More people are using restaurants for off-premises foodservice options, but on-premises patronage is still well below pre-pandemic levels. As the novel coronavirus began to spread globally in early 2020, it was clear that it would have a significant impact on the U.S. restaurant industry. To measure this impact, the National Restaurant Association launched a weekly survey of 1,000 adults (beginning in February 2020) to track how consumers were using restaurants.

Franchisees for Domino’s, Chick-fil-A, and McDonald’s share their stories and advice for other female business owners. Women business owners not only have to prove they’re up to the task, they also need to exude confidence and leadership ability, and make sure all their team members, male and female, buy into it.

The vast majority of consumers favor allowing restaurants to expand outdoor seating on a permanent basis. With indoor capacity limited throughout much of the pandemic, most restaurant operators focused on expanding their outdoor options. For some, seating areas went well beyond the traditional patio. In many communities, restaurants were allowed to expand onto the sidewalk, into a closed-off section of a street, or into an adjacent parking lot.

Check out what restaurants around the country are planning to attract Easter diners choosing to dine on- and off-premises this year. Are you on the hunt for ways to boost sales this Easter? Check out the “egg-ceptional” ideas below. Keep in mind local dining regulations and safety protocols as you prepare for the holiday rush. Easter is Sunday, April 4.

Following one tough year, the industry honors Women’s History Month and assesses what the post-COVID-19 future holds. Each March, the National Restaurant Association recognizes the impact women make on the restaurant industry. This year is even more significant because of COVID-19 and the upheaval caused not only by restaurant restrictions but by family schedules upended by school closures.

Expand your payment options to make it easier and safer for customers to purchase from your restaurant without handling cards or cash.

Outdoor dining helped offset sales losses in the spring and summer, but what will dining out look like as the weather turns colder? Restaurants recaptured some lost revenue during the last few months by opening patios, sidewalks, and parking lots for dining, but operators are now looking for ways to keep it going in the fall and winter. Giving customers a way to dine at the restaurant without having to dine inside the restaurant is challenging even in good weather.

Capacity caps and most operational limits will be removed on Saturday

Between the time indoor dining in Miami-Dade was shut down on July 8 and the time it reopened on Aug. 31, there were thousands of COVID-19 cases in the county. Hopefully the worst is behind us, but an unavoidable truth is that the virus is still prevalent in our community — as of Friday, the number of confirmed cases was more than 165,000 — even as restaurants are welcoming patrons back inside their doors.