Have restaurant project timelines changed five years out from the start of the pandemic era? According to 60% of restaurant development + design readers, the answer is no, projects are not taking longer than they did before the pandemic.
While that’s a clear majority, 40% of rd+d readers said restaurant projects are taking longer than they did before the pandemic era. For those readers, there was a mix of reasons, but some themes emerged. Certain items being harder to source was a top issue among those who face delays. Other answers included “dealers and manufacturers not stocking equipment,” “budget constraints,” “lack of qualified trades,” “global economics and tariffs,” “labor shortages,” and other “issues out of our control.” One respondent said, “supplier and product delays are prominent now and have become the norm.”
rd+d regularly surveys subscribers on the state of restaurant development and design. This survey was fielded in April 2025. Subscribe to The Pulse to get rd+d’s surveys and results delivered to your inbox six times a year.
