This week on Nation's Restaurant News, we covered the April 3 opening of applications for the Paycheck Protection Program, where restaurant operators are able to apply for forgivable federal loans. The Paycheck Protection Program is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, act designed to help small and mid-sized businesses keep their workers employed. The goal of the program is to provide eight weeks of payroll and to keep workers employed, but the loans can be used to pay interest on mortgages, as well as rent and utilities.
More than 100 Subway restaurants in Southern California are testing 'Subway Grocery.' The quick-service restaurant chain is selling ingredients such as bagged lettuce and frozen soups to customers for a safe and fast way to get groceries without having to shop at a supermarket. Deliveries are free within five miles of a store for orders totaling $45 or more.
Wingstop saw sales rise 8.9% in the last two weeks of March, when most restaurants were ordered to close dining rooms. Charlie Morrison, CEO and chairman, said carry-out and delivery made up 80% of Wingstop’s sales before COVID-19. Click through the gallery to check out 5 ways Wingstop is growing sales during the pandemic, and to see what else was trending on Nation's Restaurant News this week.
