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Restaurants and bars are leaning into automation to address staffing shortages, enhance operational efficiency, and meet rising customer expectations for speed and consistency. In 2025, I expect automation to keep expanding beyond back-of-house applications into more guest-facing roles.
With 70 percent of operators struggling to fill job openings and 45 percent reporting they don’t have enough staff to meet customer demand, according to the National Restaurant Association. These technologies help streamline operations, lighten the workload for staff, and create a better experience for both employees and customers.
Quick-service restaurants maintain a steady customer satisfaction score of 79 (on a 100 point scale), while full-service restaurants — despite slipping 2 percent to 82 — remain one of the highest-rated industries in the Index, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Restaurant and Food Delivery Study 2025.
A customer in Miami should bite into the same perfectly seasoned burger that delights diners in Seattle. One location might offer seamless mobileordering, while another struggles with glitchy payment systems, creating inconsistencies that can frustrate customers and impact revenue.
As a restaurant manager or operator, you are the driving force in productivity – leading your staff and keeping customers happy. There will always be a customer on the receiving end of that waste of time. There will always be a customer on the receiving end of that waste of time.
Thai District is a full-service Thai restaurant located in the Art District of Long Beach, California. Thai District now has a branded app, and uses powerful marketing tools that help them build customer loyalty and increase sales without the burden of commissions. ChowNow is a huge marketing tool.
What was once a gradual process turned into a rapid transformation, permanently reshaping how restaurants operate and interact with customers. Customers have now fully embraced the benefits of using restaurant technology, and to keep up with guests evolving expectations, the tech industry is growing at an incredible rate.
For many restaurant owners, delivery has become critical for profitability, especially as customer demand increases. Unfortunately, due to strain on resources, most restaurant owners no longer believe they can offer their customers a positive direct-delivery experience. Some don’t know they can. Will the food even arrive on time?
Online ordering has transformed the restaurant industry, turning what was once a convenience into an absolute necessity. Customers expect to browse menus, place orders, and pay for their meals with just a few taps of their phones. Why Every Restaurant Needs an Online Ordering System The answer is simple: to stay competitive.
The restaurant industry is going mobile, and restaurant apps are at the center of this transformation. If your business isnt keeping up with the changes, you risk falling behind and not meeting modern customer expectations. For operators, restaurant apps mean higher sales, greater customer retention, and smoother day-to-day operations.
And no, increasing restaurant sales doesn’t mean turning your restaurant staff into pushy upsellers trying to squeeze a few extra dollars out of every order. And no, increasing restaurant sales doesn’t mean turning your restaurant staff into pushy upsellers trying to squeeze a few extra dollars out of every order.
Are you doing all the right thingsserving amazing food, delivering top-notch service, crafting perfectly balanced drinksbut the tables still arent filling up like they should? Youre delivering a great dining experience, yet foot traffic remains inconsistent, online engagement is low, and new customers arent coming in as often as youd like.
By the time you finish this article, youll know how to approach restaurant marketing the right way and not waste time doing guesswork, crossing your fingers, and then hoping you see new customers walking through the door. Customers have more choices, higher expectations, and countless ways to discover (or overlook) your restaurant.
Adaptability became non-negotiable as takeout, delivery, and digital ordering shifted from secondary revenue streams to essential lifelines." The customer's needs always come first, even though my prices continue to rise. One of the most impactful changes – and the stickiest – is contactless payment.
On the other hand, when you know exactly who your ideal customers are, you can craft an experience that resonates with customers on a deeper, emotional level, creating a connection that will keep them coming back for years. Key customer factors that influence dining preferences, from demographics to behavior.
By Kateryna Reshetilo, Contributor Are you a restaurant owner looking for ways to keep up with the fast-changing demands of your customers? Today, more than ever, restaurants are turning to custom-built apps to improve convenience, streamline operations, and foster customer loyalty. Real-time order tracking.
Menu pricing isnt just about covering costsits about finding that sweet spot where profitability, customer perception, and operational reality meet. Too high, and youll drive customers away. One way to offset costs and give you more breathing room for pricing is by encouraging guests to place orders through direct website ordering.
In recent years, consumer behaviors have drastically changed to now preferring delivery services and an increased willingness to pay a premium for a seamless experience. The data revealed that 60 percent of consumers surveyed prefer human staff versus AI-managed customer support, despite the potential for increased service efficiency.
Every restaurant faces operational challengeseven with a great menu and a talented team, bottlenecks can slow service, frustrate customers, and cut into profits. A single missteplike a delayed order or a system glitchcan throw off an entire shift. Overworked employees and impatient customers. The result?
By partnering with ChowNow, Healthy Balance Meals saves over $13,000 annually in commission fees while gaining full control over their online ordering experience. With a branded mobile app, direct customer relationships, and flexible menu updates, theyve streamlined operations, strengthened their brand and grown their business.
The quicker businesses can feed that information back into operations, the better, whether for personalized dining, staffing optimization, or advertising and marketing. Restaurants are already experimenting with using AI to handle drive through orders to allow human employees to focus on customer interactions in the restaurant.
30 – Kendall’s BBQ Source: Kendall’s BBQ Kendall’s BBQ in Georgiana, Alabama is a roadside stop known for its wood-smoked meats and laid-back setup. 30 – Kendall’s BBQ Source: Kendall’s BBQ Kendall’s BBQ in Georgiana, Alabama is a roadside stop known for its wood-smoked meats and laid-back setup. These are not random picks.
From improving customer satisfaction to managing inventory, every day presents a new opportunity to optimize operations. Far more than just a way to process payments, todays POS technology is transforming the restaurant industryhelping you streamline operations, cut costs, and deliver superior customer experiences.
In today’s fast-paced dining environment, quick-service restaurants are under pressure to serve more customers in less time—without sacrificing quality. As customer expectations rise, reducing wait times has become more than a convenience; it’s a competitive advantage. Perfect for serving more guests with fewer staff.
Whether you manage a busy caf or a full-service restaurant, these actionable tips can make a significant difference in your daily operations. If you have a bustling restaurant, having faster table turnover is one of the best ways to increase both revenue and customer satisfaction. However, turning tables must be done tactfully.
From managing orders and tracking inventory to analyzing sales data in real time, today’s POS systems are essential tools for restaurants of all sizes. As technology continues to evolve in 2025, choosing the right POS can directly impact your efficiency, customer satisfaction, and bottom line.
Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week. Editor’s note Best of Panama (BoP) is always guaranteed to grab headlines, but this year’s competition was especially newsworthy. This set the precedent for future astonishing auction prices, which have since surpassed US $10,000/kg. billion in sales.
Unlike traditional setups, these systems provide real-time access to data, seamless updates, and remote management—making them ideal for today’s fast-paced food service environment. Many industries have been disrupted by new, more affordable products and services offered through this model.
Whether you’re connecting loyalty programs, online ordering, or inventory tools, open APIs make it possible to tailor your POS to match your exact operational needs. All successful businesses know they must adapt to the market and customer expectations. What is an Open API?
One of the most effective tools for achieving this is mobile inventory management. In this article, well explore how mobile inventory management is transforming the way restaurants operate and how it can boost your restaurants performance in 2025 and beyond.
Running a successful restaurant today requires more than great food and friendly service—it demands smart technology that drives efficiency. A well-designed POS system improves restaurant operations by streamlining order management, speeding up transactions, and delivering real-time insights that help optimize every aspect of the business.
In an industry that thrives on competition and customer expectations, success when starting a pizza shop is built on a foundation of core principles. Exceptional pizza Consistent branding and marketing, Efficient operations, Cleanliness Strong customer focus These aren’t just sides; they are the central slices in the pie of success.
Managing an influx of guests outdoors, optimizing service flow, and maintaining high standards across both indoor and outdoor seating areas requires preparation. Integrated waitlist apps also let walk-in guests join a digital queue, minimizing crowding at the entrance and improving the customer experience.
As more restaurants turn to automation, self-order kiosks are becoming a must-have for improving speed, accuracy, and customer satisfaction. But before making the switch, one key question stands out—what is the actual self-order kiosk price in 2025? What Is a self-order kiosk? Self-order kiosks can range in size and use.
Over the last several years, QR order and pay has gone from being a fringe technology to a widely used solution for restaurants, bars, breweries, and wineries. What started as a simple way to swap paper menus with contactless ordering during COVID quickly evolved into an operational solution to battle staff shortages and improve efficiency.
POS integrations have become essential for streamlining daily operations, reducing errors, and allowing staff to focus more on the customer experience. Whether its managing inventory, handling online orders, or running loyalty programs, the right integrations can turn your POS system into a powerful tool for efficiency.
These changes have become permanent shifts in how they target customers, market themselves, and design their offerings." Customer habits have also shifted after the pandemic. The focus now is finding the minimum necessary seating capacity while maximizing kitchen efficiency and service throughput.
As a restaurant owner and manager you want to make sure your staff and customers are protected every time they come in to order food from your establishment. Digital Menus The most touched products in your restaurant are the menus you pass from customer to customer. Especially during and right after the holiday season.
From faster service to real-time inventory tracking, modern restaurants need more than just a cash registerthey need a system that adapts to their workflow. Lavu offers a cloud-based POS designed specifically for restaurants, helping streamline everything from front-of-houseorders to back-of-house reporting.
The way customers pay is evolving, and restaurants are adapting quickly. If you’re wondering why restaurants are going cashless, the answer lies in speed, security, and customer preference. Digital transactions also offer improved convenience and security for restaurant owners and customers. You read that right.
Is your staff constantly battling long wait times, confused orders, or slow transactions? If your POS system is slowing down your restaurant , you’re not just dealing with minor annoyances; you’re risking lost revenue, poor customer experiences, and operational chaos. It might not be the teamit could be your tech.
Ask yourself these 5 questions and see if you have a tech stack build specific to your restaurants needs: What Ordering Options Do You Want To Offer? When it comes to ordering methods, you want to make sure your restaurant appeals to all types of customers. Where Can You Remove Excess Time In Your Process?
By combining decades of restaurant expertise, AI, guest experience management, and the best workforce and financial benchmarks, brands can make better choices backed by real data. What Restaurant Brands Need To Know The Cost of Ignoring Market Trends Missing a market trend doesnt just mean falling behind. It means losing real revenue.
"As awful as it was, the pandemic pushed restaurants to completely rethink their operations in order to survive, and some of the changes they made during the pandemic have continued to be beneficial to those restaurants and industry at large." Landlord/Tenant Disputes : in my practice, I have seen a huge increase in lease disputes.
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