COVID-19


making bold statements, saying it will be opening 1,200 new locations by 2025


started the year Wendy’s


a third, and especially help to serve the urban communities without the expense of opening additional restaurants. This post-pandemic time has been opportune for fast-food brands with capital who have been able to swoop in and take over premises vacated by branded dining chains that were unable to last the course. “A lot of these branded sites have been taken over by fast food, which has seen a lot of growth,” says Stenning. “I see that continuing – there’s a convenience, value and proven quality that means it will continue growing.”


Gauging growth


RESTAURANT SECTOR IN APRIL 2022


GRO3.7%WTH IN THE UK PUB AND


Stenning says there’s an important distinction to make when assessing growth. “Is growth delivered by volume or value?” he asks. “Of course, at the moment it is value. Prices have gone up as volume – the number of covers – has dropped out.” But, he adds, there is some volume coming back into the market.


As an example, he points to the UK pub


and restaurant sector, which reported 3.7% growth in April – this growth was due to rising prices and not an increase in covers. Bettina von Massenbach FCSI, founder of Oyster Hospitality Management in


For more go to fcsi.org


Munich, Germany, suggests it is important to keep an eye on the human element. “Although revenue will always be the basic indicator of growth, it is relevant to check how staff will develop in the near future,” she says. “Therefore, sick days per annum and rate of fluctuation is a useful indicator too.”


Asked to point to indicators of


growth within foodservice, Lentz says higher education and chain markets tend to be good indicators of growth in the sector. “Other than that, we know people eat and we know the number of people in our world is growing. I love hearing designers talk about spaces that can be opened or closed based on demand,” she says. “Technology and other tools enabling foodservice venues to be open and to be successful. Right now, increasing square footage is not a universal sign of good growth that applies to all foodservice markets. In some cases, good growth is actually getting smaller.”


Despite the challenging times that are


now starting to fade into the background, there’s consensus that the foodservice sector is not only bouncing back but doing so with poise and growth. “There are still challenges at the start of 2022 with rising inflation, and the industry has to be careful of dampening nascent consumer demand by pushing more price rises onto them, but if the focus is on delivering exceptional experiences, then the best operators will thrive,” says Stenning.


And, according to Lentz, operators will be focused on growing in the right way. “Given the times right now I think good growth is growing with flexibility in mind, spaces that can be opened/closed based on business demand,” she says. “Bad growth might look like someone who is certain about what the future holds right now in some markets. I think the foodservice venue of the future in some market segments is a lot more volatile than any of us care to admit.” In other words, proceed with caution, but by all means pursue growth.


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