Restaurant Industry News Roundup: September 2020 

Oh, my gourd, we’ve officially entered spooky season! As the weather gets colder, headlines have shifted as Summer slowly fades into the horizon. When it comes to September’s restaurant news, we’re serving up a flavorful variety. Grab your pumpkin spice latte, throw on a flannel, and settle in to scroll through our September Industry news roundup!

Restaurants’ Stand to Gain $1B from NFL’s Week 1 

Since pro football has returned with no fans, a data analytics company projects that restaurants were set to see a jump of almost $1 billion from the season’s first weekend. According to PredictHQ, “No fans or limited fans at games means we’ll see Super Bowl-caliber consumption of pizza, beet, wings, chips, and dips every Sunday.” A survey of 2,500 football fans shows sales projection by food product has pizza at 25 percent of all orders followed by wings and fried chicken at 22 percent.   Since 2020 has been unpredictable across many industries, CEO of PredictHQ, Campbell Brown, shares that fans are excited to watch games with their social groups. Thus, restaurants and foodservice providers need to prepare for the predicted surge of food demand via delivery and takeout.  

Restaurants Reliant on Outdoor Dining get Creative in Preparation for Winter Chill Ahead. 

The coronavirus has been wreaking havoc on the restaurant industry since March; restaurants have been taking advantage of the warm weather to offer safe dining environments. As colder weather approaches, restaurants are continuing to be creative when it comes to extending these options. However, according to owners and operators across the country, heat lamps and outdoor building structures can only go so far. In New York, outdoor dining permits will expire on Halloween. Ahead of that, restaurant owners marched to City Hall to demand more funding to assist in restaurant survival. Overall, the change forces restaurants to be more fiscally responsible through the winter to avoid more closures and layoffs.  Specifically, First Hospitality is focusing on an enhanced customer experience. Their location in Louisville 8Up Elevated Drinkery and Kitchen plans to create a winter wonderland for their guests consisting of igloos to ensure guest separation and electric heaters, fireplaces, and wind blockers to meet customer needs. Winter is coming; what will it bring?  

This 1950s restaurant trend is making a serious comeback in the age of COVID-19. 

Need a shot of nostalgia? Top Agency recently conducted a market research study and found that carhops are trendy again. Further, Top Agency also found that Sonic restaurants have experienced a boost in sales since mid-March. Sonic ranks as a favorite fast-food chain in some states. Generally, food industry expert Aaron Allen notes that restaurants that fall between fast food and fine dining need to find creative solutions for a novel problem. The “carhop model” is still seen as a novelty.   For a nostalgic bonus, McDonald’s is tapping into the 90s in their collaboration with Travis Scott, including an LTO based on his usual order and adjacent merch. What’s the deal with these throwbacks?   

Chick-fil-A Takes Another Shot; The Chicken Sandwich War is Back On! 

Chick-fil-A is releasing a Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich, according to a press release. The sandwich has been in development for the past year, but it’s still in the test marketing stage and is available in South Carolina and Asheville, North Carolina. According to a Chick-fil-A senior culinary developer describes the sandwich is “bringing a Southwest influence that pairs well with honey and pimento cheese.” Will we have another battle in the Chicken Sandwich War?  Subscribe to the blog for more interesting restaurant content!

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About the Author

Devyn is the Social & PR Specialist on the Marketing Team. She has a B.S. in Communication and an M.S. in Global Strategic Communication. She liked QR codes (before they were cool) ever since a two-week trip to China. She’s obsessed with true crime and enjoys quality time with her friends and family. Ask her about books she’s read, Criminal Minds, her dog-child, or her favorite cocktails!