On the Road to Relief: Restaurant Trends and Opportunities to Watch

Restaurant operators have faced stiff headwinds since 2020, with a near-constant swirl of inflation, supply chain and labor challenges. But if last year was any indicator, restaurant operators are on the road to relief in 2024. According to September 2023 numbers from the National Restaurant Association, 49 percent of restaurants reported year-over-year increases in same-store sales. And despite warnings of an imminent recession at the end of 2022, the U.S. economy demonstrated resilience in 2023—with GDP, employment rates and consumer spending remaining relatively stable or even growing. The restaurant equity market also showed signs of recovery, with healthy market debuts from Cava and Dutch Bros. Coffee in 2023. 

In 2024, we expect these trends to shape the restaurant sector. Here’s how restaurant operators can evolve with them. 

Adapt to Growing Price Fatigue  

Since the pandemic, controlling food costs has been a major challenge for restaurant operators. When…