Most restaurant guests still want a traditional, tech-free experience when dining out, a survey conducted by US culinary school Escoffier has revealed.
Almost two-thirds (64%) of US diners prefer dealing with a human being to robot waiters or ordering via a tablet.
Depending on the technology, however, and the demographics in question, some consumers may be open to new technology.
Some tech options have already become the preferred choice for a clear majority of customers, data from the National Restaurant Association (NRA) reveals.
65% of full-service (ahem!) restaurant customers would likely use a tablet at the table to pay their check; slightly fewer - 60% - said they would use it to place their order.
Diners were cooler on QR codes; while 59% said they would use a QR code to pull up a menu, fewer than half would use a QR code to pay their check (46%) or place an order (48%).
Escoffier’s analysis showed that, as with many tech-centred questions, there is a generational divide.
Whereas 64% of adults overall want to keep technology out of restaurants, for Millennials that figure falls to 47%.
Likewise, Millennials are also the most enthusiastic about the idea of food being prepared (45% in favour) and delivered (58% in favour) by automated systems/robots, whereas the adult population as a whole is less so (29% and 37% respectively).
If I go out to eat I want a “hospitality” experience. A tablet can’t answer questions.
I won’t do QR codes. If you can’t bring me a menu I will choose to dine elsewhere.
But if you can’t afford to turn away customers in a super-competitive environment then good luck to you.
Image: Aditya Mohan, Scop.io
