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Following COVID-19: How the virus is affecting the fast casual industry

FastCasual is doing its best to track how restaurants are handling the crisis and will update this story as we gather more information.

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June 1, 2020 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

FastCasual is doing its best to track how restaurants are handling the crisis and will keep updating this story to add more information. Top headlines are as follows:

June 1

Fat Brands reports wider Q1 loss amid COVID-19

Torchy's Tacos slowly reopening dining rooms

May 29

'Converting to Curbside and Delivery' webinar is lesson in pandemic...

Pandemic speeds up operational changes at Sweetgreen

May 28

Peet's Coffee reopens 13 stores

House approves bill to loosen PPP loan requirements

May 27

Temperature check kiosks ready to tackle COVID-19

Zaxby's shares COVID-19 recovery plan

Reopening of dine-in service helping restaurants make small progress

Pandemic not stopping Captain D's from opening new locations

May 26

MVP Group introduces touchless hand sanitizer dispenser

MenuDrive platform helping restaurants launch online ordering in 1...

Farmer Boys supporting The Great American Takeout's Burger Bash

Tork pledges $100K to help restaurants provide meals to pandemic...

Tork pledges $100K to help restaurants provide meals to pandemic...

May 22

Starbucks CEO doubling down on off-premise business

Just Salad taps Kenneth Cole for creating, designing employee...

May 21

COVID-19 isn't cooling growth at Dave's Hot Chicken

Restaurants can ditch germ-carrying menus by going digital

Service helps brands build in-house delivery, bypass 3rd-party...

May 20

Burgerfi launches training app

Taco Cabana opens pantry

May 19

Tropical Smoothie CEO relying on 'innovation, grit, fun' during COVID...

Restaurant reopenings, Mother's Day drive transaction boost

Tropical Smoothie CEO relying on 'innovation, grit, fun' during COVID...

May 18

Panera adds geofencing for frictionless pickup

Panera adds geofencing for frictionless pickup

May 15

Rascal House CEO: 'Don't stop franchising during COVID-19'

Why Teriyaki Madness sales aren't declining during pandemic

Dickey's sales soar despite coronavirus

May 14

Can Starbucks get some rent money?

NYC Council caps third-party delivery fees

Lefty's posts 50% growth amid COVID-19

May 13

Potbelly returns $10M from PPP

Saladworks launches stay-at-home wellness challenge

Pie Five's new practices designed to safeguard dine-in

May 12

Starbucks opens UK stores Thursday with precautions

PepsiCo helping restaurant workers coping with COVID-19

Shake Shack launches 'Shake Shack at Your Shack'

May 11

Restaurant transactions on the rise

Ballard Brands Louisiana stores spread connection, food across the...

Raising Cane's distributing $2M in crew bonuses

Zukku Sushi transforms into ghost kitchen during pandemic

Newly launched website helping restaurants cut third-party delivery

May 8

Golden Chick president promises 500 stores, Netsurion on speeding up...

Webinar to explore ways to improve customer experience by shifting...

Restaurant SSS drop 55% in April: Time for comeback?

May 7

Chipotle hosting virtual prom afterparty

Digital restaurant orders up 63%

May 6

Peet's Coffee reopening locations

Webinar to explore how restaurants can succeed in uncertain times,...

May 5

Restaurants making reopening plans

May 4

How the pandemic solidfied contactless payment

10 reasons Fast Casual's Top 100 will be 'the virtual event of the...

As states return to dine-in, slight improvement noted in restaurant...

May 1

Boston Market CEO talks Covid-19 strategy

April 30

Free webinar to help restaurant operators get up-to-speed in response...

Gott's opens San Franciso location

Sweetgreen going 'outside the bowl'

April 29

Why Schlotzsky's isn't ready to reopen dining rooms

To reopen or not to reopen: How soon is too soon?

Restaurant365 launches lending program to help restaurants access...

Blaze Pizza, Mici launch DIY kits

Starbucks fiscal Q2 earnings hit by COVID-19

Toast launches flat fee mobile delivery for restaurants

Pret a Manger reopening select NYC stores

April 28

Soupergirl rescuing her own business

Second fed loan program for small businesses hits snags

April 27

Coronavirus relief checks easing restaurant transaction declines

Small businesses prepare for second chance at SBA loans

PaybyPhone helping World Central Kitchen

Potbelly returns $10M from PPP

Chef Chatter: 7 ways restaurants can survive COVID-19

April 24

House approves additional $484B in COVID-19 funds for small...

Why sales are soaring at Wing It On

April 23

Checkers/Rally's CEO predicts post-pandemic fast food resurgence +...

Revel launches standalone version of its online-ordering tool

Dickey's franchisees pay it forward

April 22

Chipotle beats COVID-19 odds as Q1 digital sales soar

Ike's offering sandwiches inspired by binge-worthy shows

US Senate approves $484 B to shore up COVID-19 aid to businesses,...

Protecting delivery employees, customers during COVID-19

Restaurants issue 'blueprint to recovery'

April 21

Restaurant leader offers 3 solutions to CARES Act problems

Restaurants issue 'blueprint to recovery'

NRA study: COVID-19 impact worse than initial projections

ATX Hospital Meals teams with nonprofit to expand programs, funding...

April 20

Restaurant chain transactions drop 43% 2nd week of April

Tacos 4 Life co-founder on the permanent effects of COVID-19

Shake Shack returns PPP funds

April 17

Is your e-marketing strategy missing these 10 things?

Little Greek COO gives 12 tips on navigating COVID-19

April 16

COVID-19 liability protection for restaurateurs + Edible Brands' new...

SBA runs out of COVID-19 relief money; lawmakers fight over refunding

'Great American Pizza Party' rewards participants, supports pizzerias

Raising Cane's hosting virtual entertainment series

Lyft pilots delivery service for food, health supplies amid COVID-19...

Chicken Salad Chick pivots to 'Quick Chick' operations model

Starbucks looking to reopen some US cafes

April 15

Muscle Maker gets in the grocery game

Infographic: Global customers trust restaurants despite pandemic

Celebs washing hands in support of restaurant employees, families

Coolgreens eliminates franchisee fees

April 14

Restaurant industry pivoting to stay alfloat during pandemic

Rakuten launches free takeout platform

Panera launches family feast deal

Modern market sharing supply chain with customers

April 13

Juice it Up, I Heart Mac & Cheese waiving franchise fees

Pollo Tropical launches Pollo Pantry

Have restaurant declines bottomed out?

Kona Poké delivery-only location opening in Miami

Newk's launches pantry, meal kits

April 10

DoorDash drops commission rate for small restaurant brands

6 ways to optimize your online menu to survive COVID-19

April 9

Third-party delivery services push back against San Francisco cap

Restaurants to Congress: We need more funding

https://www.fastcasual.com/news/el-pollo-loco-rescinds-annual-outlook-on-15-q1-sales-drop/

Rubio's, Cowboy Chicken, Boston Market have Easter dinner covered

April 8

Starbucks commits $10M to help employees

Panera launches grocery service

Jolt Software giving free access to COVID-19 checklists

Zaxby's, Bruegger's Bagels go the family route

April 7

Restaurant industry pulling together to battle pandemic

Third 'Takeout Tuesday' moves to top others with major prizes

SoBol CEO, franchisee not giving up during COVID-19

Wingstop sees Q1 same-store sales boost despite COVID-related shift

April 6

Restaurants coming to the rescue amid COVID-19

Restaurant transactions drop 42% in wake of COVID-19 dine-in closures

April 3

Franchisors on the sale hunt despite COVID-19 crisis

COVID-19 will forever change the foodservice industry

April 2

7 ways the CARES Act could hurt restaurants

New protocol, food safety tools audit restaurant COVID-19 practices

April 1

Schlotzsky's CEO: Restaurants must 'lean in hard on business partners'

15 vendors offering freebies to help restaurants live another day

How your restaurant can tap into the SBA funding

March 31

Rise Southern Biscuits signs multi-unit deal amid pandemic

Restaurateurs, start your engines! It's Takeout Tuesday

March 30

8 franchisors waiving royalty fees

Foodservice distributors praise passage of CARES Act, say more is...

US restaurant chain transactions drop by 36%

Pieology offers make-it-yourself 'Care Packs' for groups

March 27

2 restaurateurs' views over 2 weeks of US pandemic

March 26

https://www.fastcasual.com/articles/boloco-ceo-it-was-a-miraculous-day/

Is the government's boost enough to save the restaurant industry?

March 25

Boloco CEO: 'Survival is in question'

U.S. on same COVID-19 path as China, says Starbucks chief

Stimulus package to provide $350B in small business loans

How Cousins Subs is delaying layoffs as long as possible

Revention launches order/delivery bundle providing no-contact delivery

March 24

NRA show cancelled due to COVID-19 safety concerns

Caliburger adds pay-with-face option amid COVID-19

Florida restaurant transforms into digital farmer's market

DoorDash launches #OpenForDelivery campaign to support restaurants

March 23

Balance Grille, Mooyah helping industry navigate COVID-19 crisis

Restaurant food distributors estimate losses of $24B in 3 months

Bill Kurtis using iconic voice to support restaurant industry

Restaurant transactions down 8% amid COVID-19

Restaurant industry urging Americans to join #TheGreatAmericanTakeout

March 20

Restaurants offering creative promos to drive traffic during social distancing

Qdoba deferring franchise royalty fees

Pickup Pods offer food delivery solution for apartment, office...

March 19

Some COVID-19 aid for foodservice now a reality, more coming

Smashburger, AMC Theatres execs among leaders weighing in on COVID-19, shrinking kitchens

Adapting to the new normal: Vendors offer free services to restaurant operators

March 18

FDA hosting food stakeholder call-in this afternoon

Will US goverment grant restaurants' request for $145 billion...

Restaurant workers group fights for mandated paid sick leave

Trump to restaurant CEOs: 'You’re really going to like what we’re...

Sales falling at 70% of US restaurants

March 17, 2020

Restaurants cutting delivery fees to promote social distancing

EZ-Chow cuts fees to help restaurants meet carry-out, delivery needs

DoorDash CEO wants to support restaurants, protect drivers

Brown Bag Seafood paying employees for 'lost hours'

March 16, 2020

Pure Green still going strong amid corornovirus shutdowns

Shake Shack relying solely on carry-out, delivery

Halo Burger offering delivery, to-go only orders

Chipotle partners with Zoom to promote social distancing

Restaurants focused on delivery, to-go during Coronavirus pandemic

Breakfast 'war' pushes restaurant sales up despite COVID-19

Starbucks closes US, Canada dining areas, offers to-go service

Just Salad opts for digital-only ordering

March 13, 2020

Restaurant industry providing economic relief in face of coronovirus

Chipotle offering free delivery through March

March 12, 2020

Dickey's rolling out contactless delivery in US

Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit postponed due to COVID-19

March 9, 2020

Postmates offers 'contact-less' delivery amid coronavirus concerns

February 25, 2020

Shares of Shake Shack fall on revenue miss, slower transition to GrubHub

January 29, 2020

Starbucks pulls back on guidance increase as China outbreak forces store closures

Coronavirus / COVID-19Chipotle Mexican Grill Dickey's Barbecue Restaurant Inc.Grubhub Starbucks

About Cherryh Cansler

Cherryh Cansler is VP of Events for Networld Media Group and publisher of FastCasual.com. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine, among many others.

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