Reflecting on Five Years Since COVID-19

Our Industry’s Resilience and Recovery

This month marks a solemn yet significant milestone – five years since our restaurants and hotels faced unprecedented closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As we reflect on this anniversary, we am filled with immense pride in how our industry demonstrated remarkable resilience, innovation, and compassion during one of the most challenging periods in our history.

The Initial Shutdown: Swift Action in Uncertain Times

When the shutdown orders came in March 2020, none of us could have predicted the magnitude of what lay ahead. Within days, we were forced to close dining rooms, send thousands of dedicated employees home, and confront a future filled with uncertainty. The heartbreaking conversations with staff members and the sight of empty dining rooms and hotel lobbies are memories that will stay with us forever.

Yet, in the face of these challenges, our industry’s innovative spirit emerged. Restaurants quickly pivoted to takeout and delivery models, implementing new systems almost overnight. Hotels adapted to serve essential workers and provide safe accommodations when needed most. Your ability to rapidly transform operations while maintaining the highest standards of safety demonstrated the true character of North Carolina’s hospitality professionals.

Supporting Our People: The NC Hospitality Worker Relief Fund

What stands out most profoundly to us was the immediate concern of our members for the wellbeing of our workforce – the heart and soul of our industry. We are particularly proud of how quickly we stood up the NC Hospitality Worker Relief Fund, raising and distributing over $1.2 million to hospitality workers facing financial hardships in the early days of the pandemic—long before our state’s unemployment system was prepared to address their immediate financial needs. Your generous contributions and volunteer efforts ensured that our industry family received critical support when government assistance was still being developed.

Reopening Safely: New Protocols and Public Trust

As we navigated the complex process of reopening, our industry faced a new landscape of safety protocols – tables spaced six feet apart, enhanced cleaning and sanitizing procedures, mask mandates, and capacity limitations. These changes required significant investments at a time when revenue was already severely impacted.

The launch of our “Count on Me NC” initiative became a pivotal moment in rebuilding public trust. Through this program, thousands of businesses committed to best practices, staff completed specialized training, and we communicated clearly to customers that their safety was our highest priority. This initiative became a national model for how industries could responsibly reopen during a public health crisis.

Innovation Under Pressure: New Business Models Emerge

What emerged from this crisis was nothing short of a revolution in how our industry operates. Restaurants that had never considered outdoor dining transformed parking lots and sidewalks into vibrant al fresco experiences. Municipalities partnered with us to create “streeteries” that brought life back to our downtowns.

Technology adoption accelerated at an unprecedented pace as contactless ordering and payment systems became the new standard. Many of the hospitality businesses in our state implemented QR code menus, online reservation systems, and mobile ordering platforms virtually overnight. The successful push for cocktails to-go created expanded revenue streams, while enhanced takeout and delivery operations—complete with family-style meal kits and grocery provisions—kept our kitchens operating and our chefs creating. These innovations weren’t merely survival tactics; they represented a fundamental evolution in hospitality that continues to benefit our businesses today.

Securing Critical Financial Support

Behind the scenes, our advocacy efforts never ceased. We worked tirelessly to secure vital financial lifelines, including Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, Employee Retention Tax Credits (ERTC), and other small business relief opportunities. These programs proved essential in keeping countless establishments afloat during periods of restricted operations.

Perhaps our most significant achievement was the $500 million appropriation we secured for the NC Business Recovery Grant Program which directed grants to North Carolina restaurants and hotels that had suffered financial losses of 20% or more during COVID. This historic victory provided critical relief when it was needed most and demonstrated the power of our unified voice.

Rebuilding Our Workforce and Future

As operations stabilized, we turned our attention to addressing the severe workforce challenges that emerged. Our $5 million NC hospitality recruitment campaign, “Serving Careers,” showcased the diverse opportunities within our industry and helped attract new talent to replace those who had transitioned to other sectors.

Simultaneously, we secured a $1.2 million training contract to help upskill existing workers and develop the next generation of hospitality professionals. These investments in our people have been instrumental in rebuilding our workforce and ensuring our industry’s long-term success.

Looking Forward with Gratitude and Hope

Five years later, we stand stronger because of what we’ve overcome together. While the pandemic’s impact will never be forgotten, the lessons we learned – about adaptability, community support, and the resilience of the human spirit – continue to guide our industry forward.

To each member who weathered this storm – who adapted, persevered, and ultimately emerged on the other side – I extend my deepest gratitude and respect. Your determination has not only preserved our industry but has transformed it into something even more resilient and innovative than before.

As we commemorate this anniversary, let us remember both the challenges we faced and the remarkable ways we overcame them together. Our industry’s future is bright because of your unwavering commitment to hospitality, even when it seemed impossible.