RESTOBYTES: What’s the Future of Dining? How to Adapt to the Changing Restaurant Industry Today’s New Normal

In the past few months, the global COVID crisis has brought on a massive change in the way the world is operating. People are working at home, public spaces are closed, and social distancing is a priority for everyone — and it doesn’t look like things are going back to the way they were any time soon. These changes are forcing industries to quickly adapt in order to survive and thrive in the “new normal”.

So what can restaurant owners expect in this new landscape? Here are a few glimpses into what the future of dining may look like and how you can adapt to them.

• A quick rise in takeout and delivery services

Perhaps one of the more evident shifts seen during the quarantine period is the surge of takeout and deliveries due to customers no longer dining on-premise. Explore ways that your restaurant can optimize these services in order to keep up with the demand. 

• Sanitation takes the priority

According to hospitalitytech.com, safety and sanitation will take priority over efficiency in a post-COVID world. This means more cleaning will be required and contact points between customers and staff will be scrutinized more closely. Customers will also demand more transparency in terms of the sanitization protocols when it comes to food handling and packaging. 

• Contactless dining may increase in popularity

Following the fashion of social distancing, the fewer points of contact with other people, the better. This could mean more online-only payments, curbside pick-ups from restaurants (meaning delivery men will no longer be handling the food), or contactless deliveries where riders simply leave the food at a designated area (and not coming into contact with the customer at all) will become prevalent. 

• An increased need to monitor real-time sales from anywhere, any time.

Because WFH systems are in place, this means that managers and restaurant owners may not be able to be onsite as often as they used to be. However, it’s still fully possible to be on top of your restaurant’s operations wherever you may be. CloudPOS is an easy and effective tool that allows you to track your inventory, monitor real-time sales, print BIR-accredited receipts, and even create loyalty programs remotely. This Globe myBusiness product, bundled with a Fixed Broadband connection, conveniently offers the flexibility and organization you need to stay on top of business no matter where you may be. 

• More restaurants will explore tech-driven solutions

From third party delivery apps to digital customer loyalty programs, that can be easily powered with Rush to QR-code based menus, restaurateurs are looking at ways that tech can help make off-premise dining and contactless transactions more efficient. Restaurants are also now relying on digital spaces over physical spaces, as they advertise and communicate more through digital means. Staying on top of the latest digital solutions can mean equipping yourself and your restaurants with the best tools to survive the quarantine period. 

It’s inarguably a difficult time for most industries and being able to pivot quickly is proving to be necessary to survive. As restaurant owners, keeping an eye out for ways that the dining landscape is changing, listening to your customers, and exploring new solutions can help your restaurant stay afloat. While it seems uncertain when the crisis will be over, what is clear is that changes are inevitable and that they’re going to be here for a while.

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Monitor your sales in real-time, avoid paperwork and be BIR compliant with CloudPOS. Click here to learn more.

Create an engaging rewards program for your customers with RUSH. Click here to know more.

Find out what other tools can help your restaurant with a free digital consultation with our solutions experts. Schedule yours now.