— By Matt Brown — Considerations for a successful return to growth for restaurants and retailers. When the COVID-19 pandemic sent everyone into their homes in March, businesses had to make fundamental changes to their operations. The restaurant industry “doubled-down” on takeout and delivery services, and essential retailers worked around the clock to clean and sanitize the store and restock in-demand items. Meanwhile, some restaurants and non-essential retailers were forced to close, hoping for the opportunity to reopen their doors sooner rather than later. Any way you slice it, when …