David Chang Isn’t Sure the Restaurant Industry Will Survive Covid-19 (Published 2020)

There’s work involved in making the shift to delivery and takeaway — time and money that a restaurant likely does not have to spend. In the best-case scenario, the model effectively turns restaurants into so-called “ghost kitchens,” eliminating the need for nearly all front-of-house staff. David Chang has called the pivot to delivery “fools gold.”

Death of retail was the headline of the last decade. Will a prolonged coronavirus outbreak lead to the death of other types of spaces, too — Office spaces? Public space? Entertainment venues?

Will coronavirus catalyze a period of “de-urbanization” whereby social distancing becomes the cultural and social norm going forward? What does this mean for society and the real estate infrastructure that exists today?