Will Restaurants in the United States , Ever Recover From the br COVID-19 Pandemic?.br CNN reports officials with the br U.S. National Restaurant Association br don't believe their industry will ever br return to its pre-pandemic form.br As the food and hospitality industry remains locked in a struggle to retain its workforce, experts predict 2022 could be the br "new normal" for the sector.br Restaurants and br their patrons have br found themselves br in a 'new normal.' , Hudson Riehle, the National Restaurant Association, via CNN.br Given emergent technology, changing consumer behavior br and dining preferences, br and the extraordinary challenges br of the last two years, , Hudson Riehle, the National Restaurant Association, via CNN.br ... the industry is unlikely to ever completely return to br its pre-pandemic state. , Hudson Riehle, the National Restaurant Association, via CNN.br Though experts predict br restaurant sales have risen br nearly $34 billion since 2019, .br only one in four operators believes their restaurant will be more profitable br this year than in 2021.br As the Omicron variant further depleted br an already thinned labor force, .br As the Omicron variant further depleted br an already thinned labor force, .br seven out of 10 restaurant owners say br they don't have enough workers.br Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, br food service employees quit their jobs br in Dec. 2021 at a rate of 10.