Consumer behaviour has been irreversibly altered in the post-pandemic world. As a result, new preferences, behavioural patterns, and food & beverage aspirations have changed from what they were. So, as this year draws close, let us see some latest food & beverage trends of 2021. From contactless menus to capturing data leads, here are the following highlights by Rhythm Gupta, Co-Founder & CPO, Easy Eat.
Order Personalization
Personalization has always been the divine grail for restaurants, especially for tech-savvy users who are used to brands like Amazon to remember their past orders and automatically make recommendations based on preferences and purchasing patterns. In the coming year, restaurants will make the order experience stellar by using AI to remember previous user interactions, food preferences, habits, etc. Likewise, businesses will take advantage of customers’ digital footprints to understand’ practices and create unique experiences.
Restaurant Apps
A recent YouGov survey discovered that a growing number of orders are now coming from QSR apps, indicating a new trend. Furthermore, in response to the high commission costs of platforms such as Zomato and Swiggy, restaurants began to develop their apps, thus controlling the entire business process from production to delivery. As a result, lower delivery costs and higher margins proved to be a win-win situation as it eliminated expense layers for both the customer and the service provider.
Multi-Brand Cloud Kitchens
Cloud Kitchens have proved to be major disruptors in the restaurant industry. In 2021, there was a rise in multi-brand cloud kitchens. A multi-brand cloud kitchen owns several brands under one parent company. All the brands share ample kitchen space and are under one roof. In addition, each brand is positioned to cater to different customer needs. This approach will help restaurants capture a significant market share and increase customer frequency.
Contactless Menus & QR Codes
Without any doubt, 2021 has been a contactless year. Contactless and automated online ordering solutions reduced human interaction, evolving a strong trend of the year. Contactless dining, whether in-house or delivery, meant tech-enabled. The use of QR codes to link food menus to mobile phones is a trend that has spread quickly during the pandemic and may become irreversible.
Whatsapp Food Ordering
In the pandemic's aftermath, most eateries discovered that they couldn't rely exclusively on third-party aggregator platforms for user acquisition. Digital marketing, influencer engagement, Whatsapp ordering, and integration with a 360-degree technology platform like EasyEat are some new ways restaurant owners explored to create more revenue post-pandemic.
Food & Beverage Stocks
Monitoring food and beverage stocks, envisioning quantities, and even planning reorders are time-consuming, and in the coming year, more restaurants will try and adopt automated inventory management. AI will assist restaurant owners in reducing food costs, tracking inventory, supply management, thereby helping restaurants run the business efficiently.
While in-house delicacy will never be replaced entirely by food retail, to-go, or delivery, and human contact will never be rendered obsolete by a snazzy online delivery channel, the priority balance will transition substantially in 2022 and beyond. The future winners will be elevated, well-branded restaurants with the forethought to transition to reduced touchpoints. All in all, it's safe to say that the future of the food & beverage industry is digital.