The COVID-19 Issue

The Long Road to Rebuilding Restaurants

Chart a course for the winter months.


Winter is on the horizon, and for restaurants in most states, this means cold weather. And with the cold comes a slew of questions with no easy answers.


Despite this, the community continues to persist, with owners and operators charting a course and figuring out how they can adapt operations to keep their businesses running and communities fed.


Some restaurants are tapping into early lessons from those who found success during COVID-19 by not only adopting, but optimizing, digital ordering channels like online ordering, curbside pickup, and contactless delivery. Others are rethinking their business models and finding ways to diversify their revenue streams.


Every restaurant is different and will require a different action plan for the coming months. But even if your restaurant’s not in a cold-weather city or state, the situation surrounding COVID-19 could shift at any time. And you need to be prepared.


We've created this special issue to arm restaurant people with actionable information and insights, covering monitoring your metrics, prepping your space, managing your staff through this tough time, and more.


You’ve gotten this far by staying on your toes and adapting in the face of overwhelming change. These same skills will serve you and the community well as we continue on this long road to recovery. Together, we can rebuild our industry.

FEATURED ARTICLES

Industry News

The New Restaurant Revitalization Fund Can Help Save Restaurants

Independent restaurants are finally getting the economic relief they need. Here’s how you can access the funds.

Industry News

Your Guide to Restaurant Relief in America

Learn about the current status of restaurant relief, including national and regional relief options accessible to restaurant workers and businesses.

Restarting Your Restaurant Operations

Industry News

How to Come Back from A COVID-19 Restaurant Closure

New business models, technologies, and ways of operating have emerged, and industry leaders are proving that this industry can bounce back stronger, and more equitable, than ever.

Operations

Should You Have a Soft Opening?

The soft opening — a curated experience special to this one night — tests your operations and showcases the best you've got.

Operations

How to Open a Restaurant With No Money

When you're starting a restaurant, access to funding is hard to come by. Here are some creative ways restaurateurs have got started.

Accounting

How to Balance a Restaurant Budget

After you set your restaurant budget, balancing month-to-month cash flow can be complex. We spoke with restaurateurs about how they keep their costs in check.

Prepping Your Space

Training

Restaurant Cleaning Checklist: The Ultimate Guide

Use our restaurant cleaning checklist to create a cleaning schedule for your restaurant to improve general health and safety. Get our restaurant cleaning checklist now.

Training

Train Your Team With a Server Side Work Checklist

Keeping everyone accountable just got easier.

Training

How to Make the Health Inspector Happy

Is your restaurant up to code? Learn how to train your team to avoid these common health code violations.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Culture and community are two cornerstones on which Black Sheep has been built, but we have never been truly tested before. And I can hand-on-heart say that now we have, and I have never been prouder of what we have built here.

Syed Asim Hussain, Co-Founder, Black Sheep Restaurants

Operations

Lessons From California Restaurateurs Preparing for a Pared Down Holiday Season

The holiday season in 2020 is like no other, especially for the restaurant industry. Here's how California restaurateurs are faring.

Operations

Nina Compton Is Not Giving Up

We spoke to the Top Chef about how she's running her business during a global pandemic. “We need each other during these times."

Operations

Immigrant and BIPOC Restaurateurs Face an Even Tougher COVID-19 Reality

“There’s so much that needs to be done to level the playing field,” says Cheryl Straughter, owner of Soleil Restaurant and Catering.

Operations

Herb & Beet Gets Creative to Bring in Revenue with Restaurant Reopening on Hold

When the shutdowns started, the Herb & Beet team didn’t falter on their mission. Instead, they found creative ways to keep their community fed, employees working, and revenue coming in.

Training

Black Sheep Restaurants Creates a COVID-19 Playbook to Support the Community

After setting up procedures to keep their staff and guests safe, the Black Sheep Restaurants team looked outward and asked, “How can we help others in the restaurant community?”

Operations

There’s Always Room at Briana Riddock’s Table

Riddock didn't start in traditional kitchens, but her passion and grit shine through in the intimate dining events she hosts in her hometown of Atlanta.

Managing Your Staff Through Reopening

Advocacy

How to Take Care of Your Staff During a Health Crisis

Restaurant workers need security now more than ever. Here's how restaurants are adapting their policies to take care of their teams.

Training

How to Run a Pre-Shift Meeting With Restaurant Staff

Learn how to lead a pre-shift meeting that sets up your restaurant staff for a productive and profitable shift.

Retention

Boosting Morale Could Be Your Key to Retention

Looking to improve staff retention? Turn your attention inward and focus on boosting employee morale.

Training

How to Write a Restaurant Employee Handbook

Use this guide to teach your new staff about acceptable workplace behavior, expectations, roles, systems, and responsibilities.

Training

Create Safe Spaces for Open Communication

Besides providing his staff with on-the-job skills training, Logan Hoffstetter found that one of his best employee retention assets is to train his team on open communication.

Training

How to Create a Staff Training Manual

A restaurant training manual makes it easier for you to lead and for your staff to succeed.

Marketing Your Restaurant Reopening

Marketing

How to Create Your Restaurant Marketing Budget

Planning your restaurant promotions with a budget in mind will help streamline your success now, and later.

Marketing

The Guide to Restaurant Social Media Marketing [+ 12 Examples]

Your customers are on social media. Here's how restaurants are using social to bring in new customers and engage their current ones.

Marketing

How to Turn Your Menu Into a Marketing Tool

Your menu is the center of your business. Getting it online and optimized is critical for bringing in new customers.

Monitoring Your Metrics

Accounting

How to Calculate Restaurant Performance and Financial Metrics

See the seven most important restaurant metrics owners need to track and how to calculate them correctly.

Operations

How to Calculate Restaurant Cost of Goods Sold

Calculating your restaurant cost of goods sold might seem like a pain, but it's an important part of making sure your business is healthy. Here's an easy way to calculate it.

Operations

Which Inventory Costing Method Is Right for Your Restaurant?

Inventory costing can help make the process of managing inventory easier — and more profitable. Here are the differences between the FIFO, LIFO, and WAC methods.

Accounting

How to Calculate Your Restaurant's Prime Cost

Tracking prime cost helps you stay informed about the financial health of your business, so you can confidently adapt your operations and strategies.

REOPENING GUIDELINES FROM STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES

Should You Reopen? This Tool Will Help You Decide

CDC

Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19

OSHA

Best Practices for Retail Food Stores, Restaurants, and Food Pick-up/Delivery Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic

FDA

Guidance on Cleaning and Disinfecting Workplaces

CDC

Safety Tips for Restaurants Providing Curbside Pickup and Takeout Service

Department of Labor

Getting Your Workplace Ready for Coronavirus

World Health Organization

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Manage Your Restaurant's Finances During COVID-19
icon RESOURCE

Manage Your Restaurant's Finances During COVID-19

In this Excel spreadsheet, you'll find customizable templates, tools, and calculators to help you analyze and optimize your restaurant financials.

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