What’s on the menu today?

theory New trends

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, diners are looking for different things: flexibility, the ability to take food to go or eat anywhere, easily; socially distanced or open-air seating options and a limited contact or fully contactless experience. Here are some of the latests trends seeking to meet those needs.

ONLINE ORDERING AND DELIVERY APPS When restaurants were hit by restrictions, stricter health and safety rules and shut downs, they quickly turned to online food orders and contactless home-deliveries. Customers instantly welcomed the relief from home cooking, and the food delivery market is now worth more than $150 billion globally. Food delivery apps such has Deliveroo and UberEats are still popular, but many diners prefer to order direct from the restaurants as they get a better, more personalised service. Expect to see smaller restaurants following the bigger chains and developing their own integrated online platforms and apps. You might also see drone food delivery systems in the not too distant future as they are considered cheaper and more efficient than drivers.

CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS Since the pandemic contactless technology has gone mainstream, not just when placing an order online, but also when paying in person with smartcards, smartphones, and smartwatches, through apps or touchless devices.No cash means no human contact, which is more hygienic and safer. But it is also quicker and more convenient and efficient from a cash flow point of view. So restaurants need to invest and plan for a mobile and digital payment strategy if they don’t want to be left behind. ONLINE TABLE RESERVATION SYSTEMS Booking a table by phone, or just turning up at a restaurant without booking, is fast becoming a thing of the past. Online table reservation technology is more efficient and less labour-intensive. It enables restaurants to manage seating, waitlists, customer loyalty and dining preferences, as well as collect vital customer data. Some online providers like Eat App and theFork give customers the freedom to see available slots and make their own booking onthe-go. OpenTable goes a step further and offers restaurants the opportunity to propose unique culinary events and dining experiences, beyond normal reservations.

GET STARTED

1 What do you think the new restaurant trends are? Read the texts on pages 20 and 21 and check your answers.

READING COMPREHENSION

2 Read the texts again and answer these questions. 1 What kind of experience do diners want post COVID? 2 How much is the online food delivery market worth? 3 Why do people people prefer ordering directly from restaurants? 4 How can you make contactless payments? 5 Which online provider enables restaurants to offer unique culinary events and dining experiences? 6 Where do you find digital kitchen boards in a restaurant? 7 What kind of tasks can chatbots perform? 8 What is it worth investing in because of our recent experience of a pandemic?