How many firehouse subs have closed

The Wisconsin-based pizza delivery franchise lasted eight months at E. William, in the former College Shoe Repair space. Michigan-based burrito restaurant chain Menna's Joint signed a lease in December to open in the former Toppers Pizza space. The corporately owned Ann Arbor restaurant will offer dine-in, take-out and delivery services. Reach her at , email her lizzyalfs mlive. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.

All rights reserved About Us. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Ad Choices. Don't settle for anything less than responsible journalism. Subscribe today. By Lizzy Alfs lizzyalfs mlive. Drive-thru-dominated quick-service operators—and especially those in the pizza category—had the upper hand though certainly not without their own issues to overcome.

Operators in the fast-casual segment were somewhere in the middle; the nuances of their service systems and niche occupied by their cuisine were key factors in their ability to build back traffic.

As I write this piece at the start of , estimates vary on the number of restaurants that have closed, but I think most would agree it is in the many tens of thousands, and quite possibly is now into six figures. As we cross the threshold into , it comes with the reality that the restaurant industry has been fundamentally changed. It will likely never return to what it was. And if it does, it will take years to do so.

Like the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs, the pandemic has reset the landscape of restaurant species. And as much as it pains me to say it—and it is indeed difficult to write it, given my respect for every restaurant operator, past and present—this is good news for the restaurants that survived the metaphorical asteroid impact. Most would agree that the restaurant industry in the U. A saturation of restaurants never seemed to hinder the development of new restaurants; our industry is somewhat unique in that there is always room for another great restaurant, and so the macro environment—best described as too many restaurants for too few people—remained the status quo, year after year.

As we enter , the complexion of the industry is far from settled. Many operators in the casual-dining arena fought valiantly to make it to that time of year, hoping that they could enjoy better times. Unfortunately, conditions surrounding the pandemic did not improve, and some operators saw their last flicker of light extinguished.

It is not likely that we have reached the bottom of the valley of restaurant closures. That point in time is still yet to come. For those restaurants that remain—no matter the degree of success enjoyed in —this is a ray of light for It represents an unprecedented opportunity. How do you take advantage of the opportunity? For starters, take an inventory of your successes in The pandemic is far from over, and there is still time to double-down on the things that worked well for your business.

There are millions of people who have not been to a restaurant since March of If they have been out of the market this long, they are among those most concerned about the risks presented by the pandemic. The pandemic simply accelerated the shift. Watching the movement in the channels of trade during the course of the pandemic has been fascinating; it provides insight into how customers might prefer to engage with your restaurant post-pandemic.

Now is the time to examine these dynamics, and cast plans for how you will mold your operation in the post-pandemic world whenever that may be.