Tech adoption has accelerated and phrase of latest restaurant applied sciences spreads every day. Whereas operators have essential alternatives to boost the shopper expertise, amplify advertising and marketing, and function extra effectively by tech, new analysis exhibits customers’ attitudes towards tech use of their restaurant experiences range significantly by age group and repair phase—fullservice, limited-service, and supply.
Whereas nearly all of operators think about the best way they apply expertise to their operations to be mainstream (vs. vanguard), what’s most essential isn’t essentially to be vanguard, however to suit the tech strategically to the shopper base they serve.
The Nationwide Restaurant Affiliation’s new Restaurant Technology Trends Report 2024 appears at responses from greater than 1,000 grownup customers and has decided that the addition of convenience-enhancing choices, like accessibility to the restaurant by way of smartphone, web- or app-based ordering programs, and digital or contactless cost choices, have been most essential to them. Operators, give us your thoughts on the future of technology in restaurants. Take our quick survey!(Opens in a new window) “Restaurant operators have large entrepreneurial spirit and are always innovating—typically by new dishes or flavors, and typically by new enterprise practices,” mentioned Affiliation President & CEO Michelle Korsmo. “Greater than 3 in 4 operators say expertise provides them a aggressive edge, and this analysis may assist them discover the proper expertise match for his or her eating places and prospects.” Client tech preferences differ by service phase For many fullservice prospects, engagement with staff is an integral a part of the expertise of going out to eat at a sit-down restaurant, and the info suggests this isn’t altering any time quickly. Most customers don’t seem fascinated by buying and selling this high-touch interplay for a very tech-driven expertise.
Nonetheless, 60% of fullservice customers mentioned they’d possible use pc tablets to put their orders on the desk and 65% mentioned they’d use them to pay the test. One other 63% mentioned they’d be comfy utilizing a wise cellphone to put their orders or pay the invoice. It’s not important that fullservice eating places have these choices, however many customers suppose they’d be good to have.
Within the limited-service class, most customers present an affinity for tech that will enhance transaction effectivity, particularly to order and pay. Seven in 10 limited-service customers indicated they’d use smartphone apps to put orders, and one other 65% would use them to pay for purchases. Amongst child boomer respondents, fewer than 50% mentioned they’d use these choices.
Within the off-premises event, expertise is already baked into customers’ expectations. Clients need to have the ability to entry, order, customise, and pay for his or her to-go and supply orders on their computer systems or smartphones. If they’ll’t, they’ll order from some place else. Amongst off-premises prospects, 84% mentioned they’d place orders utilizing a restaurant’s web site and 71% mentioned they’d possible place their orders by a third-party supply service.
When requested about cost strategies, 79% desire contactless or cellular funds, with 73% opting to make use of digital pockets choices, like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pockets, PayPal, or Venmo.
“Understanding which applied sciences prospects in every phase want to have, really need, and think about important, supplies operators with substantial alternatives to boost the shopper expertise, amplify advertising and marketing and function extra effectively,” mentioned Hudson Riehle, the Affiliation’s SVP of Analysis & Data. “”The info clearly exhibits that restaurant operators and house owners are embracing expertise and integrating it into their every day operations.” Operators acknowledge the worth of expertise For the report, operators have been supplied a listing of 15 expertise functions affecting 4 key areas—advertising and marketing and gross sales, buyer expertise, operational effectivity, and creating tech, and have been requested to determine the applied sciences they’d probably put money into in 2024. Their prime pics:
- Tech designed to spice up gross sales and buyer visitors, with 63% saying they plan to commit sources to digital or location-based advertising and marketing this 12 months.
- Loyalty/reward system tech, with 61% of limited-service operators being considerably extra possible than fullservice operators (52%) to speculate.
- Tech to spice up operational efficiencies, with 52% of operators planning to include expertise into back-office capabilities, similar to payroll, finance, and tax and food-safety compliance.
- Tech to enhance Stock management and administration programs; 52% say they plan to extend their funding in 2024.
- One third will make investments to develop smartphone apps.
- Cybersecurity enhancements, with 43% of fullservice operators indicating they’re more likely to make investments, and 31% of limited-service operators planning on doing the identical.
“Creating” tech, similar to using robotics for meals prep and repair and using drones for supply, remains to be on the horizon for almost all of operators.
Get your copy of the Restaurant Know-how Panorama Report 2024 at present. Obtain here.
