Restaurant Business

OCTOBER 23, 2024

These systems can understand various accents and dialects, process orders accurately, and even upsell menu items based on customer preferences. Inside restaurants, AI is powering self-ordering kiosks and chatbots, streamlining the ordering process and reducing human error.

Customer Experience 304

Customer Experience Operations Back of House Customer Service 304

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 23, 2024

Self-serve kiosks, QR-code menus, and personalized ordering systems will continue to redefine how patrons interact with venues. In 2025, expect to see more restaurants and bars adopting eco-friendly practices, such as reducing food waste, sourcing locally, and using energy-efficient equipment.

2025 346

2025 Hospitality Bar Customer Experience 346

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 22, 2021

While there is plenty of technology out there to optimize your establishment, one food service trend is becoming a mainstay: Internet of Things. Tableside Ordering & Payment. For years, we've seen restaurants add small table kiosks or tablets that allow customers to pay for food. Connected Equipment.

2022 610

2022 Equipment Email Marketing Customer Service 610

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 16, 2024

were registered on food delivery platforms like Grubhub, DoorDash, and Uber Eats. For example, an app might offer 15% off your first order. They will create multiple fake accounts in bulk and then sell them to those looking for a discount on food. What are some common fraud activities you are seeing that affect restaurants?

Delivery 417

Delivery Food Order Online Ordering Food Supply 417

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 7, 2024

Around 33 to 40 percent of food goes to waste each year. A large chunk of that comes down to complex problems in global food supply chain management that most restaurants have little control over. What restaurants can do, however, is re-think how their direct food supply is managed – from transport to inventory control.

Food Supply 442

Food Supply Waste Supplies Management 442

EATER

OCTOBER 15, 2024

As part of creating that good environment, she’s taken multiple steps to cut Rifrullo’s carbon footprint, including composting all food scraps, one of the most important steps restaurants can take to combat climate change. When food waste goes to landfills, it creates methane , a powerful greenhouse gas.

Compost 284

Compost Food Equipment Waste 284

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 26, 2024

By mid-2024, 82 percent of food and beverage operators were still actively recruiting, with chefs and cooks comprising 30 percent of open roles. Economic shifts including inflation-driven cost increases in food, utilities and supplies; regulatory changes and climate-related disruptions will continue to challenge restaurant operators.

2025 418

2025 Management Management Insurance 418

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 2, 2025

From smarter ordering systems to food that travels better, here’s what pizzeria owners can expect in the year ahead. On the customer side, AI is beginning to play a more significant role in online ordering. This not only frees up labor but also reduces order errors.

2025 251

2025 Online Ordering Franchise Franchising 251

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 18, 2025

The hospitality industry has always been about delivering great service—but today, that means more than just good food and friendly staff. For years, restaurant technology has been about speed and efficiency—faster orders, better scheduling, streamlined payments. Contactless ordering and AI powered recommendations.

Airlines 434

Airlines Hospitality Waste Food Order 434

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 26, 2024

They can even send SMS messages to on-the-ground restaurant staff, pretending to be a delivery service driver getting in touch about an issue with an order; in this scenario, unsuspecting restaurant staff are tricked into clicking on a malicious link, unwittingly installing malware or granting unauthorized access to the restaurant’s network.

2025 558

2025 Point of Sale Food Supply Online Ordering 558

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 11, 2024

Tap a few buttons, and your order is sent to the kitchen, where robots are preparing dishes with precision, ensuring perfect consistency every time. Throughout the meal, robot servers deliver your food and clear the table when you're done. Why hire food runners when Servi can handle the job without missing a beat?

Front of House 450

Front of House Food Order Seating Customer Experience 450

Culinary Cues

MAY 12, 2025

Meticulously clean kitchens; pristine, starched chef whites; the very best equipment and ingredients from around the world. A growing number of chefs are shifting their attention to independent operations that focus on foods with wider appeal that need a commitment to excellence. Everybody loves food that you can hold in your hands.

Fine Dining 352

Fine Dining Seasonal Menu Front of House White Paper 352

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 13, 2024

Thanks to these technologies, tasks such as ordering food and paying bills can take place on a self-service basis. In quick-serve restaurants, staff can focus on preparing food rather than taking orders. This is important because signal loss interrupts digital services such as QR-based ordering and kiosks.

Marketing 449

Marketing Tip Distribution Mobile Ordering Customer Experience 449

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 23, 2025

For example, implementing procedures to monitor inventory closely can prevent overstocking or food spoilage, while clear cleaning and maintenance schedules ensure the proper use and consumption of supplies. This takes some work off your plate and empowers others to take on more responsibility.

Operations 395

Operations Workshop Sustainability Inventory 395

Modern Restaurant Management

JULY 27, 2021

Point of Sale (POS) systems have traditionally been the restaurant’s technological centerpiece, connecting guests, servers, and food through transactions. Gone are the days of archaic paper chit systems communicating orders from the front to back-of-house staff. Too Much Tech Is Not a Solution. Want to be Tech-Savvy?

Front of House 609

Front of House Back of House Loyalty Program Customer Experience 609

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 19, 2025

Over the last two decades, I’ve worked alongside operators in just about every hospitality setting—independent cafés, high-end dining rooms, food halls, and regional chains. We saw widespread adoption of mobile payments, digital ordering, and contactless dining almost overnight. Operators had to shift—fast.

Hospitality 305

Hospitality Front of House Back of House Food Order 305

Modern Restaurant Management

JULY 9, 2025

Rising Food Costs Are Straining Restaurant Finances According to TouchBistro's 2025 State of Restaurants report , food costs remain the number one source of financial strain for restaurant owners, with 26 percent citing it as their biggest financial challenge. Seven Reasons to Make Business Credit a Priority 1.

Cash Management 221

Cash Management Small Business Equipment Technology 221

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 27, 2025

A Dilemma of “Super Size” Proportions Amid rising food prices and shifting consumer preferences, the restaurant industry is facing a dilemma of “super size” proportions. Red Robin climbs 3 percent to 78 thanks in large part to its focus on menu and food. Still, the food and service metrics are quite high.

Loyalty Program 371

Loyalty Program Customer Experience 2025 Customer Service 371

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 30, 2024

At the same time, a rise in fast-food prices driven by inflation is reshaping consumer behavior, with many customers now treating fast food as a splurge rather than a convenience. For example, AI can help QSRs make smarter inventory decisions by analyzing purchasing trends and aligning ingredient orders with demand.

2025 450

2025 Dine-in Mobile Ordering Customer Experience 450

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 18, 2025

It’s no surprise that the fast food chains, which have over 100,000 outlets between them, see opportunities for AI efficiencies. Vulnerabilities in Voice and Vision With voice-automated ordering, there are known threats such as bad actors targeting systems with sub-human-level sound, which can be heard digitally but not by humans.

Food 221

Food Kitchen Safety Food Order Food Safety 221

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 27, 2022

As 60 percent of American consumers order takeout or delivery at least once a week, and online ordering is growing 300 percent faster than in-house dining, many smart operators have pivoted, using ghost kitchens to adapt to these new trends. All workers must be trained in food safety, not just upon hiring, but throughout their tenure.

Kitchen Safety 530

Kitchen Safety Food Safety Audits Food 530

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 31, 2024

“Through expansive experiences that inspire our guests paired with the ambiance of the space and the food on the plate, we’re setting new standards for the industry and creating truly spectacular moments for all who enter our restaurants and bars.” That’s where the NEXT Flavor Report comes in.

Beverage 450

Beverage 2025 Fine Dining Guest Recovery 450

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 20, 2022

Within a decade, it could be possible for an individual to approach a drive-through in an autonomous vehicle, order through an AI-powered voice ordering assistant, and eat food that was prepared by robots. Voice Ordering. But this technology has even more applications than just ordering on guests' personal devices.

Food Order 520

Food Order Waste Online Ordering Email Marketing 520

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 9, 2025

Fast-casual concepts like Sammy’s Sliders, which offer high-quality, craveable food with speed and flexibility, are perfectly positioned for this shift. Customers expect seamless online ordering, loyalty programs, and delivery options, and franchise systems need to invest in tech to stay competitive.

Loyalty Program 251

Loyalty Program Franchise Franchising Fast Casual 251

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 16, 2025

This trend of seeking out a more sustainable process of e-commerce related to food goods is not going away anytime soon. Here are some key strategies you and your target food delivery partners can be using to create a more sustainable future. Fuel and e-commerce order management systems help streamline delivery routes.

Sustainability 251

Sustainability Delivery Food Recycling 251

ChowNow

MAY 23, 2025

A spike in food costs, a drop in sales volume, or one slow season can wipe out months of hard work. They tell you how much money your restaurant keeps after paying for everything from food costs to labor expenses to utilities and rent. There are two kinds of margins you need to know. Why are restaurant profit margins so thin?

Point of Sale 195

Point of Sale Insurance Fast Casual Customer Service 195

Modern Restaurant Management

JULY 22, 2024

By listening to the “nerve center” of every location—its connected equipment. The data from HVAC systems, ovens, dish machines, refrigerators, freezers, fryers, lighting equipment, and irrigation systems provides incredible insights that save operators tens of millions of dollars over time.

Equipment 493

Equipment Food Truck Point of Sale Waste 493

7 Shifts

NOVEMBER 15, 2024

After all, it’s not just the quality of your food that can keep customers coming back — 73% of diners base their satisfaction on the quality of service they receive. How do you handle unexpected challenges, such as equipment failure or supply shortages? How do you ensure compliance with food safety and hygiene regulations?

Leadership 195

Leadership Management Management Operations 195

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 6, 2023

Integrating IoT devices and connectivity drives efficiency, enhances food safety, mitigates risks, increases transparency, reduces waste, and provides many other benefits for restaurants. The numerous, significant benefits of using IoT in the restaurant industry include: Enhancing food safety. Optimizing shelf life and reducing waste.

Food Safety 504

Food Safety Operations Management Management 504

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 28, 2022

We’re all familiar with equipment rental and software subscription services in the restaurant industry. But have you considered how an equipment subscription is a better, smarter business move than equipment ownership? You get to choose how to acquire this equipment: buy or rent. That’s what you pay them for.

Small Business 493

Small Business Equipment Cash Management Back of House 493

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 12, 2025

Now, a major question lingers in the minds of many: will diners actually trust ordering directly from the store, or will they always default to the marketplace delivery apps they know? The truth is, even customers who love a restaurant and want to support it often hesitate to order directly. Will the food even arrive on time?

Delivery 251

Delivery Customer Experience Mobile Ordering Food Order 251

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

As a step further, offering a flexible menu catered to solo diners – with smaller portions to reduce food waste and allow the diner to taste more dishes – provides waiters with an additional opportunity to make personalized recommendations specific to these menu offerings.

Customer Experience 450

Customer Experience Fine Dining Seating Catering 450

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 24, 2025

"If I had the opportunity, I would encourage them to employ voice analytics, not to automate ordering, but rather to analyze customer/employee conversations for insights into customer experience, operational efficiency, marketing effectiveness, safety compliance, employee engagement, and more, he said. "The

Loyalty Program 305

Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering Coaching Customer Experience 305

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 23, 2022

But each restaurant has its own needs depending on the kinds of food it provides. Let’s look at some different layouts that could improve your kitchen: An Island Layout – In an island configuration, all cooking equipment is found at the center of the kitchen, with countertops around the edge. Be Efficient.

Design 507

Design Kitchen Safety Equipment Food Safety 507

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 23, 2025

There's been a notable shift in how families celebrate holidays as recent data from Sauce saw a 38-percent jump in delivery orders on Mother's Day. For many, ordering in isn’t just about convenience, it’s a lifestyle choice. Streamlining kitchen workflows to ensure efficient order fulfillment.

Catering 282

Catering Delivery Specials Online Ordering 282

ChowNow

MARCH 28, 2025

With rapid advances happening across various industries, including the food industry, you might be wondering: What does AI have to do with running my restaurant? It allows AI to understand and respond to human language, which is how virtual assistants can answer customer questions or take online orders. The short answer?

Front of House 195

Front of House Back of House Online Ordering Email Marketing 195

7 Shifts

NOVEMBER 14, 2024

Back-of-house (BOH) staff, including chefs and kitchen assistants, will focus more on food safety, food handling, and kitchen equipment use. Restaurants with large or intricate menus will need to allocate more time to staff training on the ingredients, preparation methods, and food handling procedures.

Training 195

Training Kitchen Safety Food Safety Customer Service 195