A common misconception lurks beneath the waters of restaurant technologies. Many people in the industry associate new technology used in restaurants with difficulty or unavailability.
Luckily, we have the cure for that. We pull these misconceptions out of the water and show you that, in reality, restaurant tech is really easy to pick up.
Figure 1. Person Taking Picture by Marco Verch via Flickr
Restaurant Technologies are Approachable
You may be a restaurant operator who knows the ins and outs of how to run a business like the palm of your hand; but when it comes to restaurant technologies, you’re at a dead loss. Today’s world has witnessed a digital revolution, and the inability to keep up may cost you your business.
The problem is simpler than it looks. It owes itself more to a general lack of confidence, rather than the difficulty of technology in itself.
As such, the solution requires a change in focus: to build up your confidence, to reap the benefits restaurant technologies currently offer.
The main demographic of users experiencing low confidence in new technology ranges between 50—70 years of age. A nationwide survey in the US found that 4/10 older adults weren’t self-assured about using online technologies.
It’s also a question of whether older generations will bother using hardware. You could give someone a tablet, but being unconfident in its uses, this person would probably be too uncertain to try it out.
For small family-owned businesses, this is a significant issue. A divide may exist between younger heirs to the business versus the older generation. Yet with the advent of free services (one-to-one coaching, interactive classes), we can easily resolve someone’s poor confidence in restaurant technologies.
However, the solution is much simpler. Today’s restaurant apps require the most basic knowledge to use. Anyone can pick them up in minutes if not seconds.
A Tech-Savvy Restaurant Stays in Business
With the little time it takes, it’s well worth incorporating a restaurant app into your business’ processes — especially in 2021 when it’s arguably necessary let alone essential.
Many restaurants are dealing with the toughest period in their lives, and the shadow of permanent closures loom larger than ever. In the UK alone there are now 9.7 per cent fewer restaurants to choose from (compared with pre-pandemic figures).
Though it isn’t obvious, restaurant technologies have played their hand in the disappearance of long-established businesses. Since 1962 Hendersons in Edinburgh ran a steady trade. With the support of both continual summer tourists and loyal customers, it was able to expand, opening three venues in the city. One specialised in current trends, being a vegan-only restaurant.
However, when COVID-19 restrictions hit, the chain struggled to make do with the changes. Unfortunately in July 2021, the original restaurant closed for good, with thirty-five staff receiving redundancy payments. Before long, yellow paper covered the windows of the empty building, the furniture layered in a blanket of newly arrived dust . . .
The story of Hendersons closure owed itself to various complications, but an inability to adapt to current technological demands stood centre stage. “We [didn’t] have anything set up,” Janet the co-founder has said. “The website wasn’t set up for online delivery, there were so many processes we needed to go through.”
Thankfully, Hendersons has bounced back with a new venue in the southwest of the city. Though the heartbreaking closure of the original restaurant was mainly a financial decision (i.e. the head team couldn’t cover all running costs), keeping track of technological processes could have led to a more positive decision.
Figure 2. Hendersons by London Road via Flickr
Forthcoming Generations Want Restaurant Technologies
People now have an appetite for restaurant tech indoors. It’s time we join them.
Naturally, society is shifting. Young people now account for the majority of your restaurant’s new customers. Along with them comes a trail of technological baggage: a 2019 survey found that 93 per cent of US Millennials (people between 23—38) own and use smartphones. Technology is now prevalent and — more to the point — relevant.
Young people have also shaped today’s culture of eating out. Ever notice your customers snapping photos of their meal? This is now a modern ritual of our world — and it’s a good thing. These customers are likely sharing their experiences online via social media, promoting your restaurant’s service for free.
The lesson is clear. Technology has integrated itself in all other areas of life; like so, integrating new restaurant technologies will allow the world of hospitality to catch up with everyone else.
Figure 3. Smartphone Looks by Mario A. P. via Flickr
Free Restaurant Tech is Easy to Learn
Now we’ve covered the benefits, what about trying to boost your confidence in using new restaurant technologies?
Let’s start simple. A restaurant app works like anything else on a smartphone, using touchscreen technology. So, if you already know how to use a smartphone — well, good news, a restaurant app is ready to go.
Restaurant technologies should provide you with ease of mind, to set at ease any tech-related phobias you may have.
That’s why we’ve designed our app for every restaurant operator — from the tech-savvy to the tech-shy. We’ve also prioritised making our onboarding resources available online. Check out our FAQ for any commonly held queries you may have. Meantime, you can always contact us to access any help you may need.
We’re working on enhancing our self-service features. In the future, we’ll provide tutorials to allow operators to make the most out of our app’s features and restaurant technologies in general.
Stay updated and bookmark this page. Or if you’re still feeling shy of today’s restaurant technology service, why not try us out and see the benefits for yourself — totally free.
