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A Year of COVID: The Mother of InventionA Year of COVID: The Mother of Invention

Here’s a look back at some of the most creative operational solutions during the pandemic, from virtual brands to drive-thru redesigns

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

March 15, 2021

18 Slides
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The restaurant industry buzzword of 2020 was pivot. As we approach the one-year anniversary of the first COVID-19-era lockdowns, we’re taking a look back at how restaurants pivoted to thrive (or just survive) in the face of shuttered dining rooms and vanishing customers.

From virtual brands and ghost kitchens, to tech-forward solutions like the modern drive-thru redesign and geofencing technology to make curbside pickup easier, we’re highlighting the best of the innovative restaurant solutions of the pandemic era.

Some of these operations, menu and off-premise solutions will likely be confined to the COVID era (like offering toilet paper alongside takeout orders). Others are expected to stick, like alcohol delivery and virtual experiences.

Take a look back at how this past year of COVID became the mother of invention.

Contact Joanna at [email protected]

Find her on Twitter: @JoannaFantozzi

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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