There are many versions of the old adage “When one door closes, find a window,” all with the same meaning.

For some restaurants, that proverbial window is literally just that as drive-thru takes on new significance as one potential answer to curtailed on-premises dining in the age of COVID-19. In our town just outside of Chicago, relaxed regulations around outdoor dining have eating establishments spilling out on to sidewalks to serve restaurant-starved patrons in the relative safety of the open air.

In this issue, senior contributing editor Dana Tanyeri discusses another potential answer in the all-of-the-above approach that restaurants have taken in the quest to outlast the pandemic in her piece “The Big Channel Blur." The solutions exemplify the creativity and adaptability that restaurateurs regularly exhibit. A tough and competitive business in the best of times, operators are facing unprecedented challenges with newfound vigor and resourcefulness.

We have had to seek our own windows of opportunity during this time when face-to-face events are not possible.

This month we are unveiling our first virtual Foodservice Equipment & Design Global Thought Leadership Summit in the form of a series of lunch and learn sessions. So, order up some lunch in support of your favorite local restaurant and join us each Tuesday in October for a thought-provoking meeting that will be sure to help you think about what may be possible for your business. Details at fedthoughtleadership.com.

Editorial director Joe Carbonara, along with vice president Kathy Langlois and the rest of our team here at Zoomba Group, have put together an outstanding program highlighted by a roster of speakers who will offer some unique insights into the challenges and opportunities that 2021 and the future will hold. We believe the opportunity to break the content into digestible pieces and deliver them over a series of four meetings will make the entire experience not only useful but enjoyable. Based on the number of people who have already signed up, we know that this FED Summit will reach a much larger audience than past live events have been able to accommodate.