Ghost Kitchens on the Rise in a Post-COVID World

The coronavirus pandemic has hit the restaurant industry hard, with the Independent Restaurant Coalition reporting that 85% of independent restaurants may go out of business by the end of the end of the year. While some restaurants were forced to temporarily close, others focused on making sales through delivery and takeout. And with COVID-19 changing the way that some people eat out, some restaurants, like Pokeworks, are looking to the future.

Pokeworks launched in 2015 and has grown to over 50 locations all over the country...

NYC Pulls Back on Indoor Dining as U.S. Sees Biggest One-Day COVID-19 Spike Since Start of Pandemic

New York City is not taking any chances when it comes to the coronavirus. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday that indoor dining will no longer move ahead as scheduled.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has been reopening the state by regions. New York City, which was one of the regions hit the hardest by the coronavirus, was expected to enter Phase 3 of reopening on Monday, July 6. Phase 3 was supposed to include indoor dining at no more...

Seven Lessons Foodservice Can Learn from a Pandemic 

As states begin to reopen, restaurants are adapting to a new normal to welcome diners back. These adaptions include providing outdoor seating, incorporating stricter sanitary procedures, and paperless menus. According to a recent report by Datassential, there are seven lessons foodservice operators can learn from the COVID-19 pandemic that will benefit their business going forward. 

The first lesson is goodbye fear, hello caution. As more places begin to ease coronavirus restrictions, consumers are feeling more comfortable returning to public spaces if certain safety measures are met. After restrictions are lifted, about 63% of those surveyed feel safe eating at a restaurant with outdoor dining. Around 54% feel safe returning to a convenience store, and the same percentage feel comfortable with...

New Jersey Postpones Indoor Dining Indefinitely as Other States Pause Reopening

Just days before New Jersey restaurants were set to reopen indoor dining at 25% capacity, Governor Phil Murphy announced that the state would be postponing indoor dining indefinitely. 

“UPDATE: INDOOR DINING WILL NO LONGER RESUME ON THURSDAY,” Murphy posted in a series of messages on social media Monday afternoon. “We had planned to loosen restrictions this week. However, after COVID19 spikes in other states driven by, in part, the return of indoor dining, we have decided to postpone indoor dining indefinitely...

New Legislation Introduced to Help Independent Restaurants Recover from COVID-19 Challenges

The Real Economic Support That Acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed to Survive (RESTAURANTS) Act of 2020 was introduced on June 18 calling for $120 billion to help independent restaurants recover from the challenges posed by COVID-19.

Introduced by a bipartisan coalition of politicians including U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Representatives Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa, the legislation will create a fund to deal with the impacts of the coronavirus and help reemploy...

As Restaurants Begin to Reopen, Operators Expect a Long Road Ahead

According to the National Restaurant Association, the restaurant industry has lost $120 billion in sales over the last three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

The Association said stay-at-home policies led to losses of $30 billion in March, $50 billion in April, and another $40 billion in May.

Most of the country is beginning to reopen dining at some capacity. States are allowing limited capacity while others are set to allow outdoor dining and there is hope that restaurants...

Burger King Restaurants Launch the Impossible Croissan’wich

Burger King today announced it is lauurger nching the new Impossible Croissan’wich sandwich nationwide. After a successful test earlier this year in select U.S. markets, BK guests across the country can now get the same Croissan’wich sandwich they know and love with a delicious Impossible breakfast plant-based patty. This new menu item makes Burger King the first national restaurant to offer an Impossible breakfast plant-based patty on a breakfast sandwich. The all-new, limited-time-only Impossible Croissan’wich features a toasted flaky croissant, fluffy eggs, melted American cheese and a seasoned breakfast plant-based patty from Impossible Foods...

Sysco Launches New Interactive Virtual ‘Restaurant Readiness Tool’ for Operators

Today, Sysco announced the launch of its Restaurant Readiness Tool, a first-of-its kind simulation that intuitively provides a comprehensive view of best practices, key considerations and essential supplies for operators re-opening their restaurants as COVID-19 stay-at-home orders continue to ease.

The Restaurant Readiness Tool enables operators to tour a virtual restaurant where they experience an immersive, 360-degree view of the establishment. Users can navigate through the restaurant, clicking various icons for each area and foodservice role to learn about best practices for ensuring the health and safety of both guests and employees...

Taco Bell Owner Sues Grubhub, Claiming it Violated Distribution Agreement

Taco Bell owner Yum Brands is suing Grubhub, claiming that it violated its distribution agreement.

Yum bought a 3% stake in the third-party delivery app in 2018 as more national chains looked to lift sales by offering delivery. As part of the deal, the two signed a contract that required the delivery app to give Yum favorable pricing and service levels for thousands of Taco Bell and KFC restaurants, which are largely operated by franchisees...

Consumers to Take Cautious Approach as Restaurants Reopen

With the United States beginning to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurant operators are eagerly awaiting consumers to walk back through their doors. 

Americans have been stuck in their houses for months and with many ready to spend time out of the house, the foodservice industry hopes they are craving not only a good meal but a night out as well.

However, a recent survey from the restaurant discovery platform Zagat indicates that most consumers are still unwilling to sit down in a restaurant for an extended period of time...

Who Bought Grubhub? A look at Just Eat Takeaway.com

On Wednesday news broke that Grubhub was being acquired by Just Eat Takeaway.com in a $7.3 billion deal. The acquisition news came as a shock as Uber had reportedly been in negotiations with the food delivery company. 

So, who is Just Eat Takeaway.com?

Takeaway.com was founded in 2000 by its CEO, Jitse Groen. The site, Thuisbezorgd.nl, was initially launched in the Netherlands and was one of the world’s first online food delivery marketplaces. By 2011 the name was changed to Takeaway.com, and since then they’ve been...

April Restaurants Sales Hit Lowest Point in 35 Years

According to the National Restaurant Association, consumer spending at eating and drinking establishments was at its lowest level since October 1984, when adjusted for inflation.

In the month of April, sales at eating and drinking establishments reached $32.4 billion, on a seasonally-adjusted basis according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. In January, sales were more than double April’s mark at $65.4 billion.

April sales were the smallest in volume since March 2005, but when adjusting for inflation it was the lowest mark in 35 years...

An Updated List of Restaurant Dine-In Guidelines And Opening Dates for Every State

The dining experience is going to be looking a lot different in a post-coronavirus world. 

Back in March states began to close restaurant dining rooms in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Now, over a month later, some states are beginning to reopen the economy, which in some cases allows restaurants to once again offer in-house dining. However, with no COVID-19 vaccine, and the coronavirus continuing to spread throughout the country, busy waiting areas and packed dining rooms are..

CDC Provides Guidelines for Reopening Restaurants and Bars During COVID-19 Pandemic

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released guidelines to help foodservice businesses like restaurants and bars reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CDC urged businesses to “check with state and local health officials and other partners to determine the most appropriate actions while adjusting to meet the unique needs and circumstances of the local community.”

As restaurants consider reopening, the CDC noted two questions business owners should ask, the first being, “Will reopening be consistent with applicable state and local orders..."

A Look at How Disney Plans on Reopening Their Parks and Restaurants

For almost two months SeafoodNews has been reporting on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, including the impact on foodservice on cruise lines and at amusement parks. Now, with multiple states reopening the economy, we’re taking a deeper look into what the reopening of Disney’s properties will look like.

In 2018 attendance at the top 20 North American amusement parks reached nearly 160 million. Disney World’s Magic Kingdom alone brought in 20 million visitors. And while admissions makes up a majority of revenue at...

Most Restaurants Expecting Slow Build in Business as America Recovers from the Coronavirus Pandemic

As states begin to reopen and hope appears to be on the horizon for the foodservice industry, a survey from the National Restaurant Association shows that restaurant operators still feel there is a long road ahead.

According to the response from the Association’s April survey, operators expect their sales, employment and capital spending levels to remain low for the remainder of 2020.

The latest numbers from research firms like Technomic and the NPD Group, indicate sales at foodservice moving in the right direction...

State Reopenings Provide Opportunity for Restaurants as Transactions Increase at a Crawl

Transactions at U.S. restaurant chains improved for the second week in a row, according to the NPD Group. For the week ending April 26, total customer transactions were down 32% compared to a 36% decline the prior week.

In the quick service sector, restaurants were down 30% in the week ending April 26 compared to the same time last year, while full service restaurants saw an ever so slight improvement, declining 71% versus 72% last week, according to CREST Performance Alerts...

How Restaurants Are Reopening After States Lift Coronavirus Restrictions

In March restaurants across the U.S. were forced to close their dining rooms in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Now, with the government attempting to reopen the economy, some states are allowing restaurants to once again open their doors - but with some restrictions in place. 

For the most part, the restrictions apply to almost any business. Workers need to be screened for any sign of illness, and those who display any signs of being sick are not permitted to work...

FDA Shares Best Practices for Retail, Restaurant and Delivery Services Operators During COVID-19

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has shared information about best practices for operators of retail, restaurant and associated pick-up and delivery services during the coronavirus pandemic.

The information shared by the FDA addressed critical considerations for how foods available at retail can be safely handled and delivered to consumers. Also included are considerations for employee health, cleaning and sanitizing and personal protective equipment (PPE).

The FDA noted that this information is not a comprehensive list and encourages stakeholders to consult references...

An Updated List of Every State That Has Closed Restaurants Due to the Coronavirus 

Editor's note: This story was updated at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 26.

With cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the U.S. continuing to grow, a number of states are taking action to stop the spread. Lawmakers across the country have implemented bans on restaurants and bars, as well as large gatherings. Some states have yet to take such action, but restaurants on an individual level are choosing to shutter for the time being.

Meanwhile, President Trump recommended on Monday afternoon that people avoid... 

Sysco Gives Update on Covid-19 Related Business; Donating 2.5 Million Meals Over Next 4 Weeks

Global foodservice distribution company Sysco has released an update on their finances related to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. According to the company, their “strong balance sheet provides meaningful financial flexibility for the company to navigate current challenges in the ‘food-away-from-home’ market resulting from the spread of Covid-19 and subsequent actions taken across the country to increase social distancing.”

Sysco reports that they have approximately $2 billion cash on hand as of March 20, including a recent...

Coronavirus: 3,000 U.S. Jobs Already Publicly Cut, 9 Million More Threatened as Restaurants Close

Outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. reported that coronavirus-related job cuts reached 3,634, with an additional 9 million jobs threatened in the leisure and hospitality sector.

In Challenger’s Job Cuts Report, which tracks publicly announced job cuts through company announcements, media reports, and SEC filings, did not include layoffs from bars and restaurants that were shut down across 13 states.

"We are certainly beginning to see the cracks in the foundation. Slowing demand, brought on by the need for Americans to practice social distancing..."