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Restaurant tech: 1 change = dozens more

Making the leap to restaurant tech of just about any kind is not a 1+1=2 proposition. Rather, any addition of tech -- particularly one that replaces a human function in-restaurant -- must be viewed by QSR operators for the many ripple effects it has on the total brand and customer experience.

October 15, 2018 by Robert Whitehead — Director Retail & Hospitality Technology, Softtek Integrations

People have different attitudes about appropriate uses of technology. For instance, while some see something like checking cell phones as hugely rude while eating out, others cannot even fathom why that practice would be considered discourteous. 

Similarly, attitudes vary regarding what the role of technology should be in the overall "dining experience." Traditionalists who object to phones at the table might also object to table-top tablets and mobile ordering apps. That's why applying technology to replace and/or redefine interactions between customer and QSR employees has become such a critical restaurant industry issue. 

One major question is, how far should we go? Clearly, there's not much that technology can't do. Start-up chains like Spyce and Eatsa -- based in Boston and San Francisco respectively — have essentially inserted robotics into the entire dining experience, from ordering and paying for meals to doing most of the prep and cooking.   

And, while that might be considered a wonderful thing by many of the  more trend-inclined millennials —particularly along the coastal U.S. — most restaurant chains are still unwilling to make that leap. So while it may be technologically feasible, most brands still find the complete removal of people from the restaurant experience too big a risk because it would compromise the many brand identities built on personal service and smiling faces who may chat with customers and have information on daily specials at the ready. 

Man vs. machine: The balancing act

The question then becomes how to find the right balance between traditional dining and technology. Brands now find themselves often asking whether it's best to aim for a broad, let's-please-everyone strategy, or chase specific demographic or cultural niches and in this process, marketing and IT collaboration and communication become increasingly critical. 

Marketers who are tasked with defining a particular version of what constitutes the "dining experience" must also identify the specific audiences, preferences and personas that align to that vision. Technology teams, meanwhile, develop solutions that ensure that vision is realized.

But whichever level of technology restaurants choose to deploy, it's imperative that operator pay close heed to the totality of the overall user experience. For instance, operators must ask whether the solutions they're choose truly make the dining experience more seamless and efficient. 

Though it would seem that the importance of exploring that question would be obvious,  based on my own recent experience such may not be the case in many instances. For instance, why would a brand force its customers to suddenly need to download a mobile app simply to place an order, simultaneously discontinuing the availability of call-in orders? This practice — while it might enhance convenience for some customers, might entirely drive away others. 

Technology doesn't exist in a vacuum

The aforementioned example shows why it's critical that restaurateurs resist the temptation to simply focus just on the functionality of any given solution - technological or otherwise. Rather, consider the customer perspective and the journey required to benefit from the functionality.   

While technology is transforming the dining experience from the customer's perspective, it's also redefining basic functions and roles within the restaurant. If tablets or kiosks allow diners to place orders, it's importance to also consider how the additional "bandwidth" of staff is  going to be used. 

Are employees relieved of order-taking duties simply now going to be tasked with more prep and serving duties or are they also being trained to cross-sell specials and high-margin items? If so, are performance metrics and compensation being adjusted accordingly? From a different perspective, how does the technology impact kitchen operations? 

In this sense, restaurants face the same challenges and opportunities confronting any industry deploying advanced technology -- namely, how to optimize the "partnership" between digital and human labor. Implementing technology to take on an increasing number of routine, repetitive tasks can certainly reduce costs. But restaurateurs must ask themselves whether they settle for simply doing things more efficiently or instead they re-think the way the business operates overall to fully use the capabilities of both technology and people?

There's no single or simple answer to these questions. But as restaurants struggle to redefine what it means to "dine out," there's no shortage of possibilities regarding how to apply technology to compete more effectively.

Photo: iStock

About Robert Whitehead

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Robert Whitehead is a Restaurant and Store systems expert with Softtek, a global IT services provider, specializing in Systems architecture, Software design, Implementation and Product delivery. 

His areas of expertise include communications, healthcare and hospitality.

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