https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2022 NextGen 101 Rankings
    • MSP 501 Information Center
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2022 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Channel Partners 101 (CP 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2022 NextGen 101 Rankings
    • MSP 501 Information Center
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2022 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Channel Partners 101 (CP 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Agents
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • Channel Partners Events
 Channel Futures

From the Industry


Getty Images

Sponsor Content

COVID-19 Challenges

How Technology Helped Pittsburgh’s Dive Bar & Grille Address COVID-19 Challenges

  • Written by Comcast Guest Blogger
  • May 17, 2021
Bars and restaurants were among the hardest hit by COVID-19 challenges.

Before opening his own restaurant, Clint Kuskie had worked in just about every position in the industry you can imagine. From bussing tables and bar backing to working in the kitchen and eventually running training programs and serving as a manager in the corporate restaurant world, he had seen it all. So, when he and his partner, Gordon Judge (who boasted similar experience) opened Pittsburgh’s Dive Bar & Grille 10 years ago, they were starting their foray into small-business ownership on solid footing.

In the ensuing decade, the restaurant developed a reputation for great food, destination-worthy cocktails, a welcoming, upscale atmosphere, and, perhaps most importantly, top-notch customer service. Their initial success allowed them to grow their business, expanding their footprint to five locations in the Pittsburgh area.

Dive Bar & Grille was firing on all cylinders: The kitchens were busy, the tables were full. Then, just a couple weeks after their fifth restaurant opened in Indiana Township, the full effects of the COVID-19 pandemic began to be felt across the United States. Almost overnight, business as usual ceased for small businesses of all stripes. Bars and restaurants were among the hardest hit by COVID-19 challenges.

Since then, Dive Bar & Grille has been navigating a quick succession of changes in state regulations and guidance, testing out new business models, keeping customers and employees safe, and holding on to as many staff members as possible. At nearly every stage of the process, technology has played a key role.

Creating a Hybrid Ordering Model

When the pandemic began, the five restaurants were limited to take-out orders only. Kuskie said they had always accommodated take out, but it was a small part of their business, and a host was traditionally able to handle the volume of orders that came in over the phone. During the pandemic, that changed.

“Our phone was just getting hammered. We couldn’t keep up with the volume of calls,” says Kuskie. “We’d get one phone call, then another, and then a third. We never had an elaborate phone system because we never needed it. Now, people were getting a busy signal.”

Dive Bar & Grille was able to quickly stand up an online ordering platform, which solved the problem almost immediately. Kuskie estimates that 75% of the order volume that was coming in over the phone shifted to online ordering, making the phone lines available for those who still preferred to call in and place orders, while further streamlining the ordering process for the vast majority of takeout orders.

The shift to online ordering also allowed the restaurants to handle peak hours better and allocate resources effectively. Through online ordering, as well as third-party food delivery apps, managers have visibility into demand and can even set limits on how many orders are taken at specific times, so the kitchen won’t get flooded with orders all at once.

Expanding Outdoor Dining and Going Digital

Eventually the full ban of on-site dining was lifted and restaurants in Pennsylvania were able to host guests at limited capacity. However, as the impact of the virus continued to evolve, so did the restrictions, shifting between 25% and 50% for indoor and outdoor dining.

To accommodate for the restrictions, Kuskie says, Dive Bar & Grille undertook some key steps. First, they

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
Tags: Agents Business Models From the Industry Intelligence Mobility & Wireless Comcast Sponsor Content

Most Recent


  • DartPoints' Jackie Steinberg
    Channel People on the Move: AT&T, HPE, Google Cloud, Comcast, More
    Plus, moves at TBI, Trend Micro, Microsoft, Sandler Partners, Nitel and more.
  • Cloud computing news
    Missed June’s Cloud News? AWS, VMware, HPE, Google Cloud Made Headlines
    In case you’ve been busy (or on much-needed summer break), we’ve collected the biggest news for cloud partners.
  • Cloud computing
    Public Cloud Momentum Pacing Past Forecasts, With AWS, Azure in Lead
    We assess the soaring numbers with the help of Gartner, IDC and Synergy Research.
  • Tape Measure
    How the Cloud Has Changed Measurement for Partners
    Customer success will become the driving metric for partner success in new cloud-centric environment.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • M&A
    Why All MSPs Need to Understand the M&A Landscape
  • hurricane season
    4 Things MSPs Should Consider When Prepping for Hurricane Season
  • zero-trust
    The Benefits of Zero-Trust Security over VPNs
  • edge computing
    How to Keep Edge Computing Sites Truly Autonomous

Upcoming Events

View all

MSP Summit

September 13, 2022 - September 16, 2022

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

May 1, 2023 - May 4, 2023

Galleries

View all

Channel People on the Move: AT&T, HPE, Google Cloud, Comcast, More

July 5, 2022

Missed June’s Cloud News? AWS, VMware, HPE, Google Cloud Made Headlines

July 5, 2022

Public Cloud Momentum Pacing Past Forecasts, With AWS, Azure in Lead

July 4, 2022

Industry Perspectives

View all

How to Make Embracing Change Part of Your Company Culture

July 1, 2022

How to Differentiate to Leverage 5G’s Revenue Opportunity

June 28, 2022

Why MSPs are Attractive Cyberattack Targets

June 24, 2022

Webinars

View all

VEP Platform for Delivery of uCPE, SD-WAN and SASE

June 29, 2022

The Digital Worker: How to Empower Customers with a Flexible, Scalable VDI Solution to Enable Remote Work

June 30, 2022

Growing Partner Revenue and Customer Satisfaction with Power Management Services

June 23, 2022

White Papers

View all

Work Goes Remote – (and Other Top ITOps Trends)

May 25, 2022

The New Bottom Line: How MSPs Can Meet the Healthcare Crisis While Evolving Their Businesses

April 19, 2022

How to build a Security Operations Center (on a budget)

April 4, 2022

Channel Futures TV

View all

Vonage a ‘Single Communications Stack Provider’ for Partners, Customers

IBM, Partners and the $1 Trillion Hybrid Cloud Opportunity

June 26, 2022

Agents Share ‘Secrets,’ Industry Opportunity

May 11, 2022

AT&T, Microsoft, Cisco, ThreatLocker on Unlocking Partner Potential

May 6, 2022

Twitter

ChannelFutures

Distributor @Infinigate to acquire @nuviasgroup to create "pan-European #cybersecurity powerhouse."… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

July 5, 2022
ChannelFutures

[email protected], @AWSCloud, @VMware, @Azure, @HPE, more, all made big waves in June with respective #cloud news.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

July 5, 2022
ChannelFutures

Happy Independence Day 🎇 to our U.S. colleagues, from the #ChannelFutures and #ChannelPartners team to yours! We ho… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

July 4, 2022
ChannelFutures

#Publiccloud demand is going nowhere. We dive into stats. @AWSCloud @Azure @IDC @Gartner_inc @SRG_Research #cloud… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

July 4, 2022
ChannelFutures

Partners can bring more value to #customerrelationships with the #customerexperience, says @SAPPartners4U.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

July 4, 2022
ChannelFutures

Channel people making waves this week include: @jpdepa3rd, @RiyaShanmugam, @sandyhogan dlvr.it/STCM6S https://t.co/oVB86ztTtP

July 1, 2022
ChannelFutures

#Cybersecurity experts say July 4th weekend ripe for #ransomware, other attacks. @blumirasec @Netenrich @Vectra_AI… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

July 1, 2022
ChannelFutures

New @PureStorage #ITchannel leader details jump from Veritas. dlvr.it/STBsLB https://t.co/BFSmZ5ubff

July 1, 2022

MSP 501

The industry's largest and most comprehensive partner awards program.

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Galleries

Educational slide shows and images from live events.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Events
  • Telecoms.com
  • MSP 501
  • Black Hat
  • IoT World Today
  • Omdia

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X