Restaurants are expected to trim their menus, eliminate difficult curbside pickup channels and make investments in automation to help operators manage labor pressure with demand from outside the premises, experts say.
This article is the first of a series on trends that will impact the future of restaurants in 2022.
While most of the market factors that shaped the industry of restaurants in 2021 were directly connected to the disruption caused by the pandemic’s beginning at the end of 2020, the coming year is bound to bring new challenges, as well as opportunities.
Unprecedented supply chain and labor pressure will be the main driver behind the trends in restaurants that will determine 2022 according to experts. This uncertainty will cause operators to cut expenses by reducing menus, and investing in technology that can cut labor costs to free up money to pay for wage hikes.
In the restaurant business, we’re taking big actions in 2022. The most well-known trends in the restaurant industry indicate that owners are figuring out creative ways to enhance off-site and on-site experiences for their guests, regardless of whether they’re running a fast casual restaurant or a full-service establishment or even experimenting with a brand different concept altogether.
The most important trends for the restaurant industry
1. Delivery and ordering via contactless is here to stay
In the world of fine dining, fast food to contactless technology and food delivery are likely to be a major investment in 2022 as restaurants seek ways to improve their customer experience and meet changing expectations.
Payment options and ordering using contactless like QR-code-based menus and touchless payment, are expected to become more widespread by 2022. In actual fact 94% of restaurants surveyed offer payment methods that are not contactless. More than three of four restaurants use mobile wallets, and 50% of them accept QR code payment options.
About half of restaurant owners (45 percent) are planning to provide QR code menus by 2022. Jeff Krupman, owner of the popular San Francisco restaurant PizzaHacker is able to summarize the advantages from QR codes menus in a concise manner when he asks “How often do you find any technology that is cost-free that saves money for a restaurant as well as improves the experience for the patron, minimizes mistakes and eventually improving the tips of employees?”
The online ordering option is also a regular option for many restaurants and 69% of them say they will continue to provide digital ordering following the outbreak.
2. Pop-up restaurants
It appears that pop-up restaurants and food trucks compete as an increasing trend each few years. Pop-up restaurants provide a memorable experience that many diners cannot find elsewhere. This trend is coming with the resurgence of popular fandoms like Friends. Central Perks locations have popped-up across New York City and have been able to spread through other cities.
A surprising pop-up restaurant that ignited this trend is Gucci Astoria. In 2019, they had an open-air restaurant in Singapore featuring three Michelin chef who was their first venture in the food industry out of Italy.
It’s evident that pop-ups aren’t only for themed restaurants as casual dining or even fine dining. Pop-ups can be any kind of thing, but it always has a certain level of exclusivity. Pop-ups are an emerging trend restaurant owners are learning to accept. Although the planning of the pop-up events is tiring but the rewards are usually worthwhile.
Restaurants can select a handful of particular dishes, or the option of a menu that is set which can cost a lot higher than they normally. However, it is important to remember that the popularity of a pop-up is merely one flash in the pan. Make use of a pop-up to bring business back to your restaurant’s stationary location.
3. Delivery options
Delivery has increased time again in the last two years. We’re not just ordering food during a leisurely evening. Indeed, with apps such as Caviar and Caviar, you can enjoy the finest dining experience in your living space while you binge watch your favourite show.
Restaurant delivery sales are expected to increase by a rate that is compounded to at least 22% per year over the next four years.
What’s going to change in 2022’s trends for restaurant delivery is the way small businesses view delivery choices. Pizza chains have been managing their delivery operations on their own. However, those who are new to the business typically opt to allow a third-party delivery service to handle their orders.
Small-scale restaurants quickly realised that the terms and conditions of third-party delivery companies were not fair. Uber Eats can charge as much as 30 percent to the restaurant for every order. Around 84 percent of restaurant owners stated they felt that the cost of Uber Eats that cut into their profits were not enough to justify the growth in business.
Other reasons that have led restaurants to stop using delivery services that are delivered by third parties are:
- Customer service complaints about delivery and driver personnel
- There is no urgency to deliver because the driver is not able to provide responsibility to the restaurant.
- Inadvertently missed opportunities to influence customers such as having condiments and napkins available.
- The delivery service steals the credit, resulting in your brand getting less value and a bad reputation.
The addition of a delivery service to your restaurant shouldn’t be difficult. It’s possible to begin providing fast, either through or without a third party service. Be sure to consider whether you require the advantages of a third-party delivery service, or if it’s possible to use a delivery service independently. No matter which option you pick, make sure that your Restaurant POS Software works with delivery applications or comes with built-in capabilities to manage food delivery orders.
The changing trends of customers will force restaurants to alter their policies to retain their clientele. Some of these developments include choosing specific suppliers, implementing certain hygiene methods, or even operating as an “no-reservation” place.
Do not worry, the latest trends in the restaurant business aren’t as daunting as previous trends. These trends are probably something you’re working on to improve customer satisfaction at your restaurant.
4. The popularity of vegan food
With the trend of people eating less meat throughout the year vegan food is no longer only for those who follow complete vegan diets. And with the increase in variety the appeal of vegan food is increasing to those who are vegan, vegetarian, or even omnivore diets!
The growing demand will be met in the restaurants of the world by introducing new dishes to their menus and the desire to provide vegan and plant-based food items as a regular feature instead of a restricted choice for people with different diets.
5. Self-serve & Grab-and-Go
Businesses like 7-11 Farmer’s Fridge and IHOP have opted to come up with new menu items that are pre-made using vending machines and self-serve bar to cut down on wait times and reduce FOH expenses while at profiting from an increased demand for pre-made meals.
In the wake of the major shift in the economy caused by the market for labor caused by COVID-19, many businesses are looking at ways to address the challenges they faced prior to the outbreak: when the number of employees was at an all-time level, it became more difficult to find and retain good employees which is causing many owners to shift to automation as a possible solution.
McDonalds has been on the forefront of innovation for some time but now they are embracing automation through their kiosks and self-serve drinks machines leading the way to automated solutions for restaurants.
Monitoring trends in the restaurant industry will help you take swift and decisive actions and help you better anticipate future trends in this industry. Instead of being a victim and reacting in a slow manner to changes in the market it will make you be different from other restaurants in the area.
Engaging in the latest trends in the restaurant industry can get more patrons to your door however, you and your staff must to convince guests to return.
Of course, high-quality service and food is crucial for building long-lasting loyalty with customers. To ensure consistency, high-quality with the latest trends, you require software that will give you an advantage, and also aid you in staying on top of the latest trends in restaurant design.
An POS application for your cafe bakery, restaurant, or cafe can assist you in making simple menu changes, decrease expenses, and manage your financials.
Profit maximization and staying informed of trends in the restaurant business are essential to creating a successful restaurant.