The #1 Restaurant Technology Trend That Will Change The Industry Forever (+ Other 2022 Trends That Still Matter)
Restaurant technology is always changing. We know it can be hard to keep up with the latest trends.
But it’s important so you can grow your business and keep customers happy.
The #1 restaurant technology trend for 2022 is restaurant automation. This means any form of robotic food delivery inside or outside the restaurant, along with meal prep and ordering. It’s actually easier to implement than you think.
Continue reading for more about robotic delivery and other restaurant trends.
Want to reduce restaurant tech stress? Science On Call provides 24/7 tech support for restaurants that need one number to call for help with any tech issue. Click here for our limited-time offer.
Automation in Restaurants (The #1 Trend)
Automation for restaurants is a technology trend that is becoming increasingly popular. And more realistic, by the way!
Restaurant automation comes in various forms:
Robotic Delivery
Ordering
Meal Prep
Resetting Tables
Cleaning & Setup
Robots are especially interesting and are coming onto the scene faster than many people thought.
Robots and Restaurants (It’s Actually a Thing)
Believe it or not, restaurant owners can now purchase various types of “robots” or automated pieces of hardware to help them with in-store and out-of-store delivery, among other things.
Companies like Carbon Origins and Starship are the leaders in making this tech available to standard restaurants. Starship has “deployed more than 1,000 robots” at 20 U.S. colleges. And more is coming, according to VOA News. Supermarkets like Save Mart are trying their hand at it, too.
Other robots can make salads, like Sally by Chowbotics. They were recently acquired by DoorDash.
“Sally is a salad-making robot, mixing up to 8 fresh ingredients from vegetables to salmon into a compostable bowl in just 90 seconds!” according to the website.
But is this stuff really realistic and affordable? We think so!
The broad cost of adding automation systems or robotics to your restaurant is around $10,000 to $30,000, not including installation fees, we suspect. This one-time investment could mean thousands saved in labor and time if done properly.
The installation seems fairly simple, but a lot of work will have to be placed during the installation and setup. This type of delivery is helpful for busy restaurants that want to provide their customers with faster service.
Top Technology Trends for Restaurants
There are a number of different technological trends that are impacting the food industry.
Our top seven are listed below:
1. Co-Working in Restaurants (via WorkChew)
Co-working in restaurants is a growing trend that allows people to work in a more relaxed and social setting. There are a few different ways that co-working in restaurants can work, but the most popular method is through companies like WorkChew.
WorkChew basically turns restaurants into flexible workspaces that freelancers and other workers can come and enjoy.
Many restaurants have large tables, ample space, great food, and a quiet ambiance, right? Plus WIFI. Now owners can offer their tables and spaces to be reserved.
Benefits for the customers have discounted prices and a new work environment. Benefits for restaurants would be more exposure, relationship building, and added revenue.
2. Air Purification Technology
Air purification technology is currently one of the most exciting in the restaurant sector.
As diners return to restaurants, it is critical that they feel safe and secure. This is why air filtration systems are so important in promoting ‘clean air,' a topic rarely addressed in the restaurant industry.
The bipolar ionization technique will purify the air and surfaces in indoor spaces by neutralizing pollutants. This is already showing encouraging outcomes in the market. This is one of many examples of air purification technology.
3. Outsourced Technology Management
We’re seeing the top restaurants in the United States outsource their technology.
Popeyes and Go Get Em Tiger are among the restaurants that are really taking advantage of outsourced technology services that help keep the WiFi going strong for all guests, update any menu items and 86's, fix any point-of-sale issues, and more.
At Science On Call, we offer 24/7 outsourced technology services to reduce your tech stress. It’s one call or text to help solve common tech issues found in restaurants like:
Internet outages
Point-of-sale issues
Online ordering
3rd party delivery
Email/User admin
Printers
Phones
Interested in outsourced tech services for your restaurant? There are a lot of benefits. Click here to take advantage of our limited-time offer.
4. QR Codes
QR codes are showing up in eateries all over the world. Customers can now order and pay online by scanning barcodes on websites, doors, coasters, tables, and posters using their smartphones.
This may be done without contact, keeping staff and customers secure. This technology, which does not require an app installation, has also helped restaurants with contact tracking, which is now required in many parts of the world to reopen during this pandemic.
5. Automated Inventory Management Software
Automating inventory management helps you track stock, schedule reorders, and forecast food quantities, which eliminates tiresome and time-consuming tasks.
Inventory Management Software also helps with food waste! This is a big topic because food waste is estimated to be about 22 to 33 billion pounds each year. This easily costs restaurants thousands of dollars.
MarketMan, xtraCHEF by Toast, and Upserve by Lightspeed are some of our favorite inventory management software.
6. Digital Kitchen Displays
It’s not the 1970s anymore. You no longer need to worry about a pen and paper when writing orders!
It's better to use a Kitchen Display System (KDS), a digital menu board for kitchen employees. Directly linked to the restaurant's POS system, the screen automatically prioritizes orders and flags any specific dietary requests.
Tracking meal delivery timings ensure better processes, accuracy, and communication.
7. Online Table Reservations
Phone reservations are no longer the preferred method. Technology has grown in importance.
Users can browse available slots and book them via mobile apps like OpenTable, Tablein, and Eat App. Reserving online gives restaurants access to vital customer data for market research and contact tracking.
Try Science On Line to keep your restaurant connected to the Internet even when your primary Internet gets shut down. We provide the hardware to monitor your network and automatically switch you to a secure 4G LTE connection within moments of your primary Internet service going offline.
Why Technology? Restaurant Owners Are Thinking Different.
Today's diners value convenience, speed, and personalization. And restaurant owners are responding to this demand.
Some individuals want to relax and enjoy a fine dinner, and others prefer to order ahead of time. So, restaurant owners should consider how to serve all consumers.
If owners don’t make a change, they will lose money and are in the running for going out of business. Yelp showed us that 60% of businesses that closed due to the coronavirus pandemic are now permanently closed.
This is a BIG deal!
Restaurants are now dependent on technology to run their business. But when the internet goes out, or their POS system causes issues, it disrupts operations, devours potential revenue, and leaves customers upset.
Outsourced Restaurant Tech Services
With Science On Call, we provide 24/7, 365 days of tech support for restaurants that need one number to call for help with any tech issue.
Call us for common technology issues and we’ll fix them fast! Issues like:
Internet outages
Point-of-sale issues
Online ordering
3rd party delivery
Email/User admin
Menu edits/86’ing
Printers
Phones
We’ll take care of it all, and with speed and accuracy. Just one call or text away! We work with top restaurants like Popeyes, Mindy's Bakery, and more.
Click here to learn more about our services. Or call us at 312.521.0016.
