What Is The Future Of Restaurant Technology?

4 min readFeb 4, 2022

When you think of high-tech businesses, restaurants may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But, in many ways, restaurants keep us grounded by providing a comfortable space to relax, socialize with friends and enjoy a good meal — away from screens (hopefully).

But thanks to advancements in technology and pandemic restrictions, restaurants are changing the way they do business and serve customers. Here are some emerging trends in restaurant technology.

The Future of Restaurant Technology — Key Trends to Watch

Restaurant Robots

A restaurant with robots may sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, but many restaurants are now incorporating automated robots into their “staff.”

For many restaurants, bringing robots into the kitchen wasn’t a convenience. It was a necessity. Restaurants across the country are suffering from labor shortages due to the pandemic and other factors. To keep their doors open, restaurant owners turned to robots, like Servi.

Thanks to Servi and other similar companies, you can now sit down at a restaurant where robots serve you. These robots use lasers and cameras to transport food from the kitchen to the tables. Waiters can then transfer plates to tables.

The Ghost Kitchen Concept

The ghost kitchen concept isn’t exactly new, but it will continue to advance as it becomes more accepted by customers. Research shows that 79% of consumers have no problems ordering from a ghost kitchen, so restaurant-goers clearly know what they are and how they work.

So, what is a ghost kitchen anyway? Simply put, a ghost kitchen is a space for operators to create food for delivery. These “restaurants” don’t have a physical storefront. There’s no dining room, no wait staff, and no parking lot. Instead, ghost kitchens rely on delivery services to get their food to customers.

It’s not uncommon for ghost kitchens to share a space with a full-service restaurant, or for more than one brand to share a physical space. Because there’s no need for a desirable downtown or high-traffic location, ghost kitchens can operate out of locations with cheaper rents.

The ghost kitchen concept continues to expand every day. In fact, Chick-fil-A recently opened its own ghost kitchen concept called Little Blue Menu that’s expanded from Nashville, TN to Atlanta, GA. Along with their classic Chick-fil-A menu, customers can also order from their new virtual restaurants: Outfox Wings, Garden Day, and Flock & Farm.

Metaverse

What is the metaverse? It’s a place in which the physical and digital worlds collide with the help of:

Virtual and augmented reality
The Internet of Things
Geolocation

This restaurant industry technology is still in its infancy, but big chains like Chipotle are already embracing it. The restaurant recently opened a virtual restaurant on the Roblox gaming platform and gave away promotional codes for free, real-life burritos.

Facial Recognition Technology

Emerging restaurant technology trends also include the use of facial recognition technology. Some restaurants are experimenting with this technology for reordering purposes and self-service kiosks.

Using facial recognition technology, self-service kiosks can identify customers and their previous orders to make reordering quick and easy. Quick reordering can not only improve and personalize the customer experience but also improve customer loyalty by making ordering a quick and painless process.

Automated Prep Lines

Robots can do more than just carry food from one place to another. In the kitchen, they can also be put to work to automate prep lines and get food out to customers more quickly. Automating the food prep process can help restaurant owners overcome labor shortages and allow staff to focus more on the customer experience.

Robot cooks can:

Fry foods
Stir and mix ingredients
Adjust cooking temperatures
Slice dough for noodles
Prepare meals using pre-portioned ingredients

From a restaurant owner’s perspective, there are many advantages to incorporating robots into the kitchen prep process. For starters, robots can produce high volumes of food efficiently and without needing breaks.

With automated prep lines, the goal isn’t to replace human workers, but rather, to improve the kitchen’s efficiency.

Combining human skills with automation can help customers get served more quickly while still providing an excellent customer experience.

Self-Service Kiosks

Among all the new technology in the restaurant industry, self-service kiosks were some of the most adopted. McDonald’s had already been testing these kiosks since 2003. In 2020, the fast-food chain announced that self-service kiosks would be implemented in all of their U.S. locations.

More restaurants that focus on take-out and fast-casual establishments are likely to start incorporating self-service kiosks into their establishments.

Self-service kiosks allow for:

Easy upselling. Customers can view all available promotions and add-ons right from the digital touchscreen.
Quicker and more efficient lines.
Improved order accuracy. Digital ordering eliminates human error because customers can pick, choose and view their orders with ease.

Final Thoughts

Many of these restaurant technology trends were already emerging, but the pandemic accelerated their adoption and advancement. Many consumers have expressed their disinterest in returning to restaurant dining rooms in 2022.

Technology can help restaurant owners adapt to changing customer preferences and keep their doors open. From automated prep work to going fully virtual, restaurants now have more options to keep costs down without sacrificing food quality or the customer experience.

Source: https://mcdonaldpaper.com/blog/future-of-restaurant-technology