The restaurant industry is constantly evolving, and restaurant technology trends are no exception. If you want your restaurant to stay ahead of the curve, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most popular restaurant technology trends that we expect to see in 2022. Keep reading to learn more!
In the restaurant industry, technology and innovative digital solutions are very slow to adopt changes. The COVID-19 pandemic that hit the US in 2020 and 2021 in particular quickly changed that. It is forcing food and beverage outlets across the country to reconsider their existing practices. Even if reluctantly, restaurants have been adopting tech in the past couple of years. This is a new way to adjust to new realities. In this case, there would be a lot of additional sanitary measures and more contactless technology.
In this new connected and contactless era, technology and innovation have played an increasingly important role in how restaurants operate. It has helped them survive and even thrive. It is no longer possible to ignore trends like self-checkouts, touchless payments, and online ordering. These are the trends that are helping businesses reinvent themselves to stay competitive and relevant.
Restaurants are likely to experience trends in the coming year that revolve around delivering seamless customer experiences. It is also streamlining the entire workflow process.
In this article, we will examine the upcoming Restaurant Technology Trends for the year of 2020.
Using voice technology
My order already includes burgers. Please add them to my existing order.”
Restaurants are increasingly turning to virtual assistance and are no longer distant possibilities. The recent introduction of voice-activated ordering is widely embraced by many chains such as KFC and Pizza Hut. Customer voice command assistance or integration with major virtual assistants like Alexa, or Google Assistant facilitates the process of placing orders via voice command. There are many technological trends emerging in the industry. These trends have the potential to influence the future course of the restaurant industry, such as voice assistance.
A tablet-based order system
Diners can easily scroll through the menu digitally and order with the ease of using a tabletop ordering system. Table orders do not have to be taken physically by servers. Online orders can be submitted to kitchens directly via digital menus. In addition to these features, some systems include entertainment features. This allows people to remain entertained while their order is being prepared and delivered to them. In addition to decreasing wait times, these systems provide more guests with better service.
Automated chatbots
Placing orders on a digital platform, however, does not give the customer a personalized experience. However, the dine-in experiences give them a better experience. In 2020, interactive chatbot assistants became popular and offered customers a more personalized experience while placing orders on online platforms. Chatbots are becoming an effective tool to engage customers in restaurants such as Burger King and Taco Bell. As a result of their programming, they can answer questions, process orders, send promotional messages targeted at particular audiences. They can also direct customers to websites or payment gateways.
In addition to Facebook, Whatsapp, and an inbuilt mobile app and website, chatbots can be integrated with social media platforms. As a marketing tool, chatbots will continue to evolve as a valuable resource. This will give consumers more value and enrich their experiences.
Kiosks for self-ordering
It is notable that many of the large Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) that offer kiosks have been surprisingly underexplored in the restaurant industry. These are setting a new trend with this new operating model. In a kiosk, customers can place their orders themselves by using a small standing digital system. Customers are able to place their own orders themselves, which helps to speed up the process.
In the modern world we live in, a kiosk is a versatile system that allows the customer to customize his orders and pay for them using the mode of payment he or she prefers. Even during peak hours, kiosks can reduce the length of time that customers wait in lines and have them directed towards more efficient areas. It is through this that sales are increased. There are several features that enable an easy upsell to be achieved, including an efficient display of the entire menu in one click, and the ease of placing orders.
Keeping up with the latest trends in restaurant technology can be challenging, but investing your hard-earned money into a POS system is an investment that will pay off. Restaurant owners who invest now have access not only to real time insights about their customers’ preferences and orders; they also help make sure every dish served leaves them satisfied by using data analytics for better management decisions which keep everyone happy!
Devices that take orders on the go
Restaurants are learning the importance of handheld devices as a means of taking orders, and it is anticipated that the pen-and-paper method of taking orders will soon be abandoned. With regard to mobile devices, such as tablets and mobile payment applications, they save an important amount of time. In fact, the orders raised by the server show directly on the POS system as they are processed. In addition, these hand-held systems are well integrated into the overall restaurant operation system, which also allows servers to access a thorough record of past orders for specific customers.
Restaurant technology trends have drastically changed the way restaurant’s process orders. In the past, servers would have to physically write down an order and then hand it off to the kitchen. This system was inefficient and often resulted in mistakes. Today, many restaurants use electronic devices to take orders. This allows servers to quickly and accurately relay customer orders to the kitchen. As a result, restaurant can take more orders than they could before, leading to increased sales and reduced staffing costs. Not only does this new system improve restaurant efficiency, but it also provides a better quality of service for customers.
Mobile application developed by a restaurant
44% of consumers reported using a restaurant app or website to place a food order during the past year, according to the 2019 National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI) report. In light of this, it is imperative to design a mobile application offering customers the convenience of placing orders on the go. In addition to increasing the number of orders, mobile applications also increase brand awareness.
One of the many benefits of an in-built mobile app is that it allows you to reach your audience more easily, offer targeted customer offers, manage orders easily, and improve customer loyalty.
Customers who dine-in at restaurants that offer liquor can order drinks using their restaurant’s dining apps. The technology also serves to benefit restaurant personnel. It provides transparency, accuracy, and ease of use, as well as daily upkeep. managing the operations. This is one top Restaurant technology trend that, restaurateurs would not want to miss in the year 2020.
