The food industry is adopting the latest emerging technologies, though it is at budding stage but one of the fastest growing industry to embrace change. New and innovative technologies, adoption of AI, QR based ordering and payments, Voice technology are transforming the way we have been ordering and dining at a restaurant. Digitization is the future: “A 100% digitized food ecosystem is the future. Today, it’s still in bits and pieces but with more tech players entering with innovative alternatives that are challenging the status quo, every aspect of the food industry is bound to get digitized,”

Here are the key Restaurant Technology Trends that can save labor costs, increase sales, streamline systems, and improve customer experience.

Digital Waiter / Self Ordering Kiosk

The latest trend in Restaurant business is self-Ordering Kiosks that reduces the order taking time and speed up service delivery. These kiosks can do much more than accepting orders. Guests can customize their orders and even make payments on the spot through their preferred mode of payments. It also saves customers from standing in the long queues for hours during rush hours.

Another innovation that is ready to take the restaurant industry by storm is tabletop ordering systems. Instead of giving guests a physical menu to choose their favorite dishes, they will be directed to a tabletop ordering system in future. This give customers access to complete menu and save restaurants from sending in waiters to every table to take orders.

Online Table Reservation System

Booking a table via a phone call is becoming a thing of the past as online table reservation technology takes on a new importance. There are many providers in the market like OpenTable etc that give customers the freedom to see available slots and make their own booking on-the-go. In turn, by using technology-enabled reservation systems, restaurants can manage seating, waitlists, customer loyalty and dining preferences etc

The concept has even been taken a step further. Via its initiative Experiences, OpenTable is offering restaurants the opportunity to propose unique culinary events and dining experiences, beyond standard reservations.

Online Ordering and Delivery Apps

Online food orders and contactless home-deliveries have come to the rescue restaurants in this pandemic. And this service is here to stay as diners grow accustomed to getting the food they want when, where and how they want it. Third-party food delivery apps will continue to be an important solution for those not able to offer in-house ordering and delivery services. But as many diners report a preference for ordering directly from restaurants, we can expect to see restaurants following the lead of larger fast-food chains and investing in developing their own integrated online platforms and apps. This digital proximity enables the restaurant industry to stay closely connected with their customers.

QR codes

This technology, which doesn’t require downloading an app, has also played an essential role in helping restaurants with contact tracing now mandatory in many parts of the world for their reopening during this pandemic. Offering several convenient benefits at relatively low costs for restaurants, QR code technology is going to be a ‘must’ in 2021.

QR codes are going global and popping up at restaurants around the world. In this ‘no-touch’ era, auto-scanning barcodes with smartphone cameras on posters, tables, coasters, doors or websites allows customers to access online menus, order and pay – without contact – keeping diners and employees safe.

Digital Inventory Tracking Systems

Through cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology, restaurants are automating inventory management means tracking food and beverage stocks, anticipating quantities and even scheduling reorders no longer need to be time-consuming tedious tasks. Very importantly, the implementation of such software in your working process can also reduce food wastage. With efficient digital inventory tracking systems in place, restaurants can reduce their food waste and cut inventory costs. These advanced inventory tracking systems enable businesses to smartly manage raw ingredients used in dishes and shipments coming in. With real-time data at their disposal, restaurants can never run out of stock and use automatic ordering features to place order as soon as their inventory reaches a certain level.

Chatbots Aims to Improve the Guest Experience

The guest experience when they dine in is completely different from when they order from a food delivery app. To give customers a personalized experience, restaurants are starting to use interactive chatbot assistants. Burger King and Taco Bell are already using chatbots to keep their customers engaged. These chatbots can answer questions, process orders, send personalized promotional messages, and direct customers to payment gateways.