We’re back at the beach this week, Panama City Beach. We haven’t lived here for the last 18 months, so it’s hard to determine the reasons behind any changes. I haven’t seen any of the better restaurants closed since last summer. There’s always turnover here, marginal venues don’t last long but space refills quickly. When summer is over, any place without a local following probably fails. I have noticed later crowds waiting outside for tables at a nearby restaurant. We were at an old favorite last night. It wasn’t crowded but business was steady. It has expanded since we last visited 12 months ago. It is a bar, restaurant, gift shop and music venue. There is no table service. It gets by with 4 or 5 employees: 2 cooks, food runner, beertender and shop cashier. That’s no different than when we first walked in 8 years ago. It can handle more than a hundred customers comfortably at any time, maybe 150. The model has always been successful and I suppose even more so under past year restrictions. Of the 5 working, 3 were new. 1 was an owner. There are tip jars at the bar and food counter. I wonder if this is increasingly the future of dining out here. We saw similar operations at Cocoa Beach, Daytona Beach and St Augustine earlier this year. Presumably other restaurant owners are paying attention.