Brussels (Brussels Morning) Like all things in life, gastronomy is not immune to change. In an era of global digital revolution, what will restaurants look like in the next 10 years?
Based on the current trends, a calculated guess can be made around the potential features of and the challenges faced by the restaurants of the future.
The future of the catering industry is digital
In the future, the catering industry will fully synchronize with digitization. If you want to survive in this branch with your restaurant, you have to open up to technical progress sooner or later. Many catering businesses have already been able to increase their profits, save time and attract more guests to their restaurants.
The following processes, among others, can be digitized in gastronomy:
- Reservations
- Accounting
- Merchandise management
- Payments
- Orders
- Work planning
- Customer acquisition
- Guest management
Many of these features have already become a must-have in the catering industry, especially in the Western world. For example, a website or digital bookkeeping is an absolute standard to stay relevant in today’s competition. These “digital helpers” can simplify many processes in the restaurant and thereby save time and money.
The future of restaurateurs
Poor working conditions, minimum pay and extra working hours. The catering industry has been struggling with a growing problem for some time: a shortage of employees.
Fewer and fewer trainees are finding their way into the catering industry. The future is not going to get any better for restaurants. The current shortage of specialist staff in gastronomy will therefore become even more acute in the future. However, smart restaurant owners will easily be able to deal with it by:
- Creating better working conditions
- Ensuring fair wages
- Maximizing employee retention
If a restaurant chain fails to deliver in these areas, they are likely to get shut down at an increasing rate.
Less garbage, more sales
Thousands of tons of food are thrown away every year in the catering industry alone. In times of accelerated climate change, environmental protection and the like, waste management in gastronomy will also change.
Fortunately, this trend has already set off. There are apps against food waste that you can use to protect the environment and also fill your own wallet. The trend of “buying regionally” to protect the environment and support the local economy is also becoming more and more popular.
In addition, environmentally conscious action has a positive effect on publicity: As a result, environment-conscious restaurants are likely to invite more guests and will be able to generate more sales in the future.
