If you’ve ever visited a restaurant and used their self-service kiosk to place your order, or if you didn’t have to leave your table to pay because of the table order and pay system, or if you placed an order from your favorite fast-food restaurant and saw personalized suggestions, these are all hints of AI innovations.
Nowadays, the world is constantly pushing towards better technological advancements, and with artificial intelligence, restaurant businesses are about to break more boundaries in how they’ve been going about their daily operations. One of the ways of pioneering this change is the integration of AI with point-of-sale systems for a higher level of omnichannel service and management. Its benefits have led to tech experts predicting that there is more to come with AI in the restaurant industry. Here are some of the ways AI is already changing restaurants in 2024.
Improved Personalized Customer Experience
Restaurants have always been keen on how to elevate the experience of their customers because they know how important it is. There is a famous quote by Kevin Stirtz saying “ Every contact we have with a customer influences whether or not they’ll come back. We have to be great every time, or we’ll lose them.” This speaks volumes about how important it is to ensure a customer has a wonderful experience. Now, with AI technology, particularly NLP-enabled AI tech, customers can have an interactive experience when using self-service kiosks as they can understand and respond in a human-like manner—still assisting customers with their orders. The days of QR code menus are long gone, and AI self-service kiosks are here to stay.
Another invention that is picking up speed is the Virtual reality/Augmented reality dining experience. VR dining experiences have been proven to retain customers' span and engagement during eating. If you don’t know about VR dining, you can imagine it as dining in a virtual environment of your choice or the choice that is available in that restaurant. So, let’s say you can have your favorite meal in the rainforest or at the beach during sunset with your partner—any of these are possible with VR dining.
AR is more of a combination of reality and virtual. It puts digital features into reality with less interaction between them. This is also amazing, as every restaurant has what it is known for, and AR can bring its meals to life—literally. There are also some advancements in gamifying AR dining experiences. This will elevate customers' dining experiences and set a new projection in the way restaurants traditionally are.
Enhancing Operational and Staff Efficiency of the Restaurant
AI is not slacking when it comes to improving the efficiency of the restaurant. Before we jump to the back-house of the restaurant, the staff also benefit from the implementation of AI. AI can ensure that there is a smooth flow of operations by monitoring food levels, automating some tasks to free up time for staff, and assisting staff scheduling and payroll management. It can also assist waitpersons in alerting them when a customer is done with their meal, so there is no need for the customer to signal them directly.
At the back-house, AI is amazing in inventory management, food preparation, and forecasting demand. This integration ensures that restaurant operations run smoothly and with minimal errors. Predictive analytics are instrumental in aligning staffing levels and inventory with actual customer demand, thus improving service quality and reducing waste.
AI is also addressing the longstanding labor challenges faced by restaurant operators. Through automation, AI can handle repetitive tasks, freeing up staff to focus on more important aspects of their jobs. This not only reduces stress and turnover but also enhances overall efficiency. AI-powered scheduling tools further optimize workforce management by aligning staff schedules with expected customer traffic, maximizing both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
The Future of Restaurants with AI Innovations
Technology will continue to advance, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Either you accept it or avoid it. However, restaurant owners who put their customers first should invest in integrating AI into their restaurants. By doing this, not only will your business reach new heights, but it will also have happy customers alongside it.
