When will Restaurants be back to Normal?
I find about 2/3 are back to Normal but 1/3 are on:
Limited Hours. Our Chinese is open for Lunch but not Dinner. Since Dinner has higher prices???
Wendy’s is Drive thru only.
Of 2 McDonalds, one is normal, the other removed the drink refill station.
Taco Bell is also Drive Thru only.
Seems you have to call ahead to be sure a place is open.
All of ours, that I am aware of, are completely back to pre-pandemic conditions. Although, at least some still allow take out drinks (alcoholic ones)…
The restaurant I visit most often has reduced hours. Getting help is the main issue.
Servers all wear masks.
I believe the menu has been reduced.
Other than that things are normal.
My closest meat and two type restaurant went from being open 6 days a week to 5 days a week and from 3 meals a day to dropping breakfast. Lack of help is the reason.
I think older people have been afraid to go to work in person so they have been retiring, especially since stock prices peaked recently. So then everyone younger than them moves up the promotion ladder, and restaurant workers no longer have to work in restaurants, they can get (sorry to say it) “real” jobs. That’s a condemnation of the USA restaurant industry. In Europe, it’s a real job with serious wages, benefits, and of course everyone gets health insurance by default. There is no or minimal tipping in Europe.
Are the restaurants in Europe back to “normal”?
A few weeks ago I was with a group at a Chinese restaurant, and all seemed to be “normal” compared to pre-covid days. But their prices had increased.
I haven’t been to Europe recently so I don’t know. Regardless, US restaurant jobs, and truck driving, and teaching, are badly compensated hard jobs which are all short handed at present.
I’ve greatly reduced my going out to get food. Used to get coffee out, morning bagel, something for lunch, etc, but it’s become so hit and miss whether things are open or if you have to wait forever to get your food. I work at home full time now so I just stay in and make something.
I went to the Wendy’s drive thru near me recently and was told over the speaker that the drive thru was closed and to go inside. Really? You couldn’t put a sign up where you order to let people know? Stopped going to Chipotle. Twice ordered on their app and went to pick up only to find lobby jammed with people waiting for their orders. They need to shut their app off when the kitchen can’t keep up.
I’m guessing fast food, quick service places are going to have to start closing in great numbers since they can’t get workers and I don’t see it changing.
Once again, here is a short, relevant video featuring Clark Howard:
Not sure that it is about going back to normal - as in covid being abnormal - most have staffing problems.
I only recently found out that there is a temp service for restaurants (Atlanta) - upper scales one for the most part - If it works out and they can agree on employment issues, it is a good way to hire the person the restaurant desires - takes some of the trial and error out of the equation.
Our experience in the NW is about the same as all over: limited or reduced hours due to understaffing. Some of our Subways have closed because of staffing (maybe we don’t need a Subway every mile anyway). Some of the Subways that are still open no longer take coupons and the others only take certain coupons. Thus, I go there less now.
Overall, prices are much higher. Not too long ago you could go to a Mexican restaurant and get the lunch special for $6.95. Now, no specials and lunch is $12.95.
I agree with others that more of these places will close.