Personalisation vs Customisation: How Restaurants are Winning the Battle

Personalisation can come in many ways, from a QSR chain asking its customer to design and choose their own menu to a casual dining chain encouraging restaurants for DIY concepts, restaurants have come a long way when it comes to personalisation. However, when it comes to customisation it is completely demanded by a customer on what is his preference of menu i.e how much salt he needs, whether he prefers vegetarian oil or is he allergic to certain ingredients and wants to remove that from the menu.

“Today's consumers seek customised experiences, which is driving a demand for more personalized marketing. If you are aware of your visitors' preferences, you can run your operation to cater to their desires,” shared Kamal Jalan of The Black Pearl Marathahalli by adding that without obtaining the relevant information, a restaurant owner cannot begin the personalisation journey. Thanks to modern technology, this step of the procedure is quick and simple. With the correct tools, it is simple to gather information on customer preferences and life events and run reports on it to encourage more visits.

According to Chef Udit Maheshwari, Chef-Owner, Amaltas- Indian Tapas and Bar, Customisation is still important for diners. However, with customisation, personalisation has also come into vogue. Every guest that walks in wants to feel looked after & looked after well.

“While customisation is an option available to all guests, a customer wants to feel special & wants to feel that the restaurant went to the extra mile just for them,” added Maheshwari.

How Much Do you Personalise?

Personalisation happens at different stages…it needs restaurant to rely on data, requires continuous inputs and is largely controlled by the restaurants themselves.

“It is extremely important for us to deliver an authentic yet enriching experience to our customers. We have incorporated a soothing and laid-back spirit of Mexico with the interiors that represent the Aztec/Mayan culture. Being the head chef at Miss Margarita, I wanted to stay true to the traditional grounds of Mexico while of course adding some modern twists to our dishes that consumers will not only relish but they will cherish with what they are presented. We have aimed to capture the true essence of the Mexican spirit with the ambience along with our menu,” pointed Noah Barnes, Co- Founder & Chef at Miss Margarita by Arriba.

There’s no denying that from authentication of menu to bringing true essence of culture and region your restaurant represent, personalisation has a long way to go.

“We offer various services to make our customer experience long lasting, we have regular customers who love to visit us quite often. Our team remembers them very well and they greet them in such a way which makes the customer feel like it is their own place. Like this, we also keep note of birthdays, anniversaries and special days of our guests and wish them on their special day. Our manager spends time with customers and takes regular feedback about everything from guests to make them feel comfortable,” added Jalan.

Commenting on the same, Maheshwari shared, “We try to personalise by asking the customers their likes & dislikes for both food & other lifestyle choices. They might like a specific table, so we try to make it a point to keep that table booked for them. During COVID, one customer wanted his food delivered by one specific delivery person, we ensured that that always happened.”

He also pointed that as far as food is concerned, wherever possible, they try to tweak the dishes according to the guest's personal taste & preference.