Surviving a Shifting Landscape: Three Hospitality Tech Trends That Successful Restaurants Implemented Yesterday

Tech Trends: Curbside

It’s no secret that the restaurant industry is changing — fast! Many restaurants are facing an “evolve or die” reality that requires adapting their operations to better accommodate today’s customers with support from the latest trends in hospitality technology. And while “investing in technology” may sound like an expensive proposition, there are often fairly simple solutions that are well within reach for many small businesses and that can make a big difference for your bottom line. 

Don’t get left behind. Here are three tech trends that smaller independent and regional quick-service establishments hoping to stay competitive should embrace right now.

Trend No. 1: Curbside Pickup

Curbside pickup is an industry trend that exploded in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and shows no signs of going away. When done well, it’s fast, it’s convenient and it offers a no-contact option for safety-conscious customers. With dine-in traffic continuing to dwindle, finding ways to serve customers who are on the go is imperative.

A well-implemented curbside pickup process combined with an online ordering system can reduce wait times, increase order accuracy and boost customer satisfaction.

Trend No. 2: Text Message Ordering & Marketing

You’ve heard the advice — meet customers where they’re at. Well, 80% of consumers use text messaging on a regular basis. In fact, after checking the time, text messaging is the second most common use for a cellphone, and it’s estimated that more than 90% of text messages are read within the first three minutes of receipt. So if you want to reach your customers, it makes sense to text them!

Text messaging offers a variety of possibilities for your restaurant, including:

  • An additional ordering channel for your business.
  • Ability to send order updates for a seamless customer experience. This can also boost operational efficiency for your staff.
  • Opportunities to create personalized promotional messages based on your customers’ preferences. Offers based on personal preferences and ordering history are more likely to be redeemed, driving repeat customer visits.

Trend No. 3: Delivery Expansion

The demand for food delivery has skyrocketed, with off-premise dining now making up as much as 60% of all restaurant sales! If you’re not already offering delivery service, well, what are you waiting for?

Offering delivery can have a dramatic impact on your restaurant’s bottom line. Food delivery increases check sizes, makes up for reduced foot traffic, requires less overhead, and can make your restaurant more appealing to both new and existing customers looking for greater flexibility in their dining options. Here’s how to choose the delivery option that’s right for your restaurant.

Restaurants have more tools than ever to get food to hungry customers. DCRS Solutions can help you make sure that you are implementing these tools in a cost-effective way that works with your current POS system and captures valuable customer data that can be used to drive revenue for years to come.

Are you ready to join the digital transformation, restructure your restaurant and take your business to the next level? Contact DCRS Solutions today to talk about your hospitality technology needs!

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