Restaurant operators are cautiously optimistic about the year ahead, with nearly 8 in 10 predicting their sales will increase or hold steady from 2023 levels.

The State of the Restaurant Industry report examines key factors impacting the industry to forecast sales and market trends for the year ahead.

CEO of Marx Foods Justin Marx says he believes restaurants have hit their bottom. He estimates 80% of restaurants open before COVID-19 will remain open – focusing on controlling costs and quality. Austin Keating, Multimedia Specialist for BNP Media and the National Provisioner magazine, interviews Justin Marx to learn more.

Justin Marx, CEO of Marx Foods, says the Coronavirus spurred consumers to start buying samplers consistently after the packaging failed to gain traction in the years prior. To learn more about the future of meat samplers, listen to Austin Keating, Multimedia Specialist for BNP Media and the National Provisioner magazine, interview Marx.

Recently, I had the chance to speak with Nancy Jo Seaton of Seaton Food Consultants. We discussed various food trends for the coming year, and she mentioned something that I had been thinking.

Typically, consumer trends are driven by things like innovative restaurants and world travel. This year, the restaurants aren’t open, and many people haven’t traveled further than their front door, thanks to the restrictions that the Coronavirus pandemic have placed on our lives.

The Coronavirus pandemic has hurt many businesses and affected many ways of life. Restaurants have been hit particularly hard, and the industry is still reeling from reduced capacity, closed dining rooms and the lingering uncertainty about how to avoid the virus.