Joyce Hanson, Reporter at Law360, recently interviewed a number of senior attorneys about the impact of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry, and turned to Pryor Cashman's Hospitality Leader Todd Soloway for his thoughts as we approach 2022.

According to the article,

"Todd E. Soloway, who leads the hotel and hospitality group at Pryor Cashman LLP and co-heads the firm's litigation practice, said one of his clients has hit on a formula for success during the pandemic. Sam Nazarian, founder of food and beverage company C3, has made a $100 million deal to bring 40 restaurant brands in 550 brand locations to Saudi Arabia over the next five years, according to Soloway.

While initial talks for the deal began before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, many of the locations will feature ghost kitchens, self-service at fast-food eateries, drive-thrus and mobile delivery - all tailor-made for the pandemic, Soloway said.

And C3 has offices in Los Angeles, New York and Miami, indicating that such ventures also may be the U.S.-based hospitality deals of the future, according to the Pryor Cashman lawyer, who helped C3 found the companies and raise capital, then went on to assist with the intellectual property and trademark protection work.

'Sam Nazarian is a creative genius. C3 is a ghost kitchen business with virtual brands,' Soloway said. 'Think gateway cities, and everything else is online. When you use your phone to order Sam's 'crispy chicken' and 'krispy rice' or 'umami burger,' they're all being made in one ghost kitchen location, but the customer doesn't need to know that.'

From a delivery and brand standpoint, the food is all about logistics and has to be in a geographically desirable location to be made and delivered, Soloway noted.

'The pandemic really heightened everyone's usage of ordering online and getting a delivery,' Soloway said. 'Sam was in the right place at the right time.'"

Soloway also noted that, "Headed into 2022, we should expect that uncertainty is the only certainty going forward. The market is going to go up and down and sideways...I'm telling my clients to be careful managing their businesses 24/7. There are no days off here. You have to be able to react on a moment's notice."

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.