New technologies and trends making it easier for smaller businesses to compete with larger corporations. (Photo: EyeSpy CC)
Thanks in part to millennials and their willingness to embrace more unique, more healthy and environmentally sound service offerings – ‘concise customers’ are driving not only change, but true innovation in the restaurant industry:
1. Delivery Deconstructed or “Ghost” Restaurants
Smart restaurateurs are meeting customer demand for convenience and quick service with delivery-only or “ghost” restaurant concepts. These restaurants are outsourcing delivery to companies like caviar or Doordash – and without customer seating, these businesses save on leasing space and other operational overhead.
2. Food Waste Reduction
Socially concise customers are demanding their favorite restaurants be socially concise too. Food waste has become a major topic of discussion in that regard. For most restaurants it’s how do you eliminate waste due to overproduction, spoilage or expiration. While some restaurants are toying with the radical concept of selling uneaten entrees at an 80% discount, other restaurants prefer a more traditional approach to the problem: Stem-to-root cooking.
3. Fine-casual Restaurants
Upscale counter service, curated ingredients, wine bars, flights or tasting menus, these are the hallmarks of fine-casual establishments. The concept has caught on like wildfire as restaurants embrace a less complicated approach to dining.
4. Hyperlocal Sourcing
Let’s take farm-to-table a step further. While many restaurants and chefs are still sourcing from local farmers – the move is on to control every aspect of the food experience. More and more restaurants are, as they are creating housemade items from fresh ingredients from scratch, and more often than not, serving from their own gardens – or from their own craft brewery. Hyperlocal sourcing is a seasonal and ingredient-driven trend that doesn’t look like it’s going away any time soon.
5. Inclusive Management & Operational Development
Technology is not only helping restaurant owners manage their business better but also develop staff and reduce turnover. And as this data becomes more available, restaurants are adopting new business practices in response to the growing modern workforce, too.
Tracking the Trendlines
Restaurant task management systems are helping managers and owners keep employees focused. These systems help provide ongoing guidance and hold staff accountable.
Restaurants are also using inclusive management tactics like open-book management to empower their employees to take ownership and make a difference – in everything from menu development and pricing to food safety.
Are you looking to launch a hot restaurant trend or for help with restaurant concept development? Look no further than EyeSpy, we have years of experience in hospitality development and operations, let us know how we can help your business.
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