The restaurant industry is a subset of the catering industry where consumers can order food and dine on the property (Susskind et al. 199). Even though the restaurant sector has historically been sluggish in implementing new technologies and digital approaches, the COVID-19 pandemic altered that in recent years forcing restaurant establishments to seek beyond the conventional ways. Therefore, as restaurants modify their practices to not only exist but also flourish in this emerging digital and cashless world, technological innovation has helped and even salvaged them to grow and operate effectively. Technological advancement in restaurants has been demonstrated in a restaurant that my friend visited in China, where restaurant guests would interact with the least physical interactions possible through smartphones, particularly for tasks like checking in and managing room keys (Labus and Jelovac 56). A contactless customer journey made it an even more productive and efficient encounter that guests appreciated. Mobile check-ins enable more flexibility when guests check-in, minimizing the need for face-to-face customer interactions, which is especially important in this Covid era.
They had already deployed AI-powered concierges where they had a robot that interacted with checking-in guests and educated visitors on fascinating sites and surrounding attractions, proving that restaurants are incorporating technology (Tuomi et al. 235). The restaurant had voice commands implanted as part of a new initiative for voice-activated insertion in its rooms, allowing customers to seamlessly regulate the lighting, air conditioning, heating, and ventilation of their accommodations (Berezina et al. 200). This is a significant improvement from the typical system where one has to adjust the air condition manually or call an attendant of the hotel to adjust it manually, proving that restaurants are slowly digitalizing most of their tasks. Overall, technologies offer innovative ways for restaurants to stand out from the competition and for them to manage their tasks more effectively. Consequently, it frees up extra time and effort to concentrate on dazzling guests with exquisite meals and unique exceptional experiences.
Works Cited
Berezina, Katerina, et al. “Robots, Artificial Intelligence, and Service Automation in Restaurants.” Robots, Artificial Intelligence, and Service Automation in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality, 2019, pp. 185–219.
Labus, Pero, and Dejan Jelovac. “Restaurants: Applying an Extended Technology Acceptance Model.” Acta Turistica, vol. 34, no. 1, 2022, pp. 51–82.
Susskind, Alex M., et al. “9. Guests’ Reactions to Tabletop Technology in Full-Service Restaurants.” The Next Frontier of Restaurant Management, 2019, pp. 194–202.
Tuomi, Aarni, et al. “Applications and Implications of Service Robots in Hospitality.” Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, vol. 62, no. 2, 2020, pp. 232–247.