Both smaller establishments and bigger restaurant chains have been affected, with many having to close, or were hit in different ways, depending on their business structure, size and location, Maps Maponyane, media personality and owner of Buns Out, said during a webinar hosted by the McCain Foodservice Solution’s Insiders Club. It looked at how the hospitality industry could react and survive.
She said that sit-down restaurants had been lagging behind when it came to adopting technology or being innovative and efficient, but the pandemic has pushed them to become smarter and more strategic. Daniel Goldberg, co-founder of Bridgement, a small business financing company, said restaurants were being squeezed from all sides financially, whether that was pressure from banks, suppliers or lower customer spend.
Tessa Purdon, head of content at websites Food24 and EatOut, said they had witnessed various “practical pivots”. “We’ve definitely seen that, for sit-down restaurants, the concept of takeaway and delivery has become crucial. So it’s about amending or creating dishes that are suitable for that format.”