Surprised to know what top restaurant technology trends and innovations can help you keep up in the competitive industry? Well, no matter how incredibly brilliant your food tastes, if you are still trying to drive sales with that conventional business model then, believe me, it won’t work now in this AI-driven era!

Why?

Customer’s favorite restaurants are those that provide options for faster, quicker, and easier order and payment making.

• 7 in 10 adults look for deals when ordering takeout, delivery, or dining in a restaurant. 
• A majority of customers say they would likely place an order or pay by using a tablet at the table instead of using the traditional menu cards.
• 7 in 10 customers say that they would likely pay through a smartphone.
• 8 in 10 customers prefer reordering from restaurants that offer food deliveries in less than 30 minutes.

With these stats and facts, it is fair enough to say that restaurant businesses have to undergo a huge digital transformation to ensure better services and stay competitive. 

As per studies, it is predicted that growth in the restaurant industry will be largely driven by outside food consumption. So using the latest technology you just not only improve the operations and service delivery but also reimagine the business growth. Many businesses have realized this change in the early stages and 50% of them are tapping into new revenue streams such as 10-minute quick grocery delivery, offering meal kits, and more. 

In this modern world, technology and innovation are what have helped and even saved and transformed how they operate and serve their customers. Moreover, embracing the top restaurant technology trends can help you thrive in a new connected, and contactless era!

Ready to refer to your restaurant tech? Whether you are a multi-chained restaurant, multi location QSR, or single location FSR, let our mobile app developers in India improve the flow of orders and drive better ways to keep profit in your profit. Let’s connect!

9 Top Restaurant Technology Trends To Watch Out In 2024

So what’s new in the restaurant world and what will trend in the future? Predicting customer behavior and keeping up with the ever-changing trends and innovations is one of the challenging tasks. By hiring a top mobile app development company, you don’t want to be left behind as your competitors. Hiring professionals with industry-specific experience will enable you to be a part of their competitive industry and add the right choice of technology that can increase demand, boost revenue, and reduce operational costs. 

If you are ready to revolutionize, then here are the top restaurant technology trends that can help you stay relevant, competitive, and profitable. 

1. Keep Upgrading The App With New Delivery Feature

While talking about the food delivery and restaurant industry- Grubhub and UberEats are the two leading giants that are rapidly evolving the industry. But have you ever realized what makes them leaders even today?

It’s only that these platforms continually innovate to enhance user convenience. Using advanced AI/ML algorithms they closely monitor user behavior and accordingly, new features are being introduced to meet the growing expectations of customers who demand a seamless online food ordering experience. 

UberEats – introduced the “Searchable pickup maps”, allowing customers to search for cuisines using emojis and order ahead for airport pickups., which ultimately minimized the waiting times.

On the same page, Grubhub has introduced order pickup at sports stadiums to deliver convenience and fulfill the urgent requirement of having food.

In addition, DoorDash has launched sponsored listings where restaurants only pay for actual orders placed, optimizing ad spend.

Embracing such advanced and innovative features in the app, these giants are still dominating the restaurant landscape.

So what new features restaurant businesses can consider in their application?

Here are the innovative features for “New Delivery App Startups”

• Offering AI-powered personalized recommendations of meals based on customer preferences and order history.
• Integrating Augmented Reality to help customers visualize the dishes in 3D images.
• Offering Contactless delivery and payment options to ensure safety and convenience.
• Voice Activated Ordering through virtual assistants like Amazon Alex, Google Assistants, and Apple’s Siri.

2. Adopt an Online Table Reservation System

Source: phpjabbers

Looking to improve your restaurant’s dining room flow? Offering an online table reservation system to your customers may help you increase the turnover rate!

Online table reservation systems have become a new trend in the industry as they give the impression to the customers that hotel staff will get informed in advance about their evening staff and be able to be more prepared to serve at the table. And the advance table bookings can help you execute the crowd in a well-coordinated manner. 

Now the question is how does it work and how it will benefit the restaurant owners?

Well to make it work flawlessly, you can choose to hire an Android app developer in the USA that can help you customize the app with a user-friendly interface and allow reservations in real-time. 

Workflow of these online table reservation systems:

• Guests can book a table for a specific date and time by accessing the in-app calendar. 
• Also, you can add a feature to book a table for special events like birthdays, anniversaries, or an evening date and make a request for specific arrangements without any hassle. 

Now how will it benefit restaurants?

• With an online table reservation system, restaurants are being informed in advance, so that accordingly they can manage the staff.
• Secondly, with predetermined orders, you can manage the inventory and be able to serve the food without any delays.
• Also, with this restaurant technology trend, business owners can keep track of regular and usual clients. They can make a note of that and use this tool to nurture customer relationships.

3. Automated Inventory Management With Advanced Optimization

Take your restaurant business to the next level by simply keeping a real-time track of your inventory predicting needs and schedule reorders in time.

Whether create a restaurant food delivery app from scratch or consider upgrading it with AI capabilities to get precise inventory control.

According to the reports, it is being noticed that restaurants with automated inventory management systems can minimize food wastage which ultimately costs the hospitality industry approximately $100 billion annually. Restaurants can operate more smoothly, sustainability, and profitably by simply looking to hire an iOS app developer in the USA. 

The right choice of professionals can make your existing business solution work smartly and the staff can easily identify ingredient levels and recipes in one digital space to mitigate the time spent on finding things through cabinets, refrigerators, and freezers.

In the below market stats, you can check how fast businesses are adopting these inventory management systems and improving operations. 

4. Boosting Customer Experience With Order and Pay At The Table

In the pandemic, the industry realized that safety, speed, and efficiency are the three core factors to deliver the ultimate experience to your customers. 

Even after COVID-19, 34% of customers prioritize ordering food from restaurants that offer contactless or mobile payment options. In addition, 33% of customers continue to stay connected with restaurants that offer Pay-At-The-Table technology for a satisfying dining experience. 

“Our team of dedicated app developers has got hands-on expertise in customizing restaurant apps that allow guests to order and pay directly from their device and ensure a 100% contactless dining experience.” 

But what are the major key highlights of this top restaurant technology trend?

• It assured enhanced safety and allowed guests to order and pay from their devices minimizing physical contact.
• Reducing labor cost as with automated ordering and payment processes you won’t be needing extra staff for this task.
• Faster services and seamless dining experiences can be a quick table turnover for your business. 

5. Digital Kitchen Boards and Cloud-Based POS

Not yet aware of digital-kitchen boards and cloud-based POS systems? Surely you will be surprised by the way this restaurant technology trend can help you enhance the operational efficiency and customer experience.

Let’s learn what exactly they are and how they can help you expand your business in this modern era…

Digital Kitchen Display Boards

These boards are often displayed behind the ordering station and offer a clear and engaging digital menu that can be easily updated in real time. Adopting this technology can help you speed up customer service, reduce wait times, and allow for dynamic menu displays that cater to customer preferences and promote special items in their kitchen.

Cloud-Based POS

A cloud-based POS system means upgrading your restaurant process to another level as it enables staff to use tablets, phones, and computers to access real-time data on wait times, manage contactless payments, track inventory, and handle reservations. This technology streamlines operations and improves service efficiency by providing a big picture of your business on screen and ensuring remote accessibility. 

Major key highlights of adapting this restaurant technology trend are:

• Digital kitchen boards make it easy for businesses to update and display menu items, enhancing customer engagement and speeding up services.
• Cloud-based POS systems streamline various processes from order management to inventory tracking.
• Enabling you to offer faster service and accurate wait time to lead customer satisfaction.
• Real-time updates and automated processes minimize manual errors and ensure accurate order processing. 

6. Self-Order Kiosks To Replace Staff

Self-order Kiosks are rapidly becoming the top restaurant technology trends in this industry. It’s becoming a staple in quick-service and fast-casual restaurants. 

Wondering how it matters to your business sales?

Well, the Restaurant Success Report in the USA says that 53% of guests look for self-ordering kiosks as an important factor in their dining experience. 

But what exactly is it?

These Kiosks are nothing but interactive digital stations that allow customers to place their orders directly without any need for a cashier. McDonald’s, a fast-food chain has successfully adopted this technology trend in the majority of their outlets and witnessed a crazy increase in their sales.

These kiosks enhance the guest experience with a simple digital interface, giving full control over their orders. They can review the menu, customize their selections, and take advantage of upsell prompts, which can increase average order volumes. 

The major benefits of adopting this technology trend are:

• Self-order kiosks offer diners a user-friendly interface to review and customize their orders.
• Boost average check sizes and overall order volume.
• Efficient ordering minimizes waiting lines and speeds up service.
• Alleviates staffing pressures and productivity constraints, allowing staff to focus on other tasks.
• Meets modern expectations with a seamless and engaging digital ordering experience.

Read More: How Much Does It Cost To Create A Food Delivery App?

7. Contactless Payments: Cash Is No Longer Remain a King!

Do you believe that 80% of Americans make digital payments? Yes, it’s true!

Since people spend a lot on eating outside, therefore, it’s a serious time to realize this payment-making trend of customers which is portraying a shift towards contactless payments. They find it more convenient, safe, and secure!

This trend is prominent in restaurants as it enables them to offer quick service, especially in bars. And 76% of restaurants have realized it and adopted digital payment methods in 2022. However, despite the crazy rise in digital payments, cash isn’t disappearing anytime soon!

But the cities like San Francisco and NewYork, people prefer fully going for the cashless options. If you are wondering how to upgrade your existing business system with cashless payment integrations, then look no further. 

Xicom is recognized as the top mobile app development company in New York offering tailored app development solutions and allowing businesses to upgrade their existing with top integrations. This is where our tech experts can smartly integrate multi-payment methods to your business to ensure a cashless payment experience. 

8. Contactless Deliveries: QR Codes Are Not Going Anywhere!

As QR codes and contactless payment options are the new standards, therefore, the demand for contactless deliveries will also stay on the rise!

More restaurant owners are now going to offer contactless food deliveries to ensure peace of mind to their customers and let them stay relaxed in case of hygiene safety.

To pace up with these latest technology trends, you just need to consider hiring the top professionals to implement options like Doorstep delivery, curbside pickup, and prepayment ensuring a safe and convenient experience.

Major food chains and local cafes have already adopted these trends and are even considering adding more to ensure quality seals to each food order.

By integrating new technologies to automate workflows and expedite delivery processes, restaurants can also explore additional revenue streams and capitalize on the growing market needs.

Here are a few quick highlights of this technology trend:

• Offer customers quality assurance with contactless delivery options, such as doorstep delivery and curbside pickup.
• Enable pre-payment to further reduce physical contact and streamline the delivery process.
• Major chains like Papa John’s are leading the way with touchless deliveries and quality seals.
• Use technology to automate and expedite deliveries, improving overall service efficiency.
• Leverage the demand for contactless deliveries to explore additional revenue opportunities.

9. Enhancing Customer Services With AI-Chatbots

In the restaurant industry, the quality of customer service matters the most. Chatbots can help you handle potential queries in real time and enable you to respond to them accurately. All you need is to hire a cross-platform app developer who helps restaurant businesses incorporate AI-powered chatbots to significantly enhance this aspect. 

Major highlights of this technology are:

• Provide instant responses to the queries.
• Facilitate customers with a seamless online ordering process.
• Assist customers in navigating your website with ease. 

Read More: How Much Does It Cost To Create A Grocery Delivery App?

How Xicom Can Be Your Right Restaurant Technology Partner?

Adapting to the new digital landscape is important for restaurants to thrive in this highly competitive era and beyond. However, making informed decisions about the technology to upscale your existing business or developing an app from scratch is quite challenging. However, partnering with Xicom can provide the perfect guidance and solutions tailored to the specific business needs. 

Here’s why hiring mobile app developers in the USA from Xicom will be a perfect choice:

1. Customized Solutions That Ensure Long-term Returns!

At Xicom, we don’t just build solutions, we drive success to our clients. Instead of relying upon the standard app development approach, we prioritize technology solutions that offer the greatest long-term returns on investment (ROI). Considering the latest restaurant technology trends, we offer a tailored approach that aligns with your specific business goals.

2. Future-Proofing Your Business

We help future-proof your business by implementing technologies that will benefit you down the line. Our expert team stays ahead of industry trends to provide you with the most innovative and effective solutions that enable you to overcome your business challenges.

3. Flexible Payment Options

Understanding the expensive upfront costs of developing a full-fledged restaurant app can be a barrier for startups. Therefore, we offer flexible payment options, including pay-as-you-go solutions. This ensures that you can adopt the latest technology without straining your budget and compromising on quality.

4. Comprehensive Support and Expertise

With 20+ years of experience and a deep understanding of the restaurant industry, Xicom provides comprehensive support and expertise. From initial consultation to implementation and ongoing support, we are with you every step of the way.

5. Proven Track Record

Our proven track record of successful deliveries of 4500+ projects with numerous clients highlights our ability to deliver results. We independently rate and recommend the best technology solutions based on impartial research and our extensive industry knowledge.

Conclusion

Hopefully, with this blog guide, you have gained insights into how the restaurant industry is evolving at a fast pace and driving success by adapting to new technology trends. To pace up with the industry competition, all you need is to hire a mobile app development company in California who help you build a modern software solution integrated with top technology trends.

At Xicom, our experts deeply evaluate your business requirements and customize solutions that align with your business goals. For more details, cost estimations, and time frame, you can drop a comment below or contact us!

FAQs