But restaurateurs who can no longer afford a traditional brick-and-mortar operation have found a lifeline in the form of food trucks, food halls and ghost kitchensGhost kitchens are typically delivery or take-out-only operations that reduce overhead costs for restaurant owners. Food halls offer a similar flexibility, renting out equipment and space to independent food service operators in a food-court-like setting. Black restaurants shift gearsBusiness leaders say Black restaurant owners have been moving into ghost kitchens at a disproportionately higher rate since the pandemic began. "Not every business owner's business plan includes being a property manager and a property owner," Dillin said. But many independent restaurants are still struggling to reopen and business leaders say Black restaurant owners are having an especially hard time bouncing back.

Source: CNN July 11, 2021 16:39 UTC