2020 and 2021 was one of the most difficult years for the hospitality industry. According to the National Restaurant Association in the USA, “restaurants lost $240 billion in sales during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 75% of the operators expecting the downturn to keep them unprofitable until at least the year.”
Heading into 2022, the restaurant industry expects another difficult year. However, it is important to stay optimistic because technological developments rapidly improve the dynamics of the gastronomy industry. Those outlets that adapt well to digital transformation, will see an increase in sales and profits.
So here are the top 5 technology trends that can bring you more profit in 2021.
1. The increase of ghost kitchens
Ghost kitchens are kitchens without dining areas. They’re intended for online delivery, and probably never becoming a bricks-and-mortar location for guests. Ghost kitchens contain various brands within it. Kitchen machinery such as dishwashers and stovetops could be shared across all these brands in just one room. Ghost kitchen not just lets brands handle their stock, information, revenues but it also allows a space for co-shared distributors. In this new gen market area for restaurant chains, delivery is controlled independently. The theory is fairly cost-effective and will shake the market in the years ahead. As shown in a recent report from Euromonitor, the ghost kitchen industry could develop a $1 trillion global opportunity by 2030. Hence, it might be a good time to jump into this new generation co-space workspace.
2. Digital-only restaurants are coming
The virtual kitchen concept is concentrated on growing the online business in non-traditional regions. It is exceptional since it does not provide a dining area or the front service line and visitors should order in advance through the use of an online app. Orders could be picked from a place or maybe a specified place. The brand new model is able to allow restaurants to join urban areas that wouldn’t support a full-size restaurant and permits extra adaptability for prospect locations.
3. Curbside, the getting popular star
Curbside pickup has become the normal way for customers to somehow get their meals without issues. People order their products through an app, pick a collecting time, and obtain their orders from an identified place. This connection creates value to guests’ eating experience since clients without need to see inside of the restaurant to grab their meals. This technique not just raises revenues but it also helps ease the delivery service. However, to keep curbside accessible, guests should provide an identified pick up location.
4. No more 3rd party applications for delivery!
Currently, the vast majority of the restaurant chains use third-party systems such as Doordash or Ubereats to distribute their meals to their visitors. In 2022, it is predicted that restaurants will now take charge of their delivery via their app and reach their clients without the 3rd party systems. According to research conducted by Zagat, those clients who don’t outsource delivery via third party companies saw around %200 boost in their earnings. Once restaurants have a personalized app, they could connect directly with their clients, leverage statistics to track and evaluate customer behavior, and provide deals and customized bundling options based on this info.