How Technology Is Changing the Future of Food Service
The food service industry is constantly evolving, moving toward restaurant solutions that prioritize efficiency, customer satisfaction and, of course, revenue. Technology, particularly that which incorporates automation, is taking over the food service industry and setting the stage for years to come.
The world is becoming more tech-centric, so it makes sense that small businesses have taken to these trends as well. Restaurants in particular need to keep up with the demands of the market to stay ahead. Increasingly, customers prioritize quickness, safety and quality in their food service, thus inventions are coming out to help any restaurant meet them where they are.
What’s so great about technology?
Automation concerns some restaurant employees because they don’t want evolving technology to take over their jobs and render them irrelevant: The more a machine can do, the less reason there is to keep a person when the job can be done faster, better and cheaper. However, these fears are baseless; technology doesn’t steal jobs, it provides opportunities to redirect service workers’ energy into other areas of the business which might be deficient and require more hands-on attention.
Technology also makes it easier to keep track of your restaurant’s data and information. Here’s where a good point of sale technology becomes necessary: View and track inventory, easily advertise promotions and garner data about which sales should go live and when, schedule and manage staff more efficiently, go paperless and even enter data using scannersall from one localized system. Having a data hub like this makes it fast and easy to monitor the progress in different areas of your business and then take control of any situation you want to see changed. Alterations get implemented across every device in your store automatically, so you never have to go offline for updates to take effect.
It’s important to supplement increased sales by having a functional website, mobile app and social media. Social pages will expand your network and make it easy to connect to potential new customers, who can then navigate to your website for more information or a closer look at your menu. From there, you’ll need to optimize your site and menu for compatibility with multiple devices so that it’s easy for customers to read it on-the-go from their smartphones, since thats where many people decide what to eat. You should consider installing a personalized app for customers to order directly from you, rather than relying on third party delivery platforms which generally charge a high commission fee and force you to relinquish control of the delivery process. Point of sale companies like eatOS will set up apps like that, each tailored for your individual needs, when you sign up with us.
Self-service devices improve customers’ experiences by making the ordering process faster and more accurate and adjusting ticket sizes up to 30%. In recent years, self-service kiosks have gained a lot of traction, catering to the modern customer, improving productivity and more, all while costing you less. At the same time, AI is taking off. The two services combined can make a big difference on your bottom line.
Now more than ever, it’s important to prioritize streamlined delivery and contactless services, both off-premise and on. COVID-19 has permanently changed the landscape of the food service industry, and now prioritizing the health and safety of your customers and staff must be the paramount consideration. Flexibility and open-mindedness will help any restaurant train to become a more technology-reliant business.
Off-premise sales, new marketing tactics and all the other benefits that technology offers are must-haves for any successful business, primarily because these tactics cater to younger generations. That audience lives in a technological world and expects the businesses they patronize to adapt accordingly.
The world already has technology embedded deeply within it, from how we order a pizza at one in the morning to the way we switch shifts at work. Adapt to changing technological trends to stay relevant in the marketplace and provide a more fulfilling experience for any customer. The restaurant industry is moving, with every other business, toward a more technology-centered world. Get a demo with eatOS today to learn how to bring your restaurant into the future with it.
