Independent Restaurants Are Clawing Their Way Back, And Added Nearly 2,900 New Units Last Year

We all know the pandemic has been particularly difficult for independent restaurants, many of which are small and, because they tend to be full-service, most vulnerable to restrictions and closures of dine-in. New comparative data from the NPD Group charts both the devastation and a heartening rebound.   The Rosemont, Ill.-based research firm’s twice-a-year restaurant…