The North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers’ board of directors has canceled The NAFEM Show 2021. The association described its decision as being “in response to rapidly changing circumstances caused by the pandemic.” The NAFEM Show was expected to draw thousands of foodservice professionals from across the U.S.

Despite several bright lights emerging on the horizon in the form of soon-to-be-released coronavirus vaccines, the country continues its uneasy and very uneven approach to dealing with the pandemic.

With state and local governments continually changing the rules around on-premises dining and consumer comfort with this activity fluctuating, restaurant owners have had to get creative in their search for new revenue streams.

Restaurants and bars represent one of the first areas state and local leaders target when trying to curb the spread of COVID-19 in their jurisdictions. Consistently focusing on restaurants, though, can make it seem as if these businesses are, in fact, superspreaders. But is that a fair representation for restaurants? The National Restaurant Association emphatically says no.

Restaurants need government assistance now. Papa John’s grows its business by adding new customers not selling more food to existing ones. A Stanford study that refers to restaurants as COVID-19 “superspreaders” is highly flawed, according to the National Restaurant Association. These stories and more This Week in Foodservice.

The novel coronavirus has caused an onslaught of changes in the foodservice industry – many negative, of course, but also some positive ones that might just bring a silver lining to shine a light on future growth opportunities.

The COVID-19 conversation centers mainly around the impact government-mandated shutdowns continue to have on restaurants. At the same time, however, individual members of the supply chain that support restaurants and other foodservice operators continue to deal with unique and challenging circumstances.

One step forward, two steps back. As the COVID-19 cases continue to rise throughout the country, exactly how that impacts individual operations will vary greatly depending on how the state or local government chooses to respond. One thing that remains certain, though, is the prominent role digital ordering and off-premises dining will play for operators as the industry trains its eye on Washington, D.C., hoping for some form of relief.

As the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 go up across the country, governments in several states continue to crack down on restaurant and bar operations with the hope that doing so will slow the spread of the nefarious virus.

Why is Smoothie King smiling? Bloomin’ Brands launches a virtual chicken chain. New York City restauranteurs finally have a date to reopen indoor dining. These stories and more are in This Week in Foodservice.

The Foodservice and Hospitality Division of the American Jewish Committee will honor those foodservice professionals who have passed due to COVID-19 with a virtual memorial service that will take place on October 14, 2020.

Going back to school used to be a pretty uniform process for students in grades K through 12. They would collect their school supplies and show up on day one ready for action. This year, thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, will be anything but normal for students, their teachers and their parents and guardians. And that extends beyond the classroom to include the way these groups use foodservice.

To nobody’s surprise, the shutdowns aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 took a toll on sales of foodservice equipment and supplies, resulting in a decline of 30.4% in the second quarter of 2020, per the Manufacturers’ Agents for the Foodservice Industry’s Business Barometer.

Traditional operators have had to become creative to try to stay afloat.

The International Foodservice Manufacturers Association released a reasonably upbeat 2021 industry forecast. Developed in conjunction with research firm Datassential, the forecast assumes the availability of an effective COVID-19 vaccine, return of domestic and international travel, and modest government regulations for the coming year.

The concept of restaurant dining rooms operating at reduced capacity paired with social distancing requirements bring to the table a variety of challenges for operators.

When the COVID-19 pandemic invaded the U.S., hospitals had to restructure their facilities to handle the infectious patients and close down of all nonessential units such as elective surgery. Foodservice responded with innovative solutions to the new patient censuses, fewer retail foodservice customers and changing staffing needs. Healthcare leaders also dealt with donations, community contributions and staffing.

Operators must remain ready to respond if they receive an influx of COVID-19-infected patients in the future.

Market research firm Mintel Group made some very specific predictions about the foodservice business as the industry’s struggles due to COVID-19 continue.

Safety, convenience and reduced financial risk make small foodservice operations appealing today.

Another week and more of the same for the restaurant industry. As confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to rise throughout the country, sales at restaurant chains remain generally flat as operators everywhere brace themselves for what might come next.

The aspect of the foodservice industry that’s most consistent now is inconsistency. Consumers’ comfort level with the coronavirus varies, as do the rules and regulations from one region to another.

Even with some states tightening restrictions in the face of a second pandemic peak, lockdowns across the country are largely lighter compared to earlier in the year.

“Despite all the chaos, hospital patients with or without COVID-19 must receive food at least three times a day,” says Martha Rardin, MS, RD, CD, FAND, director of Nutrition and Dietetics and the diabetes coordinator, at Hendricks Regional Health in Danville, Ind.

Cafeteria and retail sales fell dramatically at most hospitals starting in mid-March. In mid-June when some hospitals resumed elective surgeries and more medical and administrative staff returned to working on-site, various facilities started to report an uptick in sales.

The novel coronavirus continues to cause numerous industry groups to reschedule or cancel upcoming events. FE&S will continue to update this list as more information becomes available. This list was updated July 30.

Tweaks to seating and serving come into play at coffee shops.

As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to grow across the country, the overall restaurant industry remains stuck in neutral.

Almost six months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. restaurants continue to face numerous challenges, including determining how to keep their doors open.