One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, familiar patterns are continuing to hold as more restaurants release their sales numbers for their most recent quarters. For the most part, limited-service companies have continued to outperform full-service companies amidst dining-room closures and other COVID restrictions.
Many companies, such as Noodles & Company, expressed optimism heading into 2021; Noodles recently raised its third-party delivery premium as costs there cut into profits. Elsewhere on the innovation front, Cracker Barrel began testing virtual brands in late February, and El Pollo Loco leaned into digital strategies such as GPS-based curbside pickup to speed service times.
Pizza companies Papa John’s and Domino’s reported more strong quarters, with Domino’s having strong delivery momentum and Papa John’s passing $1 million in average unit volumes for the first time.
Though casual-dining restaurants continue to struggle with dining-room closures in most of the country, even they are optimistic, with Dine Brands Global CEO John Peyton predicting a “restaurant renaissance” this summer.
Click through to see how 11 restaurant companies performed in their latest quarters.