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Improving the restaurant industry could mean higher prices for diners

The pandemic has revealed some of the long-standing issues within the restaurant industry.
A sign is viewed at a restaurant in New York's Upper West Side on Aug. 17, 2021.
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

The return of tourists to Maine takes a toll on restaurant workers

Aug 23, 2021
Some restaurants in the state are boosting wages and benefits to bring workers back.
Bartender Hayley Wilson prepares a drink at the Portland Hunt & Alpine Club in Portland, Maine.
Robbie Feinberg/Maine Public Radio

COVID closed Philadelphia's Poi Dog, but the sauces and recipes remain

Aug 12, 2021
Kiki Aranita closed her restaurant after the city shut down. A year later, she's still making Hawaiian food and building the brand.
Poi Dog, Kiki Aranita's former Hawaiian restaurant. She continues her career in food and  her efforts to build the Poi Dog brand.
Photo courtesy Kiki Aranita

Restaurants prepare for New York City's vaccine mandate

Aug 4, 2021
Owners and managers consider how they'll enforce the rule — and what it'll mean for business.
New York will soon require proof of vaccination for some indoor activities, like dining out.
Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

Lake Mead business struggles to stay afloat as water drops to historic low

Jul 29, 2021
“It’s a tough season this year,” says Lisa Duncan of Temple Bar Marina. Slips are filled, but the boat launch is closed for now.
The closure of Lake Mead’s Temple Bar boat ramp due to low water levels has impacted revenue at the restaurant, hotel and retail store that Lisa Duncan, manages at Temple Bar Marina, she says.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

National Parks, and businesses nearby, prepare for holiday rush

Jul 1, 2021
Some parks are restricting access to prevent congestion.
Leading up to the Fourth of July, one restaurant near Grand Canyon National Park is serving more patrons than before the pandemic.
Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images

Some restaurant chains deal with supply shortages by trying to pivot

Jun 29, 2021
If chicken wings are hard to find, maybe offer thighs?
The chain Wingstop just launched a brand focused on another part of the bird, calling itself "Thighstop."
Scott Olson/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

How office food staples are adapting to a hybrid workforce

Jun 25, 2021
Sweetgreen and Krispy Kreme are planning to go public, but that's not necessarily a sign everyone will be back in the office.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

How a Los Angeles taqueria pivoted to survive the pandemic

Jun 17, 2021
Sonoratown’s owners have had to be nimble to protect their supply of a unique flour. They also spread out and expanded operations.
Teo Diaz and Jennifer Feltham, who own the Sonoratown taco shop, have worked through business hurdles put up by the pandemic.
Daisy Palacios/Marketplace

Congress wants to give restaurants $60 billion more in aid

Jun 14, 2021
Supporters say the original Restaurant Revitalization Fund wasn’t enough.
Restaurant owners, who face more costly goods and a labor shortage, say they need financial aid even as pandemic restrictions ease and businesses reopen.
Stephanie Keith/Getty Images