Canter said the need for large seating capacity is becoming a thing of the past. “We’re going into a future where there might be more delivery drivers walking into a restaurant than customers,” he said. “The percentage of square footage devoted to back of the house will likely be larger than the front of the house going forward.”

The competition for employees from other industries is not going away, and neither are the calls for a higher minimum wage, said Victor Fernandez, vice president of insights at Black Box Intelligence. Restaurants have been rapidly catching up in terms of their wage gaps versus other industries, and Black Box Intelligence research shows offerings like paid leave, sick days, wellness programs and variable pay offerings have been increasing as well. But successful employers know that this is not just about solving for the current staffing crisis; it’s also an ongoing effort to create an engaged and inspired workplace.

“Employees may have starting pay as their primary objective when looking for a new job, but what will keep them employed is much more than that,” said Fernandez.

High-end dining isn’t going away, but restaurants will focus less on the song-and-dance of formality that once was required to obtain those game-changing Michelin stars, said Bo Peabody, cofounder of restaurant discovery and rewards platform Seated and co-owner of Mezze Restaurant in Williamstown, Mass.

Fine dining will become “less fussy” and “more hip,” appealing to a younger diner and those who want quality with a more relaxed approach to service, ambiance and style of menu, Peabody predicted. Blame the need to cut back on labor costs, but also the consumer embrace of outdoor dining, where experiences tend to be more casual.

“Even 10 years ago, there used to be 20 restaurants in New York that require dinner jackets. Now I think there’s only one,” he said.

Nick Cole, head of restaurant finance at Mitsubishi UF Financial Group, said restaurant companies have seen their margins erode as costs increase and as challenges such as labor put a squeeze on the business. Those lower margins will slow the pace of M&A in the first quarter of 2022, he predicted.

“The M&A market depends on a well-capitalized banking system flush with liquidity, which we currently have,” he said. “But cash flow — and the price acquirers are willing to pay for that liquidity — are the primary drivers that attract buyers, so unless we see an improvement in margins, we expect the pullback to be significant.”

Executive editor Lisa Jennings predicts that now more than ever, restaurants are under pressure by consumers to find a more sustainable solution for to-go packaging. The shipping backup has made it difficult for many restaurants to get the disposable packaging they need. Compostables aren’t the answer, as most composting facilities won’t accept foodservice packaging. The common-sense solution is to consider a switch to reusable containers, clamshells and cups that can be returned, washed and sanitized, then used again. While there are still kinks to work out in how it all works, legislation restricting single-use cup, containers and straws will only increase.

Jennings predicts consumers are getting tired of the “blah blah” of greenwashing and they want to see businesses show how they are reducing their impact on the environment. We’ll see more restaurants tie sustainability goals to executive compensation and become more transparent about measurable metrics. Chipotle, for example, has pledged to cut carbon emissions in half, not only from its restaurants but also from its supply chain. The brand is following the United Nations-backed Science Based Target Initiative, or SBTi, which establishes standards and best practices, but it also includes third-party verification and annual progress reports.

Los Angeles in November became one of the largest cities to phase in new rules that make disposable cutlery available only by request. Jennings predicts that rather than adding cutlery and napkins to takeout orders automatically, restaurants may only provide them when customers ask. The goal is to reduce waste — if customers are eating at home, they have cutlery and napkins. It also reduces the cost to restaurants, who are struggling with rising packaging inflation.