Restaurant Technology Trends in 2022

Charu Sharma • January 1, 2022
Person using a touchscreen POS system at a bakery counter, selecting items for a customer.

“Food is the biggest industry,” said Greg Golkin, managing partner at the Kitchen Fund, which invests in restaurant brands like Sweetgreen and Cava. “Every human on earth needs to eat roughly three meals per day.”



Restaurateurs, especially owners of SMB’s did not actually want to invest into technology because they never saw a need to. They just did not want to disrupt things and wanted to let them be as they were.

Now that things have changed, and for a long while restaurants all over the world had to shut down, they saw a need to change their systems too. Seeing people’s need and interest to order food online, everyone understood that we actually have to use technology to survive now. That being said, we are going to discuss how is the restaurant technology going to look like in the coming year, and what are the trends that would be the most prominent ones in 2022.



QR Codes


Have you ever seen those small white and black squares on menus, posters, or other printed materials? Those are, indeed, QR codes. They're popular not just because they provide a touch-free experience, but also because they're simple to use and offer a variety of advantages. There is no need to install a specific app because today's smartphones feature built-in QR Code readers with the camera. Customers would be able to follow extremely simple actions as a result of this. Restaurants can send diners to digital menus using QR codes, reducing the spread of germs between parties. Additionally, firms such as Coca-Cola are investing in touchless beverage dispensers, which reduce staff exposure. Your staff and customers should expect a safer eating experience as contactless technology becomes more widespread. QR codes seem to go a long way as far as future restaurant technology is concerned. 



Online Ordering


Not only because of the pandemic, which drove many restaurants to close their dine-in options, but also because of the convenience of online ordering, which has witnessed a considerable increase in recent months. Nowadays, people want to have their favorite delicacies delivered right to their door. Starting with the basics, a good website and app provide a solid platform on which to build. Allowing customers to pay for their online purchases straight on your website would make the process even easier. Customers will appreciate the ease with which they may order and pay for food from their computer or mobile device.



The reason why restaurants are killing it in terms of revenue via their online ordering systems is because, given the ease and revenues, online ordering systems will take a huge leap in the coming year.



Cloud Kitchen


Meal delivery orders climbed by more than 150 percent from 2019 to 2020, according to recent data, and UBS expects the food delivery business to grow more than 10 times in ten years, from $35 billion to $365 billion. As the need for food delivery grows, more restaurant owners and food entrepreneurs are looking to cloud kitchens as a viable business solution.


Cloud kitchens are centralized licensed commercial food production facilities where restaurants rent space to prepare delivery-optimized menu items. One restaurant may operate many brands or virtual restaurants under one roof, or the kitchen may function as an incubator, with different vendors sharing the space. Imagine a vast warehouse with multiple stations (mini-restaurants) of stainless steel prep tables, hood vents, burners, ovens, and sinks, each with its own set of orders flowing in from customers.



By 2023, the market for cloud kitchens is predicted to be worth $1.05 billion. People have begun to favor online platforms as a result of the digital transformation of all services.


Delivery Robots And Drones


Customers and restaurant businesses are finding their groove with AI, from burger-flipping and salad-making robots to machines that power order-taking. McDonald's bought AI business Dynamic Yield in 2019 with the intention of using the company's automated personalization product to improve the customer experience at drive-thrus. Menu options are displayed based on the time of day, weather, current restaurant traffic, and what's popular on the site. It also proposes menu add-ons based on the choices made by each consumer.

When the COVID-19 pandemic compelled people to stay at home, demand for third-party delivery services skyrocketed. While firms like UberEats and DoorDash have risen to the occasion, restaurants have an opportunity to improve delivery even further.



Automated Inventory Software Management



The marketplace is becoming increasingly competitive. Those that recognize current demands and adapt accordingly are the ones who prosper in the long run. The world is getting increasingly fast-paced and technologically dependent. Customers want increased efficiency, quick service, and high-quality items. An automated inventory system is a modern answer to the manual inventory methods numerous problems. Inventory systems are more efficient and simple to handle since they are automated, allowing management to manage activities more effectively and at a faster pace. Inventory management systems that are automated are in high demand.



Restaurant inventory management software aids in the administration of ingredient stock levels, purchase orders, recipes, and menu expenses in restaurants. The best restaurant inventory management software systems integrate with or are built into point-of-sale (POS) systems, reducing administrative time. These services range in price from $99 to $129 per month. Some tools, however, are free and have restricted functions.

This will be extremely beneficial to restaurants, since it will allow them to save money on unused food and minimize under-stocking of ingredients and other merchandise throughout the day. In addition, according to Dirk Izzo, president and GM of NCR Hospitality, they are using data for more precise forecasting to improve restaurant operations.



Wrap Up


The clear winners in any industry are those who are in touch with these shifting circumstances. Here we discussed the major restaurant technologies that we’ll be seeing in the coming year come to power, so gear up! 


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