While technology has been a big help to the foodservice industry, there is something to be said for the manual service that some restaurants still offer. There is a personal touch that comes with having someone take your order and prepare your food that you just can’t get with technology. Plus, it can be a fun experience to dine at a restaurant that has a lot of personalities and offers manual service.
That’s not to say that technology doesn’t have its place in restaurants. It can be used to great effect in many different ways. In this article, we’re going to explore that- how technology has had a profound impact on the foodservice industry. An impact that we’ll most likely be able to live without.
Advancement in Communication
We live in a highly connected society- probably more so than any other time in history. With the recent growth of social media, it’s almost impossible to go a day without running into some sort of technology.
Having this type of access is great for business owners, as they can communicate with their customers from afar. This ranges from things like online ordering to email blasts that can be sent out to customers’ inboxes.
Improvement in Customer Service
The customer is the most important part of any business, and the foodservice industry is no different. With so much competition surrounding these establishments, they need to have a good relationship with their customers. Technology can help businesses do that.
One great example of this is the use of online order forms. Customers can place their orders with restaurants before they pick them up, getting in and out much faster than in previous years when all orders had to be done in person. This has not only increased customer satisfaction but led to foodservice companies making more money by providing faster service.
Advancement in Marketing
Marketing is a crucial part of business growth, and with the rise of social media, it’s never been more important. Customers are constantly looking for something new to try out or seeing if an old favorite has changed at all. It’s up to foodservice companies to be aware of this and use technology to their advantage.
One example of this is the boom in online food review sites, which have given customers a new way to give their input on restaurants. Meanwhile, these companies are using social media to build up to bigger followings by interacting with customers directly.
Advancement in Efficiency
There is no doubt that technology has helped us become more efficient at home. The same thing can be said for the foodservice industry, with technology playing a big role in making sure that customers are getting what they want at their tables on time.
One of the most important things to customers is the speed at which their orders are taken and brought out to them. If this isn’t done efficiently, customers can become impatient and leave negative reviews. Thanks to technology, this doesn’t have to be the case at all.
Reduction in Wait Times
Nobody wants to wait around for their food. Especially customers who understand how busy a restaurant is on any given night might not be annoyed by long wait times, but even they are likely to get a little impatient.
Luckily, technology has come to the rescue in this regard, allowing foodservice companies to get a real-time look at their order line and how many people are ahead of them. In turn, this can help employees get better at multi-tasking and make sure that all customers are taken care of in a timely fashion.
Better Cleaning Methods
The foodservice industry is a messy one. Between preparing food and cleaning up afterward, it’s easy for things to get a little chaotic. This is where technology comes in, helping to make the process a little bit smoother.
One of the biggest advancements in this area has been the introduction of advanced cleaning equipment into restaurant kitchens. With these machines, restaurants can even automate many of the tasks that are traditionally done by human employees. This includes things like dishwashing, food preparation, and even cleaning floors and carpets. There are even services that offer grease hood cleaning, tile sanitization, among others. Not only does this speed up the cleaning process, but they also do it more consistently. This leads to a reduction in the number of mistakes that are made and ultimately results in a cleaner kitchen overall
At the end of the day, it’s clear that the foodservice industry and technology make a great team. Thanks to this relationship, both sides are winning and can expect to keep doing so in the foreseeable future.
