BU Today – The Pandemic Changed How We Eat, Travel, Tip. Now Things Are Changing Again
It wasn’t all COVID’s fault, but the pandemic profoundly changed how we eat, travel, and even tip—it upended the entire hospitality business.
When the pandemic started in March 2020, hospitality, like a lot of other industries, all but stopped. People stayed home, didn’t travel for business or pleasure, and didn’t eat out. Workers were laid off, businesses shut down.
Over two-plus years of shifting restrictions, restaurants pivoted to more takeout and outdoor dining, serving customers on the sidewalk even in winter, under heat lamps. Airbnb surged in popularity, renting people homes away from home without making them line up at a front desk. Masks were required on planes, though not everyone was happy about it.
BU Today spoke with the SHA Dean Arun Upneja, assistant dean and professor of practice Leora Lanz, and associate professor Makarand Mody on topics of staffing, restaurant industry/tipping culture, and lodging businesses.