Undoubtedly, the hospitality industry is in turmoil. COVID came, creating carnage for restaurants all over the globe.
According to The Caterer, ‘1,932 restaurants entered insolvency’ in the UK last year. Shakespeare Martineau’s analysis indicated that ‘10% of business administrations in the UK were from the Hospitality sector.’ It’s not much better abroad. America’s National Restaurant Association polled restaurants:
- 38% say their restaurants were not profitable last year.
- 98% of operators say higher labour costs are an issue for their restaurants.
- 97% cite higher food costs.
without serious reinvention, the food industry will be changed irrevocably.
Daily, our news feeds are littered with apologies and thanks to long-standing customers. Restaurants and their owners describe their love for what they have done but their sadness and often shame at having to shut their doors. The impact is devastating, not just for the local economy but for families, friends, children and loved ones connected to the industry.
And McDonald’s? Well, companies like McDonald’s file gargantuan numbers year-on-year. Profits ebb and flow. The cycle seems vicious, cruel, and repetitive.
But aren’t we the ones creating this apocalyptic landscape? Don’t we have a duty to salvage what we can from the rubble of this post-COVID era? Isn’t it time to ditch the McDonald’s menu?
But, how?
It’s time to start voting with our feet again. Together, we can make a difference.
So, start by walking into those new restaurants and supporting the business owner who still remembers your coffee after months of absence. Yes, it may be pricier or more time-consuming than a quick stop at the drive-through. But ask yourself—can we afford not to?
So, do we really want to see a world where the bean-counting, profit-chasing corporations adopt and regulate the charm, authenticity, and irresistible taste of street food, family recipes, local dishes, and adaptations of classics?
If we collectively continue to use these franchises at the cost of independent business, we will fall victim to an industry of unauthenticity. Decisions that impact taste will be made in a board room, not behind a stove. Where tastebuds become an afterthought and profit margins enslave experience. A world where Carbonara is served with bacon because Guanciale doesn’t fit the franchise mold. And, these tiny atomic changes will compound, year after year, until we are left stranded with an industry we don’t recognise or want, with no way to change it. We risk losing the rich tapestry of culinary diversity that independent restaurants bring to our tables.
So, it’s time to act—to vote with our feet. Vote by taking your family to whatever new independent restaurant your budget will allow. Take a longer lunch and support your local café. Revel in tradition and appreciate time-worn hands that know only pride in the product they produce. Remember, your choices today can shape the future of the hospitality industry. Together, we have the power to make a difference.
Don’t waste what so many have spent a lifetime building. Don’t become accustomed to inauthenticity. Shop local, save a community, and become a part of said community- you’ll find your life becomes much richer.
You’ll also get to eat fantastic food and savour balanced flavours while entering a new world of culinary experiences. What can be better than that?
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