The Future is Here

As you’ve probably gathered, automation and tech can be key to improving operations. 31% of restaurants report being short staffed for two consecutive years¹. The way diners continue to return in full force only makes the ongoing labor shortage more pronounced³.  Simply put, there’s never been a greater need to help your staff work more efficiently, and the adoption of automated ordering and payment options is the perfect place to start (if you haven’t already).  

Self-order kiosks not only free up staff, they can make the dining experience more convenient for your diners — shorter wait times, better order accuracy and the opportunity for more menu customization⁴. Kiosks can also result in increased ticket sizes thanks to a full screen of selling opportunities. In fact, one of America’s largest fast food chains reported a 30% increase in orders placed on kiosks over those taken by employees⁴.

Smartphone ordering apps are another effective automation option to consider. This kiosk-in-your-pocket solution can be more cost effective and easily adopted by restaurant operators⁵. Custom-built physical kiosks often require training, maintenance and upkeep that smartphone apps don’t⁵. It’s also important to note that, in a post-pandemic world, consumers have become more reluctant to use public screens for fear of contamination and the spreading of viruses⁵.

Back-of-house automation has come a long way and can make a big difference when it comes to time-consuming and low-skill tasks (flipping burgers, mixing spices, operating fryers and keeping ingredient portions uniform)². The bigger news here is that 95% percent of restaurateurs say that increased automation for back-of-house operations would free up more time for more important tasks, and 38% (38%!) are planning on automating operational activities¹.

What’s interesting to us is that automated ordering is popular well beyond Gen Z. 61% percent of consumers overall prefer to use a kiosk to order food at fast-food restaurants, and 66% said they prefer automation over live staff in at least one aspect of their experience¹.

Knowing that the pandemic forced people to order pretty much everything online or through an app, this makes total sense. Today’s diners are accustomed to having more control over the ordering process. They can get what they want, how they want it and at their own pace. And that’s not likely to change.

For you, implementing more automated options in dine-in areas will be key to attracting more customers. To help bridge this update to restaurant culture, you might want to offer a balance of traditional server options. Technology has introduced an even bigger gap among generations, and depending on your clientele, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to dining preferences.

¹Square, Top Restaurant Trends, 2023
²Webstaurant, Restaurant Automation, 2022
³Michelin Guide, 5 Restaurant Trends For 2023
⁴Shoocal, Self-Order Kiosks, 2022
⁵Brizo FoodMetrics, 10 Food Industry Trends, 2023
⁶Peddlers Son, How Gen Z is Changing Restaurant Industry, 2023

The Future is Here

As you’ve probably gathered, automation and tech can be key to improving operations. 31% of restaurants report being short staffed for two consecutive years¹. The way diners continue to return in full force only makes the ongoing labor shortage more pronounced³.  Simply put, there’s never been a greater need to help your staff work more efficiently, and the adoption of automated ordering and payment options is the perfect place to start (if you haven’t already).  

Self-order kiosks not only free up staff, they can make the dining experience more convenient for your diners — shorter wait times, better order accuracy and the opportunity for more menu customization⁴. Kiosks can also result in increased ticket sizes thanks to a full screen of selling opportunities. In fact, one of America’s largest fast food chains reported a 30% increase in orders placed on kiosks over those taken by employees⁴.

Smartphone ordering apps are another effective automation option to consider. This kiosk-in-your-pocket solution can be more cost effective and easily adopted by restaurant operators⁵. Custom-built physical kiosks often require training, maintenance and upkeep that smartphone apps don’t⁵. It’s also important to note that, in a post-pandemic world, consumers have become more reluctant to use public screens for fear of contamination and the spreading of viruses⁵.

Back-of-house automation has come a long way and can make a big difference when it comes to time-consuming and low-skill tasks (flipping burgers, mixing spices, operating fryers and keeping ingredient portions uniform)². The bigger news here is that 95% percent of restaurateurs say that increased automation for back-of-house operations would free up more time for more important tasks, and 38% (38%!) are planning on automating operational activities¹.

What’s interesting to us is that automated ordering is popular well beyond Gen Z. 61% percent of consumers overall prefer to use a kiosk to order food at fast-food restaurants, and 66% said they prefer automation over live staff in at least one aspect of their experience¹.

Knowing that the pandemic forced people to order pretty much everything online or through an app, this makes total sense. Today’s diners are accustomed to having more control over the ordering process. They can get what they want, how they want it and at their own pace. And that’s not likely to change.

For you, implementing more automated options in dine-in areas will be key to attracting more customers. To help bridge this update to restaurant culture, you might want to offer a balance of traditional server options. Technology has introduced an even bigger gap among generations, and depending on your clientele, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to dining preferences.

¹Square, Top Restaurant Trends, 2023
²Webstaurant, Restaurant Automation, 2022
³Michelin Guide, 5 Restaurant Trends For 2023
⁴Shoocal, Self-Order Kiosks, 2022
⁵Brizo FoodMetrics, 10 Food Industry Trends, 2023
⁶Peddlers Son, How Gen Z is Changing Restaurant Industry, 2023

The Future is Here

As you’ve probably gathered, automation and tech can be key to improving operations. 31% of restaurants report being short staffed for two consecutive years¹. The way diners continue to return in full force only makes the ongoing labor shortage more pronounced³.  Simply put, there’s never been a greater need to help your staff work more efficiently, and the adoption of automated ordering and payment options is the perfect place to start (if you haven’t already).  

Self-order kiosks not only free up staff, they can make the dining experience more convenient for your diners — shorter wait times, better order accuracy and the opportunity for more menu customization⁴. Kiosks can also result in increased ticket sizes thanks to a full screen of selling opportunities. In fact, one of America’s largest fast food chains reported a 30% increase in orders placed on kiosks over those taken by employees⁴.

Smartphone ordering apps are another effective automation option to consider. This kiosk-in-your-pocket solution can be more cost effective and easily adopted by restaurant operators⁵. Custom-built physical kiosks often require training, maintenance and upkeep that smartphone apps don’t⁵. It’s also important to note that, in a post-pandemic world, consumers have become more reluctant to use public screens for fear of contamination and the spreading of viruses⁵.

Back-of-house automation has come a long way and can make a big difference when it comes to time-consuming and low-skill tasks (flipping burgers, mixing spices, operating fryers and keeping ingredient portions uniform)². The bigger news here is that 95% percent of restaurateurs say that increased automation for back-of-house operations would free up more time for more important tasks, and 38% (38%!) are planning on automating operational activities¹.

What’s interesting to us is that automated ordering is popular well beyond Gen Z. 61% percent of consumers overall prefer to use a kiosk to order food at fast-food restaurants, and 66% said they prefer automation over live staff in at least one aspect of their experience¹.

Knowing that the pandemic forced people to order pretty much everything online or through an app, this makes total sense. Today’s diners are accustomed to having more control over the ordering process. They can get what they want, how they want it and at their own pace. And that’s not likely to change.

For you, implementing more automated options in dine-in areas will be key to attracting more customers. To help bridge this update to restaurant culture, you might want to offer a balance of traditional server options. Technology has introduced an even bigger gap among generations, and depending on your clientele, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to dining preferences.

¹Square, Top Restaurant Trends, 2023
²Webstaurant, Restaurant Automation, 2022
³Michelin Guide, 5 Restaurant Trends For 2023
⁴Shoocal, Self-Order Kiosks, 2022
⁵Brizo FoodMetrics, 10 Food Industry Trends, 2023
⁶Peddlers Son, How Gen Z is Changing Restaurant Industry, 2023

The Future is Here

As you’ve probably gathered, automation and tech can be key to improving operations. 31% of restaurants report being short staffed for two consecutive years¹. The way diners continue to return in full force only makes the ongoing labor shortage more pronounced³.  Simply put, there’s never been a greater need to help your staff work more efficiently, and the adoption of automated ordering and payment options is the perfect place to start (if you haven’t already).  

Self-order kiosks not only free up staff, they can make the dining experience more convenient for your diners — shorter wait times, better order accuracy and the opportunity for more menu customization⁴. Kiosks can also result in increased ticket sizes thanks to a full screen of selling opportunities. In fact, one of America’s largest fast food chains reported a 30% increase in orders placed on kiosks over those taken by employees⁴.

Smartphone ordering apps are another effective automation option to consider. This kiosk-in-your-pocket solution can be more cost effective and easily adopted by restaurant operators⁵. Custom-built physical kiosks often require training, maintenance and upkeep that smartphone apps don’t⁵. It’s also important to note that, in a post-pandemic world, consumers have become more reluctant to use public screens for fear of contamination and the spreading of viruses⁵.

Back-of-house automation has come a long way and can make a big difference when it comes to time-consuming and low-skill tasks (flipping burgers, mixing spices, operating fryers and keeping ingredient portions uniform)². The bigger news here is that 95% percent of restaurateurs say that increased automation for back-of-house operations would free up more time for more important tasks, and 38% (38%!) are planning on automating operational activities¹.

What’s interesting to us is that automated ordering is popular well beyond Gen Z. 61% percent of consumers overall prefer to use a kiosk to order food at fast-food restaurants, and 66% said they prefer automation over live staff in at least one aspect of their experience¹.

Knowing that the pandemic forced people to order pretty much everything online or through an app, this makes total sense. Today’s diners are accustomed to having more control over the ordering process. They can get what they want, how they want it and at their own pace. And that’s not likely to change.

For you, implementing more automated options in dine-in areas will be key to attracting more customers. To help bridge this update to restaurant culture, you might want to offer a balance of traditional server options. Technology has introduced an even bigger gap among generations, and depending on your clientele, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to dining preferences.

¹Square, Top Restaurant Trends, 2023
²Webstaurant, Restaurant Automation, 2022
³Michelin Guide, 5 Restaurant Trends For 2023
⁴Shoocal, Self-Order Kiosks, 2022
⁵Brizo FoodMetrics, 10 Food Industry Trends, 2023
⁶Peddlers Son, How Gen Z is Changing Restaurant Industry, 2023

The Future is Here

As you’ve probably gathered, automation and tech can be key to improving operations. 31% of restaurants report being short staffed for two consecutive years¹. The way diners continue to return in full force only makes the ongoing labor shortage more pronounced³.  Simply put, there’s never been a greater need to help your staff work more efficiently, and the adoption of automated ordering and payment options is the perfect place to start (if you haven’t already).  

Self-order kiosks not only free up staff, they can make the dining experience more convenient for your diners — shorter wait times, better order accuracy and the opportunity for more menu customization⁴. Kiosks can also result in increased ticket sizes thanks to a full screen of selling opportunities. In fact, one of America’s largest fast food chains reported a 30% increase in orders placed on kiosks over those taken by employees⁴.

Smartphone ordering apps are another effective automation option to consider. This kiosk-in-your-pocket solution can be more cost effective and easily adopted by restaurant operators⁵. Custom-built physical kiosks often require training, maintenance and upkeep that smartphone apps don’t⁵. It’s also important to note that, in a post-pandemic world, consumers have become more reluctant to use public screens for fear of contamination and the spreading of viruses⁵.

Back-of-house automation has come a long way and can make a big difference when it comes to time-consuming and low-skill tasks (flipping burgers, mixing spices, operating fryers and keeping ingredient portions uniform)². The bigger news here is that 95% percent of restaurateurs say that increased automation for back-of-house operations would free up more time for more important tasks, and 38% (38%!) are planning on automating operational activities¹.

What’s interesting to us is that automated ordering is popular well beyond Gen Z. 61% percent of consumers overall prefer to use a kiosk to order food at fast-food restaurants, and 66% said they prefer automation over live staff in at least one aspect of their experience¹.

Knowing that the pandemic forced people to order pretty much everything online or through an app, this makes total sense. Today’s diners are accustomed to having more control over the ordering process. They can get what they want, how they want it and at their own pace. And that’s not likely to change.

For you, implementing more automated options in dine-in areas will be key to attracting more customers. To help bridge this update to restaurant culture, you might want to offer a balance of traditional server options. Technology has introduced an even bigger gap among generations, and depending on your clientele, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to dining preferences.

¹Square, Top Restaurant Trends, 2023
²Webstaurant, Restaurant Automation, 2022
³Michelin Guide, 5 Restaurant Trends For 2023
⁴Shoocal, Self-Order Kiosks, 2022
⁵Brizo FoodMetrics, 10 Food Industry Trends, 2023
⁶Peddlers Son, How Gen Z is Changing Restaurant Industry, 2023

The Future is Here

As you’ve probably gathered, automation and tech can be key to improving operations. 31% of restaurants report being short staffed for two consecutive years¹. The way diners continue to return in full force only makes the ongoing labor shortage more pronounced³.  Simply put, there’s never been a greater need to help your staff work more efficiently, and the adoption of automated ordering and payment options is the perfect place to start (if you haven’t already).  

Self-order kiosks not only free up staff, they can make the dining experience more convenient for your diners — shorter wait times, better order accuracy and the opportunity for more menu customization⁴. Kiosks can also result in increased ticket sizes thanks to a full screen of selling opportunities. In fact, one of America’s largest fast food chains reported a 30% increase in orders placed on kiosks over those taken by employees⁴.

Smartphone ordering apps are another effective automation option to consider. This kiosk-in-your-pocket solution can be more cost effective and easily adopted by restaurant operators⁵. Custom-built physical kiosks often require training, maintenance and upkeep that smartphone apps don’t⁵. It’s also important to note that, in a post-pandemic world, consumers have become more reluctant to use public screens for fear of contamination and the spreading of viruses⁵.

Back-of-house automation has come a long way and can make a big difference when it comes to time-consuming and low-skill tasks (flipping burgers, mixing spices, operating fryers and keeping ingredient portions uniform)². The bigger news here is that 95% percent of restaurateurs say that increased automation for back-of-house operations would free up more time for more important tasks, and 38% (38%!) are planning on automating operational activities¹.

What’s interesting to us is that automated ordering is popular well beyond Gen Z. 61% percent of consumers overall prefer to use a kiosk to order food at fast-food restaurants, and 66% said they prefer automation over live staff in at least one aspect of their experience¹.

Knowing that the pandemic forced people to order pretty much everything online or through an app, this makes total sense. Today’s diners are accustomed to having more control over the ordering process. They can get what they want, how they want it and at their own pace. And that’s not likely to change.

For you, implementing more automated options in dine-in areas will be key to attracting more customers. To help bridge this update to restaurant culture, you might want to offer a balance of traditional server options. Technology has introduced an even bigger gap among generations, and depending on your clientele, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to dining preferences.

¹Square, Top Restaurant Trends, 2023
²Webstaurant, Restaurant Automation, 2022
³Michelin Guide, 5 Restaurant Trends For 2023
⁴Shoocal, Self-Order Kiosks, 2022
⁵Brizo FoodMetrics, 10 Food Industry Trends, 2023
⁶Peddlers Son, How Gen Z is Changing Restaurant Industry, 2023

The Barbeque Boom

We know that today’s consumers are hungrier than ever for bold food experiences. Colors, flavors and textures are incredibly influential on purchasing decisions⁵. The popularity of barbeque’s complex flavor profile also tells us that this distinct cooking style will continue to grow in all aspects of the food space.

SmartBrief, for instance, reports that jerk barbeque ranked as the second most interesting new flavor to consumers, with 49% saying they’d like to try it. It also suggests that the future is all about taking traditional faves and adapting them to what today’s diners want. Think barbeque sauces that use gochujang instead of molasses or portobello burnt ends for plant-forward consumers.

A quick look into Google trends also confirms that barbeque related searches are on the up. Here’s a glimpse of what we found:

• Searches for “BBQ near me” have steadily trended upwards for the last 20 years, with more than a 100% increase since 2017. In the last decade alone, monthly average searches for “BBQ near me” have increased by more than 3,000%.
  
  
• Average monthly searches for “BBQ sandwiches” have increased more than 38% in the last 10 years. 

• Average monthly searches for “BBQ restaurant” have more than doubled since 2013 with an increase of 216%.

However you choose to menu this rich, smoky flavor, it’s clear that barbeque has moved from niche to mainstream, and consumers across the board are craving more flavor innovation.

¹Datassentials Menu Trends, 2022
²The Guardian, February 2023
³Chef Resources, January 2022
⁴The Provisioner, 2020
⁵Food Business News, June 2021
⁶SmartBrief, October 2022
⁷Midan, December 2022

The Barbeque Boom

We know that today’s consumers are hungrier than ever for bold food experiences. Colors, flavors and textures are incredibly influential on purchasing decisions⁵. The popularity of barbeque’s complex flavor profile also tells us that this distinct cooking style will continue to grow in all aspects of the food space.

SmartBrief, for instance, reports that jerk barbeque ranked as the second most interesting new flavor to consumers, with 49% saying they’d like to try it. It also suggests that the future is all about taking traditional faves and adapting them to what today’s diners want. Think barbeque sauces that use gochujang instead of molasses or portobello burnt ends for plant-forward consumers.

A quick look into Google trends also confirms that barbeque related searches are on the up. Here’s a glimpse of what we found:

• Searches for “BBQ near me” have steadily trended upwards for the last 20 years, with more than a 100% increase since 2017. In the last decade alone, monthly average searches for “BBQ near me” have increased by more than 3,000%.
  
  
• Average monthly searches for “BBQ sandwiches” have increased more than 38% in the last 10 years. 

• Average monthly searches for “BBQ restaurant” have more than doubled since 2013 with an increase of 216%.

However you choose to menu this rich, smoky flavor, it’s clear that barbeque has moved from niche to mainstream, and consumers across the board are craving more flavor innovation.

¹Datassentials Menu Trends, 2022
²The Guardian, February 2023
³Chef Resources, January 2022
⁴The Provisioner, 2020
⁵Food Business News, June 2021
⁶SmartBrief, October 2022
⁷Midan, December 2022

The Barbeque Boom

We know that today’s consumers are hungrier than ever for bold food experiences. Colors, flavors and textures are incredibly influential on purchasing decisions⁵. The popularity of barbeque’s complex flavor profile also tells us that this distinct cooking style will continue to grow in all aspects of the food space.

SmartBrief, for instance, reports that jerk barbeque ranked as the second most interesting new flavor to consumers, with 49% saying they’d like to try it. It also suggests that the future is all about taking traditional faves and adapting them to what today’s diners want. Think barbeque sauces that use gochujang instead of molasses or portobello burnt ends for plant-forward consumers.

A quick look into Google trends also confirms that barbeque related searches are on the up. Here’s a glimpse of what we found:

• Searches for “BBQ near me” have steadily trended upwards for the last 20 years, with more than a 100% increase since 2017. In the last decade alone, monthly average searches for “BBQ near me” have increased by more than 3,000%.
  
  
• Average monthly searches for “BBQ sandwiches” have increased more than 38% in the last 10 years. 

• Average monthly searches for “BBQ restaurant” have more than doubled since 2013 with an increase of 216%.

However you choose to menu this rich, smoky flavor, it’s clear that barbeque has moved from niche to mainstream, and consumers across the board are craving more flavor innovation.

¹Datassentials Menu Trends, 2022
²The Guardian, February 2023
³Chef Resources, January 2022
⁴The Provisioner, 2020
⁵Food Business News, June 2021
⁶SmartBrief, October 2022
⁷Midan, December 2022

The Barbeque Boom

We know that today’s consumers are hungrier than ever for bold food experiences. Colors, flavors and textures are incredibly influential on purchasing decisions⁵. The popularity of barbeque’s complex flavor profile also tells us that this distinct cooking style will continue to grow in all aspects of the food space.

SmartBrief, for instance, reports that jerk barbeque ranked as the second most interesting new flavor to consumers, with 49% saying they’d like to try it. It also suggests that the future is all about taking traditional faves and adapting them to what today’s diners want. Think barbeque sauces that use gochujang instead of molasses or portobello burnt ends for plant-forward consumers.

A quick look into Google trends also confirms that barbeque related searches are on the up. Here’s a glimpse of what we found:

• Searches for “BBQ near me” have steadily trended upwards for the last 20 years, with more than a 100% increase since 2017. In the last decade alone, monthly average searches for “BBQ near me” have increased by more than 3,000%.
  
  
• Average monthly searches for “BBQ sandwiches” have increased more than 38% in the last 10 years. 

• Average monthly searches for “BBQ restaurant” have more than doubled since 2013 with an increase of 216%.

However you choose to menu this rich, smoky flavor, it’s clear that barbeque has moved from niche to mainstream, and consumers across the board are craving more flavor innovation.

¹Datassentials Menu Trends, 2022
²The Guardian, February 2023
³Chef Resources, January 2022
⁴The Provisioner, 2020
⁵Food Business News, June 2021
⁶SmartBrief, October 2022
⁷Midan, December 2022