Stepping into a restaurant these days can feel like walking onto the set of Dune. It’s pretty tech heavy. You may have ordering kiosks on your right, digital food lockers on your left, robots zipping around.
And it’s likely to get even more futuristic, according to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Technology Landscape Report 2024.
The report describes the value that operators perceive in their tech, and the growing comfort consumers have in using it.
“More than three in four operators say technology gives them a competitive edge,” said Michelle Korsmo, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association.
Fifty-five percent of operators are planning investments to improve their service areas this year, while 60 percent are looking for technology that will enhance the customer experience. Drilling down, 16 percent of operators plan to invest in AI integration, including voice recognition.
Consumers certainly seem ready, particularly young ones. Eighty-two percent of Gen Z adults report being comfortable placing an order at a limited-service restaurant with an app. And 65 percent of all adult consumers say they are comfortable paying a check at a full-service restaurant with a tablet at the table.
There are generational differences. When asked how likely they’d be to interact with a tablet at the table, a majority of Gen Z adults, millennials and Gen Xers say they would, but fewer than half of baby boomers would.
With delivery it’s nearly unanimous and not even a thought: nearly everyone expects to use tech to order, customize and pay.
And never forget: tech is cool but even cooler is value. Seven in 10 adults will look for deals when using your tech, whether for delivery of dine-in.
