Perspectives for the Development of the Restaurant Business in Ukraine in a Pandemic

Abstract

Abstract. Introduction. The restaurant business is different from all other businesses. It is an enterprise that combines traditions, management mechanisms and experience, philosophy and economics, as well as psychology. At the same time, to be in trend, you need to be able to respond quickly to new economic and global challenges in the form of a pandemic and, as a result, reduced purchasing power. By the beginning of 2020, about 550,000 people worked in the restaurant sector. Now they are almost a third less. And this is a big problem for catering, many institutions simply can not find enough professional staff. But in spite of everything, food always remains one of the essential attributes of human life, and the food industry is one of the most profitable if the business is properly organized. Every year the number of establishments, especially fast food, grows, and people are willing to pay more for quality service and delicious food. Ironically, the pandemic has increased interest in the restaurant business. However, numerous studies have shown that in 2019-2020 the restaurant business was reduced to almost zero. Today, restaurants, focusing on their audience, are adapting to the new challenges and crises caused by the pandemic to protect their businesses from risks and losses. However, the prospects of the restaurant business require analysis, a personalized approach and the ability to adapt quickly to market conditions. Purpose. The purpose of the article is to analyze the prospects for the development of the restaurant business and its main trends in a pandemic in Ukraine. Results. All Ukrainian restaurants were forced to reconsider the principles of operation and customer service. Analysis of statistics, analysis of publications on the restaurant business showed that restaurants in 2021 are more focused on Ukrainian cuisine and traditional dishes of other countries. The reorientation also affected target groups of restaurants. Today, almost all restaurants are democratic in terms of the price of the average check and the dishes offered. Institutions are created with a certain design, music, menu, as well as a fascinating legend. Now popular are themed restaurants or art cafes with beautiful design and history. Conclusions. Identified trends in the restaurant business 2021-2022 showed that many restaurateurs were able to adapt, reduce costs, reorient and apply new trends to develop their business. Restaurants with a good reputation and loyal customers have felt mostly a change in the preferences of visitors (they began to order less). However, the restaurant business is still considered quite profitable and attractive for investment. It is worth mentioning the fact that the most visited places after the end of the lockdown in 2020 were restaurants, bars and cafes