With all of the complications that come along with owning and operating a restaurant or bar, any chance that restauranteurs have to get ahead of the game should be carefully considered. The trends from 2013 are moving and morphing into predictions for 2014, and the latest report from those in the know at the
Technomic blog, as reported by Restaurant-Hospitality.com, shows the top ten trends that restauranteurs should look out for. Check out the full list after the break for all the latest info.
There are a number of trends predicted for 2014, mostly continuations of themes that have appeared throughout this year. The unifying theme? Consumer centrism, not surprising for an industry of hospitality. While patrons are impressed by brand identity, good service and quality food, what they will be looking for in 2014 is micro level knowledge, quality and customization. The first trend that Technomic identifies is the growing concern among consumers about what they are eating. The chicken nugget is not set to fare well, as "real" food and ingredients will be a high priority for restaurant goers. Additionally, with the rising cost of beef, other meats such as chicken, bison and duck will play a major role as the stars of menu items. Not only will guests demand better ingredients than before, they will also want to know where their food comes from, and how they were prepared. Add that to Technomic's observation that restaurant goers are expecting more elaborate meal customization than ever before, and it's easy to see that restauranteurs have their work cut out for them. This may make it more difficult for restaurants that rely on speed as a main selling point, but that is where Technomic trend number 9 comes into play: technology.
With more and more consumers adopting smartphones, and technology increasingly changing every part of the industry, expect both from and back of house operations to go high tech. Technomic predicts that not only will ordering go digital very soon, but that individual customer's smartphones may be the tool they use to place their orders and redeem loyalty rewards. The latter is already happening in some places, and we've previously discussed some ways in which your restaurant can start adopting new technologies.
Lastly, and this is an important one, Technomics #10 trend is that consumers will see their relationships with restaurants as more meaningful and political. That means that consumers will be choosing establishments that align with their beliefs. Environmental friendliness, organic and non-GMO foods, as well as the political actions of restaurant owners will all start to affect business in major ways. Check out the source link below for Technomic's full list of ten trends, and get ready to make some changes in your restaurant to usher in the new year in a few short months. That is where the new wave of business on social media comes in; if you are consistently engaging with customers both inside and outside of your restaurant, then the resulting sense of involvement and community your guests will feel will translate into more repeat customers and increased word of mouth presence for your brand.
Check out the source link below for
Technomic's full 10 predictions, and be sure to check the Tablebases.com blog daily for more great information from within the restaurant industry.
Source:
Restaurant-Hospitality.com ,
Technomic Blog
Tablebases.com
