By: John Kirk, RSPA President & CEO
According to the National Restaurant Association, along with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau, $130 billion was lost in food service and drinking places sales between March and October of 2020 compared to prior year. In addition, 2.1 million jobs were lost between February and November of 2020. By December, 110,000 restaurants had closed for an extended time or perhaps for good.
These realities are our realities as we move into 2021. As we manage through those changes, what has remained constant is just as important to our RSPA Community.
Retail customers still need innovative solutions. Vendors still need a distribution strategy. Most require an indirect channel as a critical ingredient to extending their reach. Resellers of all categories need a solution to sell. Payments need to be processed as new contactless solutions emerge. Teams still need wide-ranging education as they embrace the pursuit of excellence. Partnerships remain critical to the success of companies of all shapes and sizes. Our events are one-of-a-kind gatherings because our community is unique. We believe we will be together again in Nashville in just under 200 days.
The RSPA mission is to accelerate your success through knowledge and connections. At a time when our industry is responding and recovering from a crisis, the RSPA mission is more relevant than ever. We are committed to accelerating the partnerships you need and the overall knowledge of your team.
With every step we take, we are on a mission to serve you. Merchants need us. We need each other as we respond.
