The restaurant model will have to adapt. More takeout and delivery less indoor dining.
I agree entirely. It was a precarious model before, so it's a good time to make adjustments. Most of us can make better food at home for a lot less money, and so go to restaurants for a few reasons: Socializing (including dates, etc), ambience/getting out of the usual environs, and sometimes for convenience. The restaurant industry needs to take these things into consideration, and also do things that people will pay more money for - thus increasing restaurants' margins and making them more viable.
The restaurant model will have to adapt. More takeout and delivery less indoor dining.
One of our younger relatives (50 something) was a chef for a couple of decades.
He basically agrees with you re the takeout and delivery.
He sees even the higher end restaurants going that route and inside becoming like a serve your self deli. The inside customers will place their order at the counter and will serve themselves including picking up their oder.
The drive ins will change to.
Sonic appears to be the one drive in doing well. You stay in your vehicle and place your order on a speaker phone. A car hop brings your meal to be eaten in your car, down the road or in your home. You never get out of your vehicle except to use the restroom.
The high end restaurants with outside yard space will basically only serve you outside. For now you will still have a waiter/waitress to take your order and bring your order to you.
Some will only take your order via computer or phone. You pay online and then pickup your order to eat in the restaurant or outside if the weather cooperates. Long established restaurants in our area have been doing this for years.
Like many things in America, the surviving restaurants will be different.
My son manages two successful burger joints, and they have had record sales during the pandemic. He’s actually earned a couple of bonuses as well. He lost a couple employees; but, are actually running more efficiently. Now this is Florida (Tampa), so it may be different in other locales, but most places seem to be faring well.
A few haven’t figured it out, and some are just using it as an excuse to quit. Under-capitalized and poorly managed, these were already headed to join the 50% of restaurants that go out of business each year.
I can’t tell you how many times I set out to try a new restaurant, and they’re already closed before I get a chance to taste the food. It’s a hard industry, but there’s still plenty of opportunity, despite people YELPing.