The restaurant industry has been revolutionized by developments in digital technology, which provides businesses new opportunities to increase efficiency and reach new customers. Increasing digitization over the past few years has transformed how restaurants manage guest experiences, operations, marketing and their supply chain. Restaurants have embraced these new digital tools to win new customers, build loyalty of existing customers, increase online visibility, streamline operations and increase revenue.
Today, digital orders average 30% of a restaurant’s revenue, making third-party food delivery services a crucial part of a restaurant’s operation. However, this has created a new set of operational challenges for restaurants including pay-to-play marketplaces with high fees, a lack of third-party transparency and difficulties with accessing customer information—all threats that could stifle the restaurant industry. These issues can make it harder for restaurants to sustain and grow their business and have shifted the balance of power away from restaurant owners.
The Digital Restaurant Association (DRA) aims to address these challenges, level the playing field for restaurants and ensure the vibrant sector that contributes so much to the economy and local neighborhoods can thrive. The DRA, which officially launched this month, is a coalition of independent restaurants advocating for public policy to protect digital restaurant businesses and provide them with the education and resources they need to build a profitable operation.
The DRA works on behalf of member restaurants and other businesses in the digital restaurant ecosystem to address policies that impact the ability of these stakeholders to operate successfully in this new digitally-reliant ecosystem. DRA is committed to educating members on developments in digital restaurant technology, and connecting them with tools to make operating in the current reality more seamless.
The pandemic made it clear that restaurants need to adapt to a changing landscape to remain competitive in the face of issues like inflation, workforce shortages and a challenging delivery ecosystem. And restaurants across the country have shown incredible resilience in adopting new technologies. Undoubtedly, future success will require restaurants to continue to work productively with digital partners, including third-party delivery services, to provide customers with convenient and affordable access to restaurant meals.
As the restaurant industry continues to evolve, restaurants deserve a seat at the table to lend their voice in the direction of the industry. The DRA intends to facilitate national conversations in the developing digital restaurant landscape, providing partners with the resources they need to advocate for themselves and continue growing their business for years to come.
This post is sponsored by Digital Restaurant Association