Restaurants and bars gained 286,000 workers in February 2020, per a CNBC report, a sign that recovery is on the horizon. In fact, restaurant sales could increase because of the new U.S. government relief package, vaccine distribution acceleration and warmer temperatures. Yet, while a total recovery is not expected until 2022 – as consumers need time to adjust back to pre-pandemic patterns – many across the restaurant industry are thinking about their future and planning for the long-term.
In this round-up of restaurants that are plotting for future success, Bar & Restaurant asked owners from different markets about how they’re doing right now and what they’re doing to plan ahead, as we’re more than a year into the pandemic.
Liquor License + Full Bar for Increased Revenue
New Jersey based Bovine Burgers is a new craft burger quick service restaurant concept, or QSR, that’s focused on rave-worthy guest service and quality burgers. The company opened its first location in 2017 with the goal of franchising.
Bovine Burgers President Marc Warner said he and his wife Lisa have weathered the Covid-19 storm thanks to their loyal and supportive community, and that they emerged stronger by experiencing their best revenue quarter ever in Q4 2020. Their best-ever revenue month was in January 2021, and they just beat that record in March — all this despite in-house dining capacity being reduced.
RELATED: Diversifying Revenue Streams Post-Pandemic
Looking ahead, Bovine just acquired a liquor license and started selling beer and hard seltzers at the end of February. It also has plans to build a full bar in six months, which will be a significant part of future revenue. Warner said liquor should account for 15 to 25 percent of their sales.
“When the pandemic first struck, we primarily focused on the safety of our staff and guests, while also taking steps to simply survive financially. But we also realized this was an ideal time to reinvest and grow our business to position ourselves favorably for the future,” said Warner.
Supper Club Concept, Outdoor Dining for Future Success
Ian Duke owns New York-based Union Sushi & Steak, The Baylander, Union Burger Bar, Southampton Social Club, The Coop, Prohibition Live Music Restaurant and Lucky’s Famous Burgers.
Duke said that a year into the pandemic, it’s wonderful to see a light at the end of the tunnel. “There is a real tenable sense of optimism and positivity in the air,” he said. “Business is certainly up – as we were closed at this point a year ago – and steady enough to build on."
Duke believes they we won’t experience a real resurgence in terms of revenue until late 2021 or early 2022. “I say this because there are still a great number of people that are uncomfortable with being around people, there is still no bar service, no crowded bars or dance floors and, in fact, we’re terrified that we won’t see the curfew lifted soon enough,” he explained. [Editor's note: New York City's curfew is expected to end on May 17, 2021.]
Duke added, “We need to not only make people feel safe, but we need to be ready to handle the difficulties that will come with people who are vaccinated being ready to let their hair down whilst mixing with those that aren’t and certainly aren’t ready for that experience.”
As a result, Duke is focusing on his Supper Club concept this year for both Southampton Social Club and Union Sushi & Steak. These are higher profile venues, where expectations are high for superior experience. With a new, expanded outdoor area at Union Sushi & Steak for luxury al fresco dining, and new luxury cabanas at Southampton Social Club, the bar has been raised for dining and nightlife enthusiasts.
Leaning into Expansion Plans to Support Growth
Jamal Wilson, owner of The Hall – a food hall concept – is doing well. He’s used the limited-dining restrictions last year to lean into his expansion plans. He took advantage of these orders to accelerate a move to a larger space in Tampa, Fla., which is set to open later this summer.
The Hall also was able to devote significant time into developing properties in other cities, such as Orlando and Atlanta, which will open in 2021. “We’re planning for the future by ensuring our space is large enough to accommodate for table distances that align with state regulations,” said Wilson. “While our spaces have always been an open layout, we’re now identifying locations that have ample outdoor seating options for year-round good weather dining, and the vendors that are showcased in The Hall must now have the flexibility to offer takeout formats for customers.”
Futureproofing with Multi-Level Spaces, Outdoor Seating
Chef Xavier Vance, Southern Rich, said the pandemic greatly affected the restaurant and events industry but it also allowed for a reinvention and the landscape and opportunity for him to chase after some long-standing dreams.
After a successful decade of hosting more than 200 events across the city of Chicago, he closed his company Vance Events. “The shutdown in gatherings allowed me to exit the industry gracefully. I’ve since turned my attention to opening my first restaurant on the West Side – Southern Rich, molding my vision of upscale Southern cuisine with fine wine,” said Vance. “When searching for my location for Southern Rich, against the considerations of a pandemic, I started looking for multi-level spaces to allow for spaced dining, as well as outdoor patio options to futureproof.”
Additionally, Vance fast-tracked his search – “Soul/comfort food is actually one of the only food types that grew in 2020 – five times – and we know that one of the things people want to get back to the fastest is indoor dining – when safe – so we want to be able to offer them a new option to explore,” he said.
Rosita Lamberti with Aldo Lamberti Family of Restaurants, which includes Positano Coast in Philadelphia and Caffe Aldo Lamberti in Cherry Hill, N.J. – said the challenges over the past year have been many.
RELATED: Subscription Services Bring Revenue to Struggling Venues
“The pandemic has taught us that we need to be adaptable, creative and ready to pivot at any point in time,” said Lamberti. “We were the first in the Philadelphia region to install thermal body imaging scanners at Caffe Aldo Lamberti in Cherry Hill. At Caffe Aldo Lamberti, we also expanded our outdoor seating area – and even expanded with an entirely new outdoor dining room in what was formerly an area of our parking lot.”
In Philadelphia, at Positano Coast, Lamberti and her team worked with the neighborhood and city to expand the outdoor space with sidewalk seating and a 'streetery'. “We also adjusted and adapted our existing elevated outdoor patio – and we began to renovate the inside dining rooms – for a new design and layout that will serve us well after the pandemic,” she said.
Lamberti believes that outdoor dining will continue to be popular, even in the cold winter months in the Northeast. They made significant financial investments in their outdoor dining spaces at Caffe Aldo Lamberti and Positano Coast. “Guests clearly feel more comfortable outdoors, and given the option, seem to prefer sitting outside now. Therefore, the investments made sense for us, and our guests enjoy the additional spaces,” she said.
For both Caffe Aldo Lamberti and Positano Coast, takeout was ordered rarely prior to the pandemic. When it became their only option, they adapted to serving menus for takeout; pickup continues to be a popular option and an additional stream of revenue. Also, Lamberti is in the process of opening another location in Philadelphia, Lamberti Pizza & Market, that will cater to those who prefer takeout and will offer mostly grab and go prepared meals, as well as made-to-order pizzas and cheesesteaks.
Focusing on Indoor Air Quality and Safety to Attract Customers
Al Dimeglio, the owner and chef at Barano in Brooklyn, N.Y., agreed that the pandemic has caused great concern about eating indoors. One way Barano tried to create a safer indoor dining environment and regain customer confidence – for present and future – was to install AtmosAir bi-polar ionization technology into Barano’s HVAC system.
“These BPI devices have tested more than 99.9 percent effective in proactively and continually neutralizing coronavirus in the air and on surfaces,” said Dimeglio. “They not only mitigate coronavirus, but they are also reducing the spread of germs, viruses, airborne contaminants and restaurant odors, and provide clean indoor air quality throughout my restaurant.”
Barano added this indoor air quality enhancement “because not only was it the right thing to do for our staff and our customers but to encourage our guests that it’s okay to eat indoors and regain their confidence in indoor dining,” Dimeglio said.
To keep the indoor area safer, Barano also added plexiglass barriers where social distancing is not feasible; they also have personal sanitizer on every table and set limits on length of stay at the tables, as well.
RELATED: What to Expect at Nightclub & Bar Show 2021
To get more valuable insights from industry leaders and the bar and restaurant community, plan to attend the Nightclub & Bar Show, the most important event of the year for operators. The event takes place June 28-30, 2021 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Details can be found at NCBShow.com.
Interviews have been edited for length and clarity. Early bird registration for Nightclub & Bar Show 2021 starts at $99 and expires May 17, 2021. Click here to register.
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Fadi Alsayegh at [email protected], Jamie Schroeder at [email protected] or Veronica Gonnello at [email protected].
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest industry news and trends.