There are plenty of unknowns. The optimism that pervades the foodservice industry will continue, he believes. People are confident, smarter. They want simplicity and quality. That should carry through the early part of the millennium.
Operators can cross their fingers and hope it is so.
The impact of a new millennium will bring with it a sense of change. And that can be unnerving, according to psychologist Barbara Caplan, who charts consumer trends for Yankelovich Partners in New York. She compares it to the mixed feelings people have on New Year's Eve. People think hope springs eternal, something better is around the corner, you're turning over a new leaf. There is hope, but no blueprint.