Rapid responding to the COVID-19 crisis: Assessing the resilience in the German restaurant and bar industry

• Published in: International journal of hospitality management Vol. 96; p. 102960
• Main Authors: Neise, Thomas, Verfürth, Philip, Franz, Martin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2021; The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd
• Subjects: COVID-19; Crisis; Germany; Resilience; Restaurants; Structural change; COVID-19; Restaurants; Structural change; Germany; Crisis; Resilience
• ISSN: 0278-4319; 1873-4693
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2021.102960

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally impacted the restaurant and bar industry. Simultaneously, this industry is already undergoing structural change. Using the concept of organisational resilience, we analyse the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on owner’s assessment of resilience in the German restaurant and bar industry. Findings from an online survey with 623 owners and managers show that ex-ante business problems, and financing by loans or credit, reduce the likelihood of owners perceiving their business as resilient; while, delivery and takeaway service, ownership of property and higher age of owners, increase the likelihood of enterprise resilience. The paper contributes to understanding how restaurants and bars absorb and cope with the COVID-19 crisis. Furthermore, we make recommendation for future research on the recovery and adaptability of the business sector. •Assessment of organisational resilience during COVID-19 crises.•Binary-logistic regression with 623 enterprises.•Ex-ante business problems and financing by loans or credit reduce the likelihood of resilience assessment by owners.•Delivery and takeaway service, ownership of property and higher age of owners increase the likelihood of resilience assessment by owners.