How Restaurants are Leveraging on Technology

Technology has always been the driving force for innovation and creation among all the industries. Specially, within the past few years, technological innovations have been shaking up the food-business sector. Forward-thinking and fast paced restaurants are already aware of the immense impact technology has made on the food industry. It has made extreme differences for both restaurateurs and consumers.

An industry that is forecasted to reach $3 trillion by 2021 is heavily driven by technology and forward-thinking restaurants and businesses. “Technology, quality and efficiency go hand in hand. Technology helps to cook faster and produce larger. It enhances the work efficacy and is very important in the food industry right from the beginning making restaurant operations quick and convenient,” shares Vicky Ratnani, Culinary Consultant & Celebrity Chef Gourmet Gyan Hospitality.

Most restaurants have realised the importance of incorporating and utilizing technological advantages to leverage their position against their competitors. The food & beverage Industry is constantly changing and while there are many different aspects that could be analyzed, here are some major points that both Restaurants and Suppliers should pay attention to:

Technology-Driven Accountability: In the past, brands could get away with misleading customers by erroneous labels or clever copywriting, but in today's connected and aware world, it is almost impossible for companies to do so. With the advancement of Smartphone and social media, consumers have become more aware about the harmful effects of certain ingredients, the source of different products, and how things are made. This interconnectedness and consciousness is demanding accountability from the food giants like they have never seen before.

Research Is Changing The Market: Technology has enabled researchers to make new discoveries that are changing our perception on nutrition. Big data in particular has been able to reveal the consequences of certain foods that scientists did not previously understand. The FDA in recent years has been forced to issue updates on what is healthy and best for consumption. “Business technology helps to improve the communication process. It has positive effects on global business. Technology helps to improve products, create products, expand markets and profits shares,” Navneet Singh Rana, Co-owner of Binge Cafe and Donalds chain of cafe and bakery.

Reviews: Shared experiences and opinions over products on social media represent a major influence on today’s consumer’s purchases. The only downside is that sometimes it gets harder to meet expectations, not only as a Restaurant but also as a Supplier. In fact, with the decision making power now unquestionably inclined toward guests, both sides have to work incessantly to improve customers’ experiences and deliver a higher value to a never-satisfied clientele.

Awareness: Due to the massive amount of data and information available through the Internet, consumers are becoming more and more demanding and cautious. There is not only an increased focus on food sustainability, healthy eating and consumption of organic food, but also a remarkable shift in the ingredients being consumed by individuals. This aspect is extremely important from a Restaurant point of view since it provides the flexibility to adapt to customers’ changing eating habits. However, it is also very relevant for Distributors allowing them to take advantage of this data to better understand what demands to anticipate and to offer products that are more suitable to customers’ desires.