CONTACTLESS WAS KING
Ghost kitchens, a trend that had been slowly gaining steam on the restaurant side, exploded during the pandemic as consumers sought a taste of dining in while hoping to incur lower risk. Faced with less labor and cafeteria capacity limits, colleges proved an incubator for many of these concepts, including the first ghost kitchen experiment from sandwich chain Jersey Mike’s. Investment in mobile ordering and payment tech also boomed, and noncommercial operations that had lagged when it came to adding apps, kiosks and similar amenities were forced to adapt to keep up.
LABOR STRUGGLES
Emotions ran especially high early in the pandemic, and operators leaned on additional training, technology and some quick thinking to keep staff healthy and engaged. Faced with furloughs, COVID fatigue and other challenges as the months wore on, FSDs renewed efforts to boost team morale, and rising social tensions led to further examination of what truly makes employees feel safe and appreciated.
SILVER LININGS EMERGED
As the virus plagued municipalities around the country, communities were reminded of the important role that noncommercial operations play in keeping folks fed. Pop-up convenience stores and markets materialized to lend a hand to time-strapped healthcare workers. Organizations stepped up to aid individuals facing food insecurity amid job losses, reduced access to school meals and more. And some kitchens that had been rendered close to dormant provided space to prepare meals for those in need. In addition, operators of all types tapped into creativity amid mounting challenges.
WHAT WILL REMAIN
Flexibility has been at the forefront throughout the crisis, with chefs and foodservice brands testing new approaches to marketing, menu development and off-premise options. Many of these innovations will continue on as the pandemic’s severity recedes. Other endeavors that took a backseat as COVID concerns grew, such as eco-friendly initiatives, will begin to take center stage again: “We might have had a pass for the last 10 months,” Jill Horst, executive director of campus dining at UC Santa Barbara, said on a recent webinar, noting that “there will be expectations from our institutions and our communities that we put that [sustainability] hat back on.”
YEAR IN REVIEW
From the pandemic's early days, FSD's editors worked hard to stay on top of the latest updates. Here's a sampling of the stories that arose.
Hover over each image for more and click to go to the article