How to Make Your Guests Feel Safe and Get them Back in the Door | Modern Restaurant Management | The Business of Eating & Restaurant Management News

Restaurants play an important role in our lives and in our communities; often where we celebrate birthdays, graduations, first dates, and major life moments. They provide much more than food, they provide nourishment and create communities. Throughout the country, they have played an important role in the rebirth of many urban neighborhoods. Restaurants bring groups of people and that traffic often brings safety. The fragile nature of restaurants has been exposed by the pandemic. While many find hope for the industry as the country re-opens, the road to recovery is a very long and uncertain one.

Restaurants must build trust, communicate safety and clearly establish value.

A recent study from travel market research firm Destination Analysts indicated that nearly 41 percent of people surveyed said that the activity they missed most while staying in place was dining out with friends; but at the same time around 60 percent have hesitations about venturing back into dining rooms and…

Andrew Freeman

Andrew Freeman is founder of af&co and co-founder of Carbonate. Named one of the Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales & Marketing by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, he brings a combination of experience, passion and creativity to every endeavor. In 2005 Freeman launched af&co., a consulting firm in San Francisco with clients across the country; developing concepts for over 120 hotels and restaurants, providing ongoing marketing & PR for over 200 others, and creating unique culinary events of up to 10,000 people.

Candace MacDonald

Candace MacDonald is co-founder and managing director of Carbonate. A brand strategist with over 15 years of experience, MacDonald has worked for a range of clients from large corporations to multi-concept operators to Silicon Valley start-ups. In 2019, she co-founded Carbonate, a brand strategy and creative services agency with a focus on the hospitality industry. Prior to launching Carbonate, she was Managing Director of Consulting Services at, af&co., one of the country’s leading hospitality consulting firms. In this role, MacDonald led a team in creating, launching and refining brand identities for over 40 different restaurants and culinary experiences. She also led the publication of af&co,’s highly regarded annual hospitality trend report.

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Andrew Freeman

Candace MacDonald