Role of Technology in Delivering Quick-Service Dining Experience

Digital food safety enhances the quality of food and assists in avoiding food safety disasters. With quick temperature probes, automated temperature monitoring, and food and date labeling, digital tools assist restaurant owners in serving hot, fresh food.

FREMONT, CA: Quick-Service is evolving into a more personalized experience! The casual eating business is experimenting with new methods to leverage technology to create a highly personalized consumer experience, repositioning fast food as a valuable service rather than a destination. Quick-service restaurants are engaging customers in novel and successful ways, leveraging data in ways never seen before, and propelling sales in unprecedented directions through the deployment of innovative technological systems.

Engaging the Contemporary Consumer: Consumer-facing technology is frequently the focus of interest in the restaurant industry. More and more firms are leveraging apps, mobile ordering platforms, and loyalty programs to attract and retain customers. For instance, McDonald's and Wendy's are adding kiosks to streamline the ordering process and allow consumers to customize their meals a move that may increase the average order price. On average, diners spend nine minutes ordering and waiting for their food at quick-service restaurants. Kiosks have the potential to minimize that wait time significantly. These technological developments are not limited to dine-in clients. Those who would rather drive through can still take advantage of technology advancements namely, the usage of digital menu boards.

Menu Boards That Are Digital: The fast-food restaurant industry is transforming thanks to digital menu boards. With high-definition visuals and cloud-based operating systems, digital menus enable brands to engage with customers even before they enter the store. These menus can be displayed in the drive-through, allowing constant customization from emphasizing specific promotions to rotating among various menu items. Restaurants can sell different things throughout the day even according to the weather! Breakfast dishes are highlighted on morning menus, while salads and sandwiches debut at lunch. Is this a scorching summer day? What a great time to advertise ice tea! However, digital menus can demonstrate more than simply individual meals they can demonstrate quantifiable results. Numerous quick-service restaurants that have integrated digital menu boards into their operations have witnessed increased sales of highlighted items and shorter order times.

Applications for Mobile Devices: Mobile ordering apps are also gaining popularity. Indeed, Business Insider Intelligence predicts that smartphone orders will account for more than 10 percent of quick-service restaurant sales by 2020. These apps provide extra convenience for consumers and enable retailers to increase income. Subway is just one of several businesses whose app enables customers to place food and beverage orders for pickup at a Subway location.

Solutions for Back-of-House Technology: Not just consumer-facing technology is gaining traction in the fast-food industry. Additionally, back-of-house technology solutions are reshaping the industry as we know it. Whether it's for human resources, scheduling, procurement, inventory control, or labor costs, technology systems are assisting organizations in controlling costs while increasing efficiency. From ordering buns to scheduling shifts, technology orchestrates an increasing number of operational functions. Perhaps most significantly, these solutions aid restaurants in managing the massive volumes of data they collect every day. Utilizing this data enables them to monitor patterns and forecast future movements, making more informed business decisions.