Restaurant News Roundup: July 2018

From Gen Z dining demands to robots improving customer satisfaction, July was filled with restaurant news you won’t want to miss. Off-premise dining continues to be one of the hottest industry trends and we have the latest news to share with you. It was hard to narrow it down to just a few stories but we think you’ll enjoy our choices. Below is a recap of restaurant news that hit the wire in July.

Restaurants Must Embrace Online Delivery, and Fast 

Over the next five to 10 years, delivery is forecast to account for $75.9 billion in gross merchandise volume, making it a major opportunity for restaurants. Online food delivery businesses like GrubHub, Uber Eats, Postmates and others make it easy to place orders and effectively train diners to think differently about the occasions for which delivery is a logical option. Restaurants can’t afford to be cautious about adapting delivery offerings and need to move quickly. Check out this article to see how major players in the delivery space are transforming their business.  

Gen Z is Driving Restaurant Growth and Relevance 

Watch out millennials, it’s time to focus on the next generation – Gen Z. Gen Z, those who are born between mid-90’s to early 2000s, on average spend $1 out of every $5 eating out according to data gathered by GP PRO. Based on their spending habits, this generation plays a major role in driving restaurant sales, growth and relevance. Gen Zers expect their favorite restaurants to adapt to technology, be authentic, and exercise social responsibility. Read this story to further explore how Gen Z engages with their favorite restaurant brands.     

Off-Premise Sales are Altering HR Departments 

With the influx of off-premise sales, restaurant operators are having to consider the effects on all aspects of their business and this includes HR and hiring decisions. Employees with all skill sets need to be prepared and knowledgeable about the processes in place for the drive-thru, walk-up and delivery. Check out this article where industry expert and Senior Editor of NRN, Ron Ruggles provides an overview of how off-premise sales are altering HR departments.  

Customer Satisfaction with Restaurants is up. Thank the Robots. 

Technology, technology, technology – it’s helping improve operations and customer satisfaction. Operators who are embracing new technology like online and mobile ordering, automated kiosks, and tableside payments are reaping the benefits of such adoptions. Read more about how and why we should all be thanking the robots in this article.  

The Bag Versus The Box 

The on-demand world we are living in is getting even more on-demand. While off-premise delivery in the restaurant industry has historically been the legendary pizza pie – now food on-demand encompasses so much more. In this article, Noah Glass, Founder & CEO of Olo defines on-demand commerce and how “offline retailers in every retail segment forge a thoughtful strategy to win back the on-demand consumer by offering the most convenient experience possible, the restaurant industry’s success with on-demand commerce shines a light on the happy path forward.” Subscribe to the blog for more interesting restaurant content!

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About the Author

Chrisea Chosta is QSR’s Product Marketing Manager. Chrisea graduated from Western Kentucky University and works to launch new product initiatives and develops product resources. In her spare time, you can find her spending time with family, her chocolate and black labs, and aimlessly walking down every aisle of Target.