Could "Restaurmarts" Become a Hot New Concept in a Post-Pandemic World?

An article that was posted here last week looked at one dining concept that could take off once the coronavirus crisis lessens--the ghost kitchen--and now another concept is being looked at as a possible booming subcategory within the restaurant industry.

Based on an article in Forbes, it appears that the "restaurmart" could be a big player in the future, especially considering that cities and towns across the country, including Arlington and Somerville, are currently allowing restaurants to sell grocery items until restrictions are lifted on dining and drinking spots. The question is, will at least some restaurants decide to continue to sell groceries once things get better, either by applying for the required permits that will be going back into place, and/or perhaps seeing cities and towns make it easier for dining spots to acquire the needed permits? This remains to be seen, but as Forbes says, Sysco (which is a food distributor) has already begun something called a "Sysco Pop Up Shop" which helps restaurants sell "essential" products in addition to its usual food/drink items, while chains such as Panera are now offering an array of grocery items to customers.

Forbes also notes that one chain has actually done very well with their own version of the "restaurmart" concept over the years--Cracker Barrel, a Southern-style chain of eateries that features combination restaurants/country stores and which also sells some of its products in a variety of supermarkets.

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Posted in: Dining Spots