of 10.5 million visits versus prior month. The downside of this news is the still deep traffic declines in on-premises dining. Dine-in visits declined by -79% in February compared to same month last year and were down -85% in January compared to last year, according to NPD, which continually tracks consumers’ use of Canadian restaurants and other foodservice outlets.

Off-premises dining, like carry-out, delivery, and drive-thru, has been the beneficiary of the indoor dining restrictions. In January off-premises visits, digital or physical, were up...

ANALYSIS: Turkey Thigh Meats Get a Leg Up

With springtime now in full swing, seasonal outreach is beginning to develop...

How COVID-19 has Changed Eating Out Over the Last 12 Months In the UK

It’s 12 months since the UK’s first COVID-19 lockdown, and one of the sectors that has been most heavily impacted is hospitality. Here, The NPD Group picks out eight eating out/eating in trends from the pandemic’s first year (March 2020 to February 2021) and suggests how they will unfold as lockdown eases. From a surge in home deliveries to the growth of collection, the rise of eating on a deal, the surge of drive-thru, treating to beat boredom, a doubling of choosing vegan and veggie options, the rise of al fresco dining and a laser-like focus on delivering the best customer service, here’s how COVID-19 has changed the way we eat out (and in).

Delivery: In the 12 months of COVID, delivery’s share of out of home eating has more than doubled

Ordering takeaway main meals for home delivery has been a big part of locked down life and, according to The NPD Group’s consumer data, spend increased...

February Retail Sales Show Strong Year-Over-Year Growth as Vaccine and Stimulus Provide a Boost

Retail sales gained considerable year-over-year traction in February – despite a monthly slowdown from unusually high numbers in January – as increased COVID-19 vaccination, government stimulus and reduced restrictions on businesses continued to impact the pace of spending, the National Retail Federation said.

“February’s retail sales numbers are a minor speed bump on the road to post-pandemic recovery and are not a reflection of consumers’ willingness and ability to spend and drive the economy,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. "A number of factors contributed to these results, including major snowstorms in the northeast and unprecedented ice storms in the south, but they do not diminish the stimulus-related growth we saw in January or what we expect to see as additional stimulus relief hits consumer bank accounts in...

What’s on the Menu: Global Foodservice Outlook

In many countries, including those in Europe and North America, Covid-19-related disruptions remain the most relevant driver of foodservice performance in the near term, as sales and foot traffic trends remain well-below pre-Covid levels. Notably, China, which is ahead of the curve in terms of both virus outbreak and containment, could be a potential indicator of the likely speed and scope of the foodservice recovery as the virus subsides.

As vaccinations and treatment advance, the focus of attention will shift from near-term recovery to more strategic matters. The most relevant performance drivers over the next 6 to 12 months will be...

U.S. Restaurant Customer Transaction Declines Steepen in February

Severe weather in many parts of the country in February hampered the softening of customer transaction declines at major U.S. restaurant chains reported in the last few months of 2020 and this January, finds The NPD Group. Major restaurant chain customer transactions declined by -13% versus year ago, compared to a -9% decline in January, according to NPD’s CREST® Performance Alerts which provides a rapid weekly view of chain-specific transactions and share trends for 75 quick service, fast casual, midscale, and casual dining chains representing 53% of the commercial restaurant traffic in U.S.

Record-shattering cold, snow, and rain affected a large swath of the U.S. in February. Texas, the second most populated state after California, was hit with a winter storm in mid-February that dropped significant amounts of...

PODCAST: UK Beef Chats Episode 7

This week on UK Beef Chats, Mike Nesbitt fills us in on the UK's plan to ease COVID lockdown restrictions, the affect that will have on wholesale trading, and gives us an update on...

NRF Encourages Customers to Continue Wearing Masks in Stores Nationwide

The National Retail Federation issued the following statement from Senior Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs Bill Thorne in response to several states lifting mask mandates.

“Retail stores are private entities. If they require you to wear a mask in their stores, and you choose not to, that store can refuse admission or service. Retailers are private businesses, and it is within their right to implement and enforce policies that protect the health and the safety of their employees and their customers...

PODCAST: UK Beef Chat Episode 5

This week Mike Nesbitt and Jay Alletto are joined by Joe Muldowney and Bill Smith to discuss the UK beef market. Topics include the tight cattle supply’s impact on price negotiation, social distancing at plants, and...

ANALYSIS: Do Large Forward Sales Help Future Spot Prices -- Strip Loin Rally in 2021

The January rally in strip loins has been fierce, with gains of 27 percent so far since the start of the year, compared to...

National Restaurant Association Releases 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry Report

The National Restaurant Association released its 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry Report, which measures the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the restaurant industry and examines the current state of key pillars including technology and off-premises, labor, and menu trends across segments based on a survey of 6,000 restaurant operators and consumer preferences from a survey of 1,000 adults. The report also provides a look at the path to recovery for chains, franchises, and independents and the year of transition ahead.

Key findings regarding the impact of coronavirus on the restaurant industry include...

Grains Supply to Argentine Export Hub Normalizing After Truckers Strike

Delivery of grains and oilseeds to Argentine export hub Rosario was slowly returning to normal on Monday after a week of protests by truckers who blocked roads leading from the farm belt to port, two industry sources told Reuters.

Drivers are demanding a review of their costs, including tolls, insurance rates, taxes and fuel prices.

They were scheduled to meet with Sergio Massa, president of the lower House of Congress, to discuss their demands while the government news site Telam reported a delay in a proposed fuel tax increase. Both gestures appeared to help calm tensions, although...

NRF Says 2020 Holiday Sales Grew 8.3 Percent Despite Pandemic

Retail sales during 2020’s November-December holiday season grew an unexpectedly high 8.3 percent over the same period in 2019 to $789.4 billion, exceeding the National Retail Federation’s holiday forecast despite the economic challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, NRF said. The numbers include online and other non-stores sales, which were up 23.9 percent at $209 billion.

“Despite unprecedented challenges, consumers and retailers demonstrated incredible resilience this holiday season,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Faced with rising transmission of the virus, state restrictions on retailers and...

U.S. Restaurant Industry Ends 2020 Making Its Way Out of the Steep Declines Caused by Pandemic

The U.S. restaurant industry closed one of the most unpopular years in history moving its way out of the steepest declines the industry has experienced since the Great Recession, reports The NPD Group. Customer transaction declines at major restaurant chains in December were down -10% compared to same period year ago, a 27-point improvement from April, the height of the shelter-at-home and restaurant dine-in closure mandates, when transactions declined by -37% from a year ago, according to NPD’s CREST® Performance Alerts, which provides a rapid weekly view of chain-specific transactions and share trends for 75 quick service, fast casual, midscale, and casual dining chains representing...

The Catering Sector in France Adapts and Absorbs the Shock from COVID-19 Lockdowns

According to the latest data from The NPD Group, the share of “take-out” visits in France has doubled in catering, comprising 35% of total visits between March and October 2020, versus 17% over the same time period last year.

Restaurant owners have been able to adapt in order to develop their offerings toward take-out. They have reviewed the composition of the menus, developed the product mix, worked on the packaging and found new ways of communicating with...

China’s Shifting Retail Landscape Signals the Permanence of Change Post-COVID-19

China’s rebound from COVID-19 has been unique. It came faster and with more demonstrable economic tailwinds for the economy than other markets. But it has also been a bellwether that has helped point to consumer behaviors elsewhere that have inevitably followed China’s lead. An example is the rebalancing of retail playing out around the world.

Pandemic-led shifts to further online adoption and an increased focus on neighborhood and small-format stores have become an ongoing normal. Though different to other markets, China helps us understand...

Barco Uniforms Partners with National Restaurant Association and ServSafe to Distribute Masks

Barco Uniforms, a recognized leader of design innovation in the premium Healthcare apparel industry, announced it has partnered with National Restaurant Association and ServSafe to donate and distribute 20,000 reusable face masks to restaurant operators across the United States.

While Barco has focused on designing and manufacturing premium Healthcare apparel for more than 90 years, it has expanded its product line to support essential workers and everyday heroes who do their part to keep their community safe, including...

Changed Beef Consumption Habits Following COVID-19 Create Opportunities

The global Covid-19 pandemic and African swine fever (ASF) have changed beef consumption patterns through 2020. While total beef consumption has not seen too much change, we have seen distribution channels change, benefiting some at the expense of others. As the impacts of ASF are overcome and disruptions from Covid-19 subside, old distribution channels will recover.

“It is likely that many consumers will revert to their previous habits, but we do see opportunities for...

Church's Chicken Reinvents Brand Standards Measurement

When Church's Chicken re-imagined its restaurant-level brand standards measurement program to comply with COVID-19 travel restrictions, the goal was simple – make sure restaurants keep a high level of quality and service, without in-person visits from regional management and field teams. In just 60 days, the Global OPS Services team transformed the 5+ hour in-person Operation Excellence Review (OER) into a streamlined, Remote OER visitation that can now be implemented remotely. This enhanced evaluation of a restaurant's operation provides operators a detailed action plan with specific recommendations on improving brand standards. Since these Virtual OERs are much shorter than the standard visit, the brand can now conduct more visits more frequently, allowing the Operations team in the domestic and international business to provide added support for their franchisees.

"COVID-19 has caused us to innovate in so many ways. We realized that we can't send our field teams to the restaurants like we've done for years – we had to figure out how to conduct our visits remotely. These virtual visitations allow the field team to measure the operations using our proprietary mobile app called...

Sysco Eliminates Minimum Delivery Requirements and Offers Services to Support Restaurant Industry

Sysco Corporation announced it will eliminate minimum delivery size requirements for customers’ regularly scheduled delivery days as part of the company’s Restaurants Rising campaign. This change is effective on Nov. 16 for all U.S. Broadline, FreshPoint, Buckhead Meat and Newport Meat customers.

Removing minimum delivery requirements is yet another way Sysco is leading the industry in supporting the success of restaurants, providing operators significant added flexibility in managing their business and making it easier to...