Crisis Management in Restaurant Businesses: A Qualitative Study of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the February 6 Earthquakes

Abstract

Purpose – The aim of this study is to analyze the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and, particularly, the February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes on restaurant businesses in the Antakya district of Hatay and to identify the crisis management approaches and practices adopted by restaurant operators in response to these crises.

Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research approach was employed, using semi-structured interviews as the data collection technique. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews conducted between March and April 2025 with eight restaurant operators whose businesses had been operating in Antakya for at least 10 years and were analyzed using descriptive analysis.

Findings – It was observed that businesses were largely unprepared for the pandemic and earthquake crises, experiencing prolonged closures, employment losses, and sales declines. While takeout, contactless sales, and hygiene practices came to the fore during the pandemic, after the earthquake, most businesses were only able to resume operations with government support.

Discussion – The findings of this study show that restaurant businesses do not have an adequate level of preparedness for crises of different natures, such as the pandemic and earthquake, and that they tend to adopt more reactive approaches in crisis management processes. This situation reveals that elements such as financial planning, insurance practices, and investment diversification play an important role in increasing corporate resilience against crises for businesses operating in the food and beverage sector.