There’s no point in dwelling on the catastrophic impact the pandemic has had on independent restaurants. It is not news at this point and it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone to hear that sector has been decimated in many ways. Yet what most don’t think about is the significant impact of independents on trend evolution.
Independent restaurants have always been the true innovation and trend engine in foodservice. Compared to larger regional or national accounts, these smaller operators look forward because they have a smaller base of consumers they seek to inspire and satisfy. They are less concerned with the need for mass market appeal or viability. As such, independent restaurants draw from world cuisines as yet unexplored in this country, experiment with flavors and ingredients not yet tested in the US market, and look to create a unique competitive position through innovative food and beverage formats and service styles.