Over the last year, a lot of industries have had a rough time, restaurant owners have gone through massive ups and downs. And a lot of restaurant have shut down for good, Some survived and now, we’re facing yet another unique challenge: the future.
One shouldn’t be surprised that the changes popping up in the restaurant now will stick around long after everyone removes their masks and resumes dining in our restaurants. This is the truth of the latest Trends and Tech — but what exactly is coming our way? This is going to be the “new normal,” let’s have a look at a few tech trends that have already created an impact and have been well received.
Vertual Menus
If you go into a restaurant today, you’ll often find a QR code on the table so customers can access the menu or even pay their bill. This technology quickly became popular during the pandemic, but it appears that it has really resonated with diners. According to research from the NRAI Data base 35% of customers look for paperless and contactless options when choosing where to dine. This trend is here to stay.
“Ghost or Cloud Kitchens”
Globally as food delivery becomes the norm throughout the restaurant industry, some restaurateurs are looking for a way to cut costs, even if that means getting rid of their restaurant space. Rather than rent or own a specific location, some restaurants are going rogue, becoming “ghost kitchens” or “cloud kitchens” that operate off-site solely for delivery. This trend is attractive for current restaurant owners and aspiring restaurateurs alike, as it is significantly cheaper to operate a cloud kitchen than a traditional restaurant. It may be that we start seeing cloud kitchens pop up all over the country as the pandemic recovery continues.
Of course, no matter what kind of kitchen you’re running, you will need to offer quality customer service to keep your guests coming back. And if you’re going to provide exceptional customer service, you need to manage your training and your staff effectively.
AI-Based Supply Chains
Restaurants are using AI - controlled kiosks to increase capacity and speed up food ordering, preparation, and payment from point of entry. Voice ordering often uses chatbots or AL-enabled virtual assistants to answer customers queries, process and customise customer orders.
This may sound like something from a science fiction novel, but it’s true: restaurants are starting to use artificial intelligence to determine their supply chain. According to early adopters, this AI-based system has a 92% accuracy rate — and that means it just might be the way of the future.
Online Orders
When the pandemic first hit and lockdowns began, any restaurant that didn’t have a robust online presence was at a distinct disadvantage. In fact, restaurants without an online presence were at a disadvantage even before COVID-19; online food orders have grown 300% faster than dine-in traffic for the past seven years!
If you want your business to succeed in 2022 and beyond, you MUST have an online ordering/delivery system that’s user-friendly and accessible. If you don’t, you’re missing out on a huge slice of the market!