AI is being used more and more in the foodservice industry to simplify operations, help manage labour, and offer an enhanced experience to restaurant customers. However, there are always challenges with tech adoption, so how can operators make the most out of today’s technology?
The benefits
AI offers operators the opportunity to automate time-consuming, tedious tasks to better allocate staff and keep them focused on restaurant customers.
Using this technology for ordering-taking, website chatbots, or reservations also speeds up the ordering process, cuts down on human error, and addresses customer questions quickly to enhance the guest experience.
Recently, OpenTable announced a partnership with slang.ai to offer restaurants AI-powered service to partners in the U.S. and Canada. Restaurants leveraging Slang.ai’s AI platform have reported staff call volume has been reduced by 50 per cent, allowing better labour management and a more efficient customer reservation experience.
AI can also help restaurants with customized guest menus and suggested selling to boost the bottom line, while cutting costs by limiting waste with improved inventory management and insight into reduced energy usage.
In addition, with AI-powered tools for data analysis and predictive maintenance, restaurants can gain insights into customer preferences and behaviour. This data can be used to get to know customers better, create targeted marketing campaigns, menu design, increase loyalty, and more.
The challenges
AI isn’t without its challenges, though. The initial investment can be a deterrent for some businesses, as well as the costs to adopt, update, and maintain the tech side of the business. With these costs also comes training, integrating new systems with the existing ones, and upping cybersecurity.
Using more technology can reduce human contact, and that can also be a concern for operators. Building a relationship with customers is the key to repeat business and loyalty, so this is also an issue to consider.
Consumers seem to have mixed feelings about AI adoption in restaurants, with 30 per cent of consumers considering AI an “unwanted evolution,” while 34 per cent saying it is a “nice-to-have.” Just 16 per cent feel that this technology is a “must-have” for restaurants, and only 16 per cent are excited about AI-powered drive-thrus.
As technology continues to evolve and improve, operators will need to weigh their tech adoption carefully as they strive to maximize margins and continue to provide exceptional guest experiences.
