Today In How We Eat: Troubled Times And New Innovations

With COVID-19 case counts on the rise and shutdowns going back into effect in an increasing number of states, the already rocky road restaurants had ahead of them looks to have gotten more treacherous. Which, in turn, has made more restaurateurs discover more novel approaches to serving their customers.

Here are some the latest developments:

Study: New COVID Restrictions Could Permanently Close A Third Of US Restaurants

New data released by the  Independent Restaurant Coalition indicates that one in six U.S. restaurants already has closed for good — and the number that have closed due to COVID-19 could grow to one-third by year’s end.

According to U.S. Census Bureau data, restaurant sales began to decline in October as cooling temperatures and rising case counts depressed demand that had been slowly returning.

The National Restaurant Association called October’s sales decline a “troubling sign for the industry.” With new indoor dining restrictions currently being reimposed in some jurisdictions, the group said that “it becomes clear that the winter months will represent an extremely challenging period for restaurants that rely on on-premises business.”

Outback Steakhouse Debuts Curbside Gift Card Concierge

Outback Steakhouse has rolled out a new “curbside concierge” for holiday gift-card shopping that will allow customers to call ahead or go to their nearby restaurant and drive to a set gift-card drive-up parking spot with the service. A member of the restaurant team will then go to the vehicle to finish the gift-card purchase.

“Outback Steakhouse created curbside take-away in early, and now we’ve applied that concept to gift cards just in time for the holidays,” Outback Chief Marketing Officer Danielle Vona said in announcing the initiative. “Our goal is to create a ‘no worries’ experience this holiday shopping season, whether you’re out and about or staying cozy inside.”

Growing HungryPanda Notches $70 Million In Funding

Online food-delivery service HungryPanda has snapped up an additional $70 million in funding following a $20 million round earlier this year.

The new financing, a Series C round, is aimed at “accelerating” the growth of the company, particularly in the United States. “The U.S. is strategically important to us, and it will be our primary focus in 2020,” Eric Liu, CEO of HungryPanda, said of the investment. “We bring global experience and expertise in this market.”

Arma Partners acted as the exclusive financial adviser for the deal.