CEO Grant Lee joins QSR Media Conference & Awards’ Virtual Brands panel.

Having a delivery-friendly service model has allowed Concept Eight’s portfolio to flourish amidst restrictions.

To create a smoother and more synchronized experience with its physical and virtual brands, they are currently promoting their new app and loyalty program, which is experiencing growth.

Click here to join us virtually on October 18 for the QSR Media Conference & Awards, where Concept Eight CEO Grant Lee will share more on Concept Eight’s approach to virtual brands.

QSR Media: What’s your assessment of how the QSR/fast casual restaurant industry handled the challenges dealt by COVID-19?

Lee: We read about “black swan events” and most of us probably never thought we would experience one. From what I have read, and conversations I have had with my peers, there is no doubt the QSR industry handled Covid brilliantly.

Specifically our response to ensuring customers and staff were safe (remember when hand sanitiser was like liquid gold), ramping up, or initiating home delivery, negotiating with landlords (this brought out the best and worst in people), providing leadership and stability to our teams, rewriting business plans within days or weeks- the list goes on.

I’d also like to send a shout out to our business partners who are a very important part of our industry – those supplying drinks, packaging, logistics, food inputs and delivery partners.

From your perspective, what are some key lessons/insights/trends that brands have learned/further understood/need to know as we approach a post-pandemic industry?