2021
RESTAURANT TRENDS
> CONVENIENCE IS CRITICAL There’s no doubt about it now: convenience is king. The pandemic hasn’t just spotlighted this mega trend, it has accelerated it. Today’s consumer is looking for both safety and minimal contact in foodservice occasions. Embedding convenience in restaurants’ operations will help them become safer and more appealing both now and in the postpandemic long term. Consumers need to protect themselves and adhere to national and local safety guidelines. They expect restaurants to be their partners in this effort. Therefore, contactless payment and pickup, drivethru visits in limited service and delivery will be the pillars of the restaurant experience now and beyond the pandemic. Restaurants can tap into this trend,
if they haven’t already, by making their ordering and dining experiences frictionless. While frictionless may be a word that has become nearly cliche in 2020, it’s still an important concept for all restaurant operators to embrace. Even beyond the pandemic, consumers will want to seek experiences that are efficient and quick, and don’t create extra burdens. After all, the consumer is paying for a food experience, whether they are betting on their fine-dining reservation time to be honored and be seated without much fuss, or whether they are looking to order dinner quickly online. Millennials and GenZers have become today’s predominant purchasers of food. Very few restaurants today have the luxury of making their customer experience anything but easy and enjoyable.
Darden’s Seasons 52 has consistently received high marks for making the restaurant experience enjoyable and easy. Photo by Darden Restaurants.
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