Your News: 5 Ways Technology Can Revolutionise Restaurants In 2021

The use of technology within the hospitality industry has come on leaps and bounds over the years.

From the rise of smartphone-based takeaway deliveries to the use of improved kitchen equipment, we have certainly come a long way from the days of simply needing to write down orders on a small pad of paper. 

Nowadays, restaurant owners actually find themselves at risk of missing out on potential revenue opportunities by failing to adopt the latest technological advances and adapt to the changing times.

This is a particularly big no-no in light of the coronavirus pandemic as well, with it now being more important than ever to survive until the government’s various lockdown restrictions are finally lifted.

So, what can you do to prevent that from happening? Well, through technology of course!

Join us as we run through some of the key ways we predict technology will revolutionise the food industry over the coming year, highlighting some of the best trends to keep an eye out for.

1. Pest Control

As you should know all too well already, keeping your restaurant clean is vital from a health and hygiene point of view. As such, it’s important to consider the numerous technological advances that have been seen within restaurants and pest control over the years.

Pests represent a major problem within the food industry, after all, badly impacting reputations, damaging property and contaminating food items. 

However, thanks to the recent rise of smart pest control technology, you no longer need to worry. This tech connects to the internet and, in a similar way to ChatBot technology (discussed below), will alert you whenever there is a potential threat, by constantly monitoring, detecting, eliminating and reporting any pest activities it identifies.  

2. AI & Voice Search 

One of the biggest areas of technological growth in recent years has been the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI).

Whether it be Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri or Cortana, more and more people are now adopting AI-based technology in both their homes and lives, typically via the use of smart-technology like home hubs, lighting, TVs, etc.

A key advantage this offers users is the use of their voice to control certain actions in their life – and that includes ordering food or finding restaurants. 

Therefore, it could be worth taking the time now to properly capitalise on this, setting your website and ordering process up to utilise voice search.

It’s important to make life as easy as possible for your customers, after all. So, if your customers are now choosing to rely on voice-based technology, providing them with an option to order food from you in this way – whether it be on an app in the restaurant itself or online – could significantly improve their experience.

3. Contactless Payments

OK, this one may have been around for a while now but, in light of the ongoing need for social distancing, contactless payments are now more important than ever. And, despite the many COVID-based health benefits it can offer, the technology can also make your life as a restaurant a lot easier as well.

Whether it be through speeding up payments or improving customer satisfaction, contactless technology can also encourage customers to leave their wallets at home and remove a lot of the stress associated with working out complicated split payments.

This, in turn, could free up more time for waiters and waitresses, meaning they are better able to entertain other guests in the restaurant or fulfil other requirements.

4. Cleaning Robots

While on the topic of timesaving COVID-friendly tech, cleaning robots have now been designed to assist with a number of tasks.

From hoovering the floors to applying germ-cleaning chemicals, these specialist robots can again free up a lot more time for restaurant staff, removing the need for them to clean so tirelessly throughout their shift.

Plus, they could potentially save you money as well since, as we’ve mentioned already, keeping your restaurant premises clean is imperative from a health and safety perspective.

5. ChatBots

ChatBot technology is something that has been consistently evolving year on year, and this year looks to be no exception.

Another hugely helpful timesaving platform, ChatBots can deal with a number of customer questions and requests without the need for human involvement. 

Going one step further though, more advanced ChatBots can actually retain the information they are asked and pass the query onto a relevant member of staff. This, in effect, provides you with your very own personal assistant at all times, which will only contact you with any queries it is unable to answer itself.

Final Thoughts?

The food industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic but, thanks to the rise in specialist technology, there is a lot of hope yet.

While it may be expensive to invest in on the face of it, by choosing the right technology for your specific restaurant, you could find that this could not only lead to more customers coming through your doors but a significantly healthier profit margin as well.

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