Trends your Restaurant needs to adopt, ASAP

As 2018 is approaching, there are many tech trends that could help your restaurant skyrocket in this new year. Taking advantage of the ever beaming technological advances, you’ll find it easier to increase traffic and revenue. Here’s a look at top trends that will boost your restaurant marketing strategy.

Mobile Payment

Mobile payments options are regulated transactions but take place through your mobile device. They are an attractive and convenient way for your restaurant to accept payments. Not only are mobile payments convenient, they offer a variety of ways for your customer to pay. Instead of paying with cash, checks or physical credit cards, MPO (Mobile Payment Options) allows for another avenue of tracking. Not only are they more secure but they are also becoming increasingly popular with millennials. 77% of millennials say restaurant technology improves their dining experience. 58% of diners prefer to pay using mobile payment while only 22% of restaurants offer mobile payment.  (Toast, 2017) That 22% are pleasing more than half of their clientele- which you could be a part of!  

Restaurant Tablets

Restaurant Tablets combines ordering, entertainment, and also serve as a server handheld device. Tablets offers convenience and promotes a fun environment. 63% of millennials approve of hand held tablets because give guests what they want, when they want it. (Toast, 2017) This empowers your customer because this allows them to take control instead of waiting for FOH staff to show up and take order. Toast says that “37% of restaurant operators consider the customer ordering process to be the most important area of development in the next 5 years.” (Toast, 2017)

These tablets will really make a difference, not only in your customer experience, but will also allow more focus to the happiness of the customer. Tablets will cut waiting time, entertain your guest and promote sufficiency.

Get Live

Social media is now offering the “live” option for stories. Going live means you are showcasing a real time broadcast of your choice. You could showcase any live music/performance, parties, even your chief making a specialty. This is a great way to interact your audience and get them to engage. Even offering a live Q&A is very helpful to see what customers like and don’t like or if they will/won’t like for future events/meals. A survey done by Facebook states that users spend 3x more time watching live videos than pre-recorded videos and comment more than 10x more during live videos.  Here are some helpful tips on how to go live with facebook, https://youtu.be/x7CZHtEfXDw

Chatbots

Taking customer service to a whole new level! Chatbots allow real time communication with customers. Facebook has the option for your page to contact people and vice versa. This is really neat for when a customer has a question about food allergies or type of atmosphere your restaurant has. This also doubles as a online reservation-which is one of the most demands millennials have.

Personalization

Getting a personalized brand that makes you stand out from others is what millennials are looking for. In a survey done by toast, “Millennials want to spend their money on an experience- not just a meal” (Beltis, 2017). The report states “that the millennial generation places more importance on the ambiance and atmosphere of a restaurant than any other generation. This means that restaurants marketing to millennials must differentiate their experience.” (Beltis, 2017) make your stand out by adding flavor to your social media, website, and food.

As technology is growing and is in more demand, it is important to adapt to these changes. Getting more “jiggy with it” will not only gain you more popularity but will also help your business grow and eventually be the trend.These tips will always be changing and more trends will be on the horizon, so I would definitely use these before they are no longer trends.