Toronto restaurants rise to the occasion with family-focused meal deals

A positive that came from the pandemic

Social isolation is difficult and many consumers find themselves missing their pre-pandemic lives, including leisurely visits to their favourite foodservice establishments. Nonetheless, there are some positives that have emerged during this time, one of them being innovation. The pandemic and its resulting lockdown have shown us how quickly resilient companies have been able to adapt to these changing times.

The impact of COVID-19 on the food sector is among the most visible. Recent surveys show that a majority of restaurants offering takeout are currently operating at a loss. On the flip side, other, more robust restaurants have been able to quickly shift to curbside deliveries and pickup.

A number of restaurants have also modified their menus to include family-style dinners, dinners for two, and other meal deals that were not part of their pre-pandemic offerings. These additions increase options for customers and can potentially — and hopefully — increase profits. And for those Canadians who have suddenly discovered home cooking, meal kits created by restaurants (rather than the meal kit industry) are becoming a plentiful and attractive option.