Despite persistent challenges, most restaurant operators are optimistic about the holiday season

The restaurant industry has historically performed well in Q4, generating an uptick in traffic as more people venture out to shop or socialize. The pandemic turned that trend on its head in 2020 and again last year amid the omicron surge.
This year’s holiday season arrives with some new challenges, including persistent inflation and labor shortages. Recent data from Alignable finds that holiday hiring is down nearly 40% versus last year, for instance, leaving operators to scramble to cover hours. Because of these challenges, nearly half of small restaurant owners are having a hard time covering rent costs. Click here to read the full article.