A waiter delivers food to a table at Bottino Restaurant in Chelsea as New York City restaurants open for limited capacity indoor dining on October 1, 2020 in New York. BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images Spending levels at 40,000 restaurants nationwide dropped significantly last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Restaurants in some states, including Wyoming and Wisconsin, had spending levels similar to those before the pandemic. Restaurant operators were spending more on carryout boxes and bags as the demand for takeout and delivery increased during COVID-19. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Restaurants nationwide spent significantly less on food and other supplies last year as the coronavirus pandemic forced many eateries to temporarily shut down and host fewer in-store customers, new data shows.