THE LOCALS
BRAND PROFILE
By Terri Marshall
As COVID spread across the world in early 2020, lockdowns dealt an unprecedented blow to the hospitality and restaurant industry. From business owners to chefs to bartenders, everyone felt the impact as restaurants closed for weeks, and millions of workers lost their jobs. Creativity emerged over time, with eateries offering expanded outdoor seating and extended
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take-out menu options. Taking a cue from cities like New Orleans and Key West, to-go cocktails became a favorite happy hour substitute in urban areas of 39 states plus the District of Columbia. Despite these efforts, restaurants still haven’t recovered. According to the National Restaurant Association, in the first 13 months of the pandemic, restaurant and foodservice sales were down $290 billion from pre-pandemic levels.
We believe the opportunity to rebuild starts with the people who serve as its backbone. -AMY MARTIN