What is ERTE

This study focuses on the effects of COVID-19 on independent restaurant operators in small cities. Proposals for recovery are assessed both in terms of business operations and service provision and in terms of the governance measures demanded by restaurateurs. Semi-structured open-ended interviews were conducted with 38 restaurateurs in Ourense (Spain) during the toughest months of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study provides key operational and governance measures for the recovery of the restaurant sector and confirms the need to generate a greater connection and empathy with the customer and to adapt to the new situation of instability and uncertainty by incorporating new business models. More effective governance measures are needed in line with increased public concern for sustainability, humanization, and environmental conservation.