Restaurant of the Future is Here
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants are moving faster than ever to adopt new technology. Things like ghost kitchens, mobile ordering and robots are no longer distant innovations—they are real tools that operators are implementing today.
For this year’s Power 20 list, RB is recognizing restaurant folks who amplified their community outreach efforts during the pandemic. These operators stepped up in a big way to feed the hungry, organize relief programs for unemployed restaurant workers, advance social justice in the industry and raise funds to help those in need. Meet our 20 local heroes.
This year’s class of America’s up-and-coming chains faces an uncertain future. But as the coronavirus hit, these small and innovative concepts were characteristically quick to adapt, repacking menu items into meal kits, creating pop-up drive-thrus and more. Here’s a look at how they got here, and where they plan to go next.