In 2021, catering learned to respond quickly to the changing demand, cut costs, and master online operations. To do this, the managers of the establishments have automated their daily routine to focus on management decisions and save profits and staff.
Restaurants that ignored the trend towards online and automation last year have either closed or were forced to “catch up” with the industry right now. Those in trend have already automated the business and are developing, taking into account the trends in online, non-contact, and environmental friendliness.
Adina Brunetti, the hospitality expert, shares the main vectors of development that will help restaurants to save or earn.
Trend 1. The explosive popularity of delivery.
Previously, people ordered ready-made food mainly for special family dinners or friendly gatherings. Now you don’t need any special occasion to order, just a simple feeling of hunger is enough.
In the first quarter of this year, the share of food orders increased by 40% compared to the same period last year.
More and more food is delivered in megapolises, but now smaller cities show intensive growth of such services.
Trend 2: Less face-to-face contact with on-site service.
The Digital menu is gradually replacing the menu on paper. The classic list of wines, snacks and other dishes remains in restaurants as a rather status item. Establishments simpler prefer to save resources: do not spend money on the hourly sanitization of the menu and regular updating of printing.
However, there is also a modern replacement for the traditional menu in restaurants. There are QR codes on the tables, which guests can scan with their phones to see all offers and prices digitally. The QR code leads to the restaurant’s website or simply to a pdf file uploaded to cloud storage like Google Drive.
Fast food chains also offer visitors to place orders using a QR code, despite the fact that there is a service at the counter and kiosks for self-ordering and payment.
Trend 3. Sustainability as a way to save money and show social responsibility.
To reduce paper use, restaurants are implementing software solutions that allow guests to get only digital checks to email or phone. This possibility depends on the cash app installed on the cash register.
The rejection of paper checks is mainly associated with concern for the environment. However, the industry is aware that the harm from the receipt tape is negligible compared to the volume of plastic cups, cocktail straws, and other food-grade plastics.
For many years, Adina Brunetti and her colleagues have been following the trends in the hospitality industry worldwide and building a service that follows new rules of the market.
Now Adina Creative Food is automating several processes in their restaurants, but most importantly, they have reduced the time for table turnover, which leads to more restaurant earnings, with fewer waiters.