 In 2021, the restaurant trends that dominated the industry were tied to challenges that may continue to plague operators in 2022.
The labor crisis was an issue throughout the year, with the industry still far below its peak employment levels, due to a variety of factors. Restaurant Dive looked at the tactics operators used to adjust to the new labor market, including mass hiring events and sign-on bonuses.
Restaurants also adjusted operations to take advantage of continued consumer interest in off-premise dining. Major QSR brands debuted new drive-thru designs and digitally focused restaurants. Meanwhile, some operators hosted other brands out of their kitchens to boost sales and off-premise reach. But the industry's focus on off-premise and digital offerings came with problems. Restaurants don't have easy access to the data collected by third-party aggregators, which makes marketing virtual brands difficult.
Still, many businesses thrived thanks to a glut of vacant commercial real estate. Some markets, particularly in Florida and Texas, saw a franchising boom. At the corporate level, brands changed hands and companies merged at a lightning pace for much of the year thanks to recovering sales and low interest rates.
With 2022 just around the corner, take a moment to look back on 2021's most interesting restaurant trends.
 Aneurin Canham-Clyne
Associate Editor, Restaurant Dive
Twitter | Email While operators continue to point to high unemployment benefits keeping workers from returning, various reports show the staffing shortage is much more complicated. |
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