What challenges do restaurants face now and in the next 5-10 years?

No doubt, it has been a very, very difficult few years for restaurants. That is obvious for just about anyone that's paid attention. 

What is talked about a little less is that there are some restaurants who financially have very much benefited from the move to takeout. Those are traditionally restaurants that already did a lot of takeout, who had food that travels well. I've had conversations with restaurants—many of them ChowNow clients, but not all—over the last two to three years who actually were hitting all-time record numbers for revenue.

You heard less from them in part because there was so much pain out there and a lot of focus was on the massive numbers of restaurants negatively impacted from the pandemic. 

But these restaurants that were doing well that found themselves in the right place at the right time also didn't really want the press of how well they were doing—because they felt bad for their friends who owned restaurants—that were maybe more fine dining and sit-down and others—that were just crushed in 2020. 

Many restaurants have learned that takeout can be a very profitable and worthwhile part of their business model, something that will especially help local restaurants financially as we look out over the next 5-10 years.