POLITICAL:

According to the Independent Restaurant Coalition, 82% of independent restaurants are afraid they will close if the Restaurant Revitalization Fund is not replenished. It is unclear when or if refilling the RRF will be discussed by the House Small Business Committee.

SOCIAL:

Tracey Skeans, chief operating officer and chief people officer at Yum Brands, predicts that the ideal restaurant worker of the future will need strong digital and interpersonal skills.

ENVIRONMENTAL:

Agricycle Global raised $2.4 million with the goal of building sustainable supply chains in Sub-Saharan Africa. The start-up works with locals traditionally excluded from global food markets to upcycle food ingredients that would otherwise go to waste.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

Employees are leaving or planning on leaving in swarms, with reasons ranging from burnout to return-to-work conflicts. Inc. has more.

ECONOMIC:

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on the restaurant industry. It has fundamentally changed the landscape of restaurant franchising, and while optimism and opportunity abound for those who can take advantage, the pandemic isn’t over yet.

TECHNOLOGY:

Fast-food restaurants are unveiling new prototypes, from underground drive-thru lanes to conveyer belt food delivery. These pandemic-inspired trends are futuristic, forward-thinking and will likely shape the fast-food industry for the foreseeable future.

LEGAL:

DoorDash is suing New York City over a new law requiring delivery companies to share customers’ data with restaurants. This is another in a series of legal struggles between delivery companies, for whom the pandemic has increased business, and restaurants, for whom the pandemic has presented a myriad of trouble.