CHICAGO — Lockdowns. Layoffs. Reopening at a quarter of capacity. Overhauling business models and menu offerings.
While the COVID-19 pandemic’s panic buying sent the retail business for commercial baking into hyper speed, the foodservice side was sent into a spiral. According to the National Restaurant Association, the overall restaurant industry projected a $240 billion loss in sales for 2020, which translates to a 27% drop from the originally estimated $899 billion in sales.
It was supposed to be a record year.