Technology integration is essential to the dining experience today, with 79 percent of consumers indicating they expect to be able to use technology to order at most casual restaurants, reports HungerRush, a restaurant industry cloud software provider that recently released "The RushReport: The 2023 Restaurant Consumer Experience Report."
The report was conducted in August 2022 and evaluated 1,000 U.S. adult consumers to give insight into how consumers feel about restaurant industry changes.
This year restaurants and consumers alike have experienced tightened budgets, resources, and flexibility when it comes to dining out. As a result, today’s consumers are choosing quick service restaurants over fine dining, options closer to home, and are eating out less frequently.
“While restauranteurs cannot control every factor in this changing landscape, there are notable ways in which they can address and improve operations to elevate the guest experience and stand out in today’s competitive and ever-changing market,” said Perry Turbes, CEO of HungerRush, in a statement. “From initial search and discovery, through the ordering and post-meal engagement, consumers want a seamless and personalized experience catered to their individual needs. This connected restaurant experience is critical to success for today’s restaurants and right at the center of our strategy as a technology partner to them.”
The report also found that being online isn’t enough: a strong digital footprint and multichannel strategy are critical for a restaurant’s survival. About 60 percent of Americans who eat out or takeout food, say one of the first places they look when deciding on a new restaurant is Yelp and/or Google reviews, and 85 percent say it’s important to be able to easily find reviews and information online about restaurants. This means these businesses need a digital footprint and visibility across multiple channels to engage and communicate with consumers.
Half of Americans who dine out have stopped going to certain restaurants because they aren’t staffed properly, signaling the impact of labor shortages. The report also found that 82 percent of consumers who do eat out or order takeout believe restaurants need to improve how they manage labor shortages.
The push for eating out less frequently and opting for local establishments is likely due to inflation and elevated gas prices. Because of inflation, half of Americans who dine out or order takeout say they are eating out less frequently, with 44 percent choosing more affordable options such as fast-casual or to-go options. Higher gas prices are driving location preferences, with 44 percent of consumers choosing restaurants closer to their homes.
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