This section provides Restaurant & Food Service Business links and resources to assist your startup or small business. Additionally, you can receive free professional business advice and free or low-cost business training from your local Small Business Development Center!
View our related business reports here: Fast Food Restaurant and Full Service Restaurant
Food Service Industry Overview, Pandemic Impact and Recovery
Due to the global pandemic peoples’ ability to go out was limited causing food service industry to suffer the most. According to US Department of Agriculture Report, the average spending in the food service industry fell 29% in the first three months of the pandemic as compared to the same time period in 2019, the industry adapted and slowly began the recovery nearing pre-pandemic levels. COVID restrictions, along with technological advances, led to an increase in innovation and accelerated adoption of delivery apps, curbside and carry out services. With restaurants limiting in-person dining and switching to delivery there was less need for brick-and-mortar restaurants which led to rise in virtual restaurants like ghost kitchens.
The National Restaurant Association Report identifies other industry wide changes that affected the food industry, to include labor costs, supply chain issues, and inflation. Around half of the restaurant business operators mentioned labor recruitment and retention as one of the top issues with seven in ten owners were not able to open in full capacity due to staffing shortages. In part the issues were attributed to increased labor costs. According to a survey of restaurant owners conducted by Alignable.com about 58% respondents reported spending at least 50% more on labor than they did pre-pandemic, and roughly 29% reported that their labor cost had doubled.
Global supply shortage has led to an increase in prices of food, Global Trade reports that 92% of restaurant owners identified rising food costs becoming a significant issue. One of the reasons for supply chain shortages being the global geopolitical climate causing an increase of prices for grain and cooking oil.
The inflation rate has been slowing down in recent months, but caused an overall hike in prices in the food service industry over the past by 8.2% for full-service and 6.7% at limited-service restaurants.
Business Associations
- National Restaurant Association – largest food service trade association representing over 500,000 businesses
- Council of State Restaurant Associations – promoting the success of state associations
- National Association for Catering and Events – resource for catering and event professionals providing information on industry-leading education, tools and resources
- Green Restaurant Association – nonprofit organization promoting environmentally sustainable practices in the areas of Energy, Water, Waste, Food, Chemicals, Disposables, & Building
Business Plans
- Restaurant, Cafe, and Bakery Sample Business Plans
- Restaurant Business Plan Template
- Food Truck Business Plan
See also: Business Plans
Food Service Concepts
- Different Types of Concepts – explore options available for the food industry business.
- Delivery Only Concept Differentiations – Ghost Kitchens, Cloud Kitchens, and Virtual Restaurants
- Restaurant Topic Center – trends and research for the fast casual industry segment from Fast Casual
- Curbside is Here to Stay – reasons curbside is becoming a staple for quick service eating places
- Adapting to Takeout Model – how to implement takeout/delivery options
- Carryout Popularity – diners opting for pick-up of their orders
- Third Party Delivery Services – how it works, pros/cons, alternative options for your business
- How to Start a Ghost Kitchen – a guide on opening a ghost kitchen
- Pitfalls of Ghost Kitchens – reasons why ghost kitchen model does not work for small businesses
See also: Franchise
Restaurant Operations
- Alcohol Beverage Control Boards – listing and links to Authorities in United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau of the U.S. Department of Treasury
- Getting a Liquor License – how to apply for a liquor license
- Liquor License – state by state info on license fee & governing agencies
- Restaurant Management – tips and examples on how to manage a food service business
- OSHA Young Worker Safety – common hazards and potential safety solutions for employers of young workers from OSHA
- Business Operations – articles on restaurant management from the National Restaurant Association
- Operational Trends – trends for 2022
- Resources for Owner & Manager – articles for managers to run a better business
- QSR OneSource – equipment buyer’s guide.
- Restaurant Equipment & Suppliers – guide to equipment, products and suppliers for the quick-service and fast-casual segments
- Catering and Food Service Resource Guide – catering and food service list of manufacturers and suppliers
- Industry Metrics – how to calculate industry metrics
- Performance Metrics – How to calculate key performance indicators
- Location Selection – considerations when choosing a location for your business
- Reputation Management – how to manage review and ratings
- Online Reviews – importance of Reviews and how to get more
- Managing Online Customer Reviews – tips to get online customer reviews and manage feedback
- Labor Shortage – strategies on navigating workforce strain
- Surviving work force shortage – data to increase employee retention
Food Service Review Sites
- Yelp – online reviews as well as reservation and waitlist management
- Open Table – reservation system and reviews
- Zagat
- Gayot
- Trip Advisor
Food Trucks
- FoodTruckr – resources and support for food truck owners
- Food Truck Empire – resources and information for food truck entrepreneurs
- Food Truck Operator – education, insight & resources for food truck owners
- Mobile-Cuisine – resources & insight on food truck market research
- Mobile Food News – news & information for the food truck industry
- Roaming Hunger – national food truck directory and marketplace
Restaurant Technology
- POS Systems – a look into top POS systems for food service businesses
- Tech Adoption – the increase in use of mobile tech in the industry and consumers
- App Features – features consumers want in restaurant apps
- Technology Trends – restaurant Tech Trends for 2023
- Technology Influence on the Industry – how technology is changing the restaurant business
- QR Codes – how to use QR codes in your restaurant
- Switching to QR Code Menu – pros and cons of using QR codes
Business Publications
- Nation’s Restaurant News
- Restaurant Business
- Restaurant Magazine
- The Restaurant Report
- Full Service Restaurant News
- Restaurant Hospitality
- QSR Magazine
- Cater Source
Statistics & Demographics
- 2023 State of the Industry – executive Summary of State of the Restaurant Industry
- Industry State Statistics – Industry economic impact by state
- Customer Demographics – customer demographics breakdown
- Generational Divide – change in the demographic makeup and restaurant trends
- The Rise of Health-Conscious Eaters – consumer interest in healthier options
- Industry Statistics for Restaurant Owners – general, economic, employee, management, consumer, technology, payment & food statistics.
- Restaurant of the Future – analysis and insight on customer expectations from Deloitte
More Online Resources
- Downloadable Resources – ready-to-use forms, manuals, procedures and worksheet templates
- Checklists – guides to help organize operations, procedures, practices & systems
- Forms and Checklists – free forms, posters & quizzes covering topics such as: general business, tax, employment & food safety.
Additional Resources
Already in business or thinking about starting your own small business? Check out our various small business resources:
- View more industry-specific research here: Market Research Links
- View small business help topics here: Small Business Information Center
- View business reports here: Small Business Snapshots
- View business plans samples here: Sample Business Plans
Remember, you can also receive free professional business advice and free or low-cost business training from your local Small Business Development Center!
