COVID has dealt an enormous blow to America’s restaurant business, forcing some beloved eating places out of business or to close their doorways eternally. This summer time, lots of of chain restaurant areas closed up store, however the transfer could have been a sad-but-necessary slimdown.

In reality, some chain eating places are having fun with a little bit of a renaissance in 2020 that is setting them up for main success within the 12 months forward. That is notably true for these possessing the ingenuity (and capital) to pivot their focus towards pandemic-era calls for—aka extra comfort, consolation, worth, and sure, minimal contact.

The next restaurant chains appear to have all of these sources and targets in frequent, which is why we predict you will be seeing much more of them… properly, in every single place, as we head into 2021 and past. (However first, please be part of us in observing a second of silence for these Saddest Restaurant Closures From Each State.)

Gross sales at Chipotle have mainly exploded for the reason that pandemic started. In accordance with restaurant business web site, Restaurant Dive, A lot of Chipotle’s success will be attributed to the substantial funding the corporate made in its digital enterprise previous to the pandemic. That digital enterprise, which incorporates on-line ordering, supply, and cellular pickup lanes (dubbed “Chipotlanes”), has been so efficient that it is now projected to exceed $2.5 billion by the top of 2020, in keeping with CEO Brian Niccols.

Now, with the opening of its first digital-only restaurant, Chipotle stands poised to increase into city markets the place area limitations would have precluded indoor eating—if the pandemic hadn’t gotten there first. Assuming its tackle the “ghost kitchen” is as profitable as the remainder of its foray into post-pandemic restaurant styling, it is best to put together your self for seeing much more of Chipotle within the coming 12 months (albeit not essentially in particular person).

Listed below are 30 secrets and techniques you will solely hear from Chipotle insiders.

Though Domino’s has struggled in the course of the pandemic, it closed solely one retailer in the course of the second quarter of 2020. Sales have been via the roof, and the corporate’s plans to increase to 25,000 areas by 2025 are nonetheless chugging alongside,—albeit guardedly, experiences Restaurant Enterprise.

So, what is the secret to the Ann Arbor-based pizza perennial’s fortitude? Domino’s has been forward of the innovation curve for many of its 60 years in enterprise. In reality, the fast-food pizza chain is to date forward of the innovation curve that whereas it could really be the OG ghost kitchen, its large enterprise mannequin may show inconceivable for newer eating places to mimic, in keeping with Restaurant Enterprise’s The Backside Line.

A 12 months earlier than the pandemic hit, Louisville, Kentucky-based pizza chain, Papa John’s was “scrambling,” reported Restaurant Enterprise. As we speak, Papa John’s is on a roll, with record-breaking gross sales and plans to increase by a complete of 1,380 new areas, together with 180 in North America.

Whereas growth is mostly a very good factor for chain eating places, it should not be in your private to-do checklist. So, when you’re planning on partaking in Papa John’s, greatest persist with the wholesome pizza selections—and think about steering away from the Grilled Buffalo Rooster Papadia, which simply made our checklist of the highest 28 unhealthiest quick meals of 2020.

KFC has loads occurring its favor in the mean time. Not solely does it have an attractive new Colonel Sanders who bears a putting resemblance to Mario Lopez, it additionally has a compelling new restaurant mannequin in thoughts, one which guarantees to render the notion of human contact (at the least within the context of choosing up a bucket of Unique Recipe) out of date.

In accordance with a plan unveiled by KFC in mid-November, new KFC eating places are anticipated to characteristic “cubbies” designed particularly for BOPUS (buy-online-pickup-in-store), twice as many drive-through lanes, enhanced parking for the advantage of supply drivers, and curbside pickup. Listed below are the very best and worst meals (from a well being perspective) which you could get from KFC.

Certain, McDonald’s closed 200 areas this 12 months. However on condition that it began with 34,000, that is lower than one p.c of its footprint. As well as, the pandemic has solely made McDonald’s gross sales stronger —notably supply gross sales, which have tripled, in keeping with Restaurant Enterprise.

So, it will seem that McDonald’s is not going wherever anytime quickly… aside from to new and extra areas that includes such improvements as fewer seats (if any seats in any respect), conveyer belts, and automated ordering (as in no people are concerned, besides possibly you). And do not miss these 8 main upgrades already in roll-out.

One other chain restaurant that has seen closures on account of the pandemic is Burger King. As well as, the House of the Unimaginable Whopper scuttled main pre-pandemic growth plans. Nevertheless, it has since changed them with blueprints for the “Restaurant of Tomorrow.”

Beginning in 2021, Burger King will start launching newly designed venues which are 60 p.c smaller than their present design and whose drive-thru will characteristic a conveyor belt that delivers meals straight to your automobile. Listed below are extra of the stunning adjustments Burger King’s new state-of-the-art areas have in retailer.

Though Smashburger closed 78 areas previously three years, lockdown cravings for “higher burgers” earned the adored chain a 436.7% improve in digital orders. Recent off that success, Smashburger’s new purpose is to open 40 or extra areas throughout 2021. And did we point out that you will quickly be capable of get breakfast there?

To assist guarantee its success, Smashburger plans to proceed its pandemic-positive strategy with contactless cubby-system pickup, a extra intuitive curbside pickup system, and updates to its app and web site to offer a quicker, frictionless expertise.

Maybe you realize Dickey’s Barbecue Pit for its buyer rewards applications or its Valentine’s Day deal that just about guarantees you will get fortunate (with a beneficiant portion of Texas-style smoked meats and savory sides at a reasonably affordable worth). However CEO, Laura Rea Dickey, hopes you will additionally come to understand the truth that Dickey’s is including not solely digital kitchens to its present lineup of practically 500 areas but additionally on-line coaching for its barbecue masters.

“Over the course of this subsequent 12 months we’re specializing in upgrading our Barbecue College On-line program,” Dickey instructed Eat This, Not That!. “And whereas nothing compares to a hands-on coaching expertise working the pit or slicing a brisket, our superior program goals to present franchisees and pit crews a chance to enhance their abilities from wherever they’re working.”

In a 12 months during which individuals just about simply stayed house, you’d suppose it is likely to be tough for a lobster-themed restaurant to maintain its head above water. However not Crimson Lobster. In reality, Crimson Lobster’s gross sales from supply orders have tripled in the course of the pandemic.

Driving that wave, the seafood big introduced in mid-November that it has opened its first “ghost kitchen,” selecting downtown Chicago because the venue. As CEO Kim Lopdrup stated in a press launch, this transfer “will allow us to achieve new visitors who should not presently served by our current brick-and-mortar eating places.” Lopdrup additionally famous that opening a ghost kitchen is a “pure subsequent step in increasing” Crimson Lobster’s enterprise. Earlier than you place your order, here is what weight-reduction plan consultants advocate from the Crimson Lobster menu.

With weight problems (and associated situations) having been recognized as a threat issue for extra extreme COVID-19 sickness, wholesome consuming has by no means been extra necessary than now. Sadly, COVID-19 has additionally put the kibosh on the salad bar—leaving Individuals with the selection of both having to prep their very own salads or foregoing salad for the foreseeable future. That is the place the nationwide made-to-order salad chain, Saladworks, is available in.

Saladworks has been quietly making salads to order for 34 years. However the pandemic has raised its profile considerably. Along with opening plenty of ghost kitchens all through 2020, it has additionally been engaged on filling the void left by the lack of grocery-store salad bars. Saladworks has opened seven outposts in grocery shops to date and plans to open one other 10 in the course of the first quarter of 2021. So, even when the salad-making chain was by no means in your radar earlier than, you’ll be able to count on to see much more of it going ahead.

As you may need discerned from the identify, Hoots Wings is a fast-casual offshoot of the full-service restaurant chain, Hooters, specializing in… wings. Its first location opened in Chicago 2017, adopted by six extra. Regardless of that Hooters needed to lay off lots of of staff inside the first month after pandemic-related lockdowns started, it is best to count on to see loads extra of Hoots Wings within the subsequent few years. In reality, the corporate anticipates that it’ll open 17 new areas in 2021, 35 in 2022, and 50 in 2023.

How is that this even doable, you would possibly marvel? By means of franchising, in keeping with a press launch, which additionally factors out that Hoots Wings requires solely two items of apparatus to function.

As we are able to see from the pandemic-related successes of Domino’s and Papa John’s, it is unlikely something will ever get in the best way of Individuals and their pizza. Apart from possibly… rooster wings. Rooster wings have turn out to be a nationwide obsession in the course of the pandemic, and plenty of restaurant chains have now launched digital kitchens devoted completely or near-exclusively to serving up dine-out-only rooster wings.

These chains embody:

-Brinker Worldwide-owned Chili’s and Maggiano’s, that are providing delivery-only rooster wings from greater than 1,000 areas underneath the model identify, “It is Simply Wings.”
-Applebee’s, which launched Neighborhood Wings in the course of the spring.
–Chuck E. Cheese, which launched Pasqually’s Pizza and Wings this summer time.
-Smokey Bones, which opened The Wing Expertise in any respect of its 61 areas this summer time.
–Fazoli’s, which opened Wingville within the fall.

For extra restaurant information, take a look at the 50 Largest Restaurant Chains within the U.S. and join our publication.