Restaurant Business Quarterly | Q2 2025

LOOKING BACK ON THE CHALLENGES FACED AND THE LESSONS LEARNED.

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MICHAEL ROPER, FOUNDER- OWNER, HOPLEAF BAR As he sees it, Michael Roper is no longer competing with other bars and restaurants in Chicago. He’s competing with consumers’ homes, which they transformed into “pleasure palaces” during the pandemic.

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ALEX SMITH, CEO OF ATLAS RESTAURANT GROUP

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How one multi-concept independent restaurant group nearly doubled in size in the five years since the pandemic.

APRIL 2025 RESTAURANT BUSINESS

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