After the Corona fiasco is when the restaurant business really tanked, at least around my area. However, as previously mentioned above the 4 & even 5-star restaurants started going downhill, well before Covid hit our shores not to mention absurd skyrocket prices and as you said the overall attitude on service has descended to rock bottom. Least from my perspective. The chain & fast food restaurants I avoid like the plague...not just the food itself I do not trust, but also their employees. I use to be a frequent patron of sports bars; not anymore.
My brother did a stint at the Culinary Institute of America in NYC so I use him for advice on where to go, what to eat and what to avoid.
I either eat out or do take-out every Friday. That's been routine for past 8 years. However, I restrict myself to the private/family owned eateries and not any of the chains. That includes pizza take-out too. Those too are becoming fewer & fewer. Around my area these privately owned restaurants are only open 3-4 days a week and some now only do dinner while others have permanently closed their doors because after Covid they weren't able to find good help even after raising their wages. Sad times.
My brother did a stint at the Culinary Institute of America in NYC so I use him for advice on where to go, what to eat and what to avoid.
I either eat out or do take-out every Friday. That's been routine for past 8 years. However, I restrict myself to the private/family owned eateries and not any of the chains. That includes pizza take-out too. Those too are becoming fewer & fewer. Around my area these privately owned restaurants are only open 3-4 days a week and some now only do dinner while others have permanently closed their doors because after Covid they weren't able to find good help even after raising their wages. Sad times.
"It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong." – Thomas Sowell