RAB Source Entry #1-Gary Maddox-Miller

Introduction

My Research Question is:  How has the COVID pandemic affected the restaurant industry? This topic interests me because I was working as a cook and I got firedas a result or because of the pandemic. When I was working, the chef managers told me and my coworkers that we would always have a job because people need to eat. However, the pandemic revealed that this was not true. Restaurant positions did not qualify as essential jobs – all of the restaurants my friends and I worked in had to be shut down.  My experience has inspired me to research the damage done to the restaurant industry as well as the positive things. For my project, I will explore how the pandemic has impacted restaurants financially and service-wise. I will also research the strategies that restaurants have implemented to reopen.

Source Entry #1

Part 1 MLA Citation

Nicole Duncan, Mar. 2021, “How Covid-19 Forever Changed the Restaurant Industry.” QSR Magazine, https://www.qsrmagazine.com/consumer-trends/how-covid-19-forever-changed-restaurant-industry. 

Part 2 Summary

   The article “How Covid-19 Changed Forever Changed The Restaurant Industry” by Nicole Duncan in QSR Magazine explains the industry shift to take out, delivery, using apps for ordering and food trucks. With the loss of over 100,000 restaurants across the country , in person experience  that was birthed by a crisis has ended and created a new business model. Ryan Gromin, a consultant from “The Restaurant Boss” says shock therapy changes the economy. Like when the housing market crashed a dozen years ago but this time it came in the form of a pandemic. Gromin identified the food trucks as a natural byproduct of the “Great Recession” ; consumers wanted quality food at a lower cost without the manufacturer that connected them to chef concepts. The most dramatic effect of the coronavirus is the shift in services offered by current businesses instead of the emergence of a new business model. Trevor Shimizu the co-founder of Brizo FoodMetrics says that “ We have seen an increase in delivery and takeout, restaurants did not offer those services , specifically delivery at the beginning of the pandemic. Food Metrics is a foodservice analytics and insights firm that tracks types of restaurants and services rendered. Shimizu states that online-ordering platforms have increased 10-fold since the pandemic began. Since mid-January, 89.6 percent of U.S. restaurants offered takeout, and 81.9 percent had a delivery as an option which used 3 or more delivery apps. The “Third party delivery sales have continued to climb during the summer months when restrictions were relaxed or removed. Few restaurants have had the same success, between the limited- and full-service spectrum. The concepts put a strong emphasis on in-person experiences but they still acknowledge that consumer demand for off-premises service will remain long after COVID-19. There are many struggles for upscale and fine dining but the ramifications of COVID-19 Takeout and delivery have dominated the spotlight over the past year with about 78 percent of U.S. restaurants offering some kind of online ordering. Operators of fast-service establishments are on three major social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Moving into the future, the new era of convenience from the online presence of restaurants is going to be the most important piece for them to succeed.     

Part 3A Reflection/Genre Analysis

Nicole Duncan discusses the fall of the past era of restaurants and the rise of new concepts. I agree that the new trend that restaurants have adapted to will continue to elevate the categories and segments. I think the article was very interesting ,the content provides significant information to support the title. Not enough details on how restaurants were deeply affected by staff problems, and health safety issues. I want to know why there were no breakdowns about how many employees were fired due to COVID-19 how it impacted restaurants as they opened back up? How did the large and small restaurants provide a safe environment for employees to work and customers to eat?  I would need to find another source that thoroughly investigates the multiple problems and solutions restaurants used to get employees back. If I could speak to the author Nicole Duncan I would ask why she did not use quotes and opinions of restaurant owners and the executive chefs to get a better understanding of how they changed forever. This document tells me that the economy changes concepts every time there’s a crisis. It’s a good article that focuses more on the positive impacts of online ordering and deliveries and a glimpse of what the future will be like if these options are permanent. 

Part 3B Rhetorical/Genre Analysis

I would say the author Nicole Duncan writing style is both expository and descriptive,however she did not have much information on the condition or new way how the front of the house and back of the house work in these restaurants, The information provided promotions and how the new restaurants gained customers using social media and created a environment for people to be safe in. The details on how the restaurants used online delivery and takeout to keep their business alive moving forward with the times; so they do not become extinct by not adapting to the evolution of the industry. The audience I believe this is intended for are restaurants that operate the old fashion way so they can change their services so they do not get left behind when the pandemic ends; this is for consumers and owners a so they can adapt to the current trend permanently since there’s so much success in the new concept and it will only evolve. The genre and the style of how this article was written describes the beginning and future of this new concept. The author draws you in with the facts and then uses quotes to support statements from a consultant,co-founder of a firm, a senior director, and a chief marketing officer. Nicole Duncan is a credible author because she is the editor of FSR , QSR and President of IFECorg, who covers food services globally. She is also a FE Investigate which is the UK’s most comprehensive source of announcements from UK quoted companies. Nicole Duncans influence is global and she has dozens of different articles addressing a variety of food service ideas.

Part 4 Notable Quotables 

“Nevertheless, the most dramatic effect of the coronavirus may be the shift in services offered by existing operators, rather than the emergence of a new business model.” (Nicole Duncan paragraph 6)

“Many restaurateurs have been quick to adapt their business model to offer their customers more flexible, pandemic-friendly dining options.”(EHL Insights paragraph 6)

“During the course of the pandemic, restaurants have had to reinvent themselves countless times — ramping up off-premises sales, exploring virtual brands and rallying around their communities to support people in need.”(Tricia Contreras paragraph 1)

“According to the National Restaurant Association, more than 3 million industry employee have already lost their jobs.”(CNBC)