Gary’s Diner – The Great Resignation in the Restaurant Industry

This descriptive case explores how the pandemic has impacted the hospitality sector and a restaurant in particular. The husband and wife proprietors struggled when they had to shutter during lockdowns and then when they retooled to offer online ordering and take out. When they opened to limited capacity and even fully, they found laid off staff unwilling or reluctant to work. The case protagonists mull over issues as they search the internet for an understanding and a solution. This case raises significant issues and questions that can be used in the classroom.