The pandemic has stressed the need for restaurant operators to listen with all of their senses and allow people to express the multitude of feelings that come up during tough times, Shake Shack founder and Union Square Hospitality Group Danny Meyer said in a video interview with Forbes. Meyer reflects on lessons learned while building his company and looks ahead to offer perspectives on the future of the industry.

New York City restaurants are struggling to hire enough employees as they return to full capacity, says Union Square Hospitality Group CEO and Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer. Many former employees left the city during the pandemic, others found jobs in different industries and hiring is made even tougher as eateries across the city all try to hire new employees at the same time, Meyer says.

Enlightened Hospitality Investments, the investment arm of Union Square Hospitality Group, led a recent $21.5 million investment round for 7shifts, a technology platform that helps restaurants perform tasks including scheduling. Union Square uses the technology at its eateries including Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern, spurring the decision to invest, said Union Square founder and CEO Danny Meyer.

Island Hospitality Management joined with the Marriott-owned SpringHill Suites in Savannah, Ga., to temporarily transform a 1,200-square-foot meeting room into a 36-seat bar and restaurant that turned the limited-service hotel into a neighborhood hangout. The Toasted Barrel delivered a 24% return on investment in the first year, convincing Marriott to make it permanent.

Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer learned early lessons on hospitality from his mom and got a glimpse of what not to do in business from his dad's failed ventures. "My father's business mistakes became lessons for me as my company has grown," said Meyer, whose Union Square Hospitality Group operates 14 eateries including Gramercy Tavern and Union Square Cafe.