What's inside this report?

This report is based on the direct feedback of over 1,000 restaurant managers, owners, and executives across North America. The resulting report features key insights, statistics, and real feedback from restaurant professionals.

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Topics covered include:

2019

The biggest challenges restaurants faced in 2019

2020

The biggest challenges restaurants predict to face in 2020

Engagement

The top staff engagement trends

Food & Service

The top food and service trends

Key findings from the report

Restaurateurs ranked labor, engagement, and sustainability the biggest challenges they faced in 2019 and going into 2020. Here are the key findings from the full report:

Labor costs are a primary challenge for restaurateurs

High labor costs were listed as the biggest challenge of 2019 by 28% of all restaurateurs, with 52% reporting their labor costs to have had negative impacts on their business.

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Restaurants to focus on more employee engagement strategies

While engagement was reported as the second-biggest challenge in 2019 (19%), and as the third-biggest expected challenge of 2020 (13%), managers and owners are considering new strategies for the new year.

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Restaurants turn to sustainable business practices

Restaurateurs around the globe are changing their menus to feature more local, organic, low-waste, and plant-based food options to support the effort to reduce their business’ environmental impact.

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Download the full report to keep your restaurant at the forefront of the changing industry.

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