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With the increasing presence of new technologies, the customer experience has changed a lot when ordering a meal or a drink in a restaurant or even a hotel service inrecent years. Whether using a printed menu, with the waitstaff, reading the daily choices on a slate on the wall or via a digital ordering system, all the ways of ordering come together in the restaurant of today. The trend to introduce more and more technologies into the restaurant and hotel ecosystem is still very present and far from decreasing. What will the restaurant of the future look like?
📲 Digital or Paper Menu, What Are the Advantages?
Today, it is possible to notice that there is a trend to gradually replace printed menus by menus in fully digital format, which gives many advantages as well as being more hygienic.
➥A more hygienic option
Less frequent handling of printed menus leads to a reduced risk of contamination from germs and bacteria, making digital menus a much more hygienic option for both employees and customers. In addition, the task of disinfecting customers’ areas by waitstaff is reduced to meet existing health codes in place and therefore frees up more time for service staff to serve customers.
➥Saving costs while becoming greener
Changing a paper menu or a wine list leads to a significant cost, both in terms of time and finances, since everything must be reprinted and changed every time. By opting for digital menus, restaurants can make significant savings in the long term and adopt eco-responsible behaviour by limiting the use of residual materials.
➥An ever-improving customer experience
Digital menus reduce the need for staff to move frequently to distribute printed menus. Accessible via a QR code close to customers, these menus are available as soon as they arrive, avoiding trips and waiting times. This efficiency frees up time that can be used to improve the overall customer experience in the establishment.
➥A menu that is always clean, professional and worthy of your brand
Seeing products scratched on a menu by a black marker does not give customers the feeling of being in a professional, or even upscale establishment. Your menu also represents the quality of your brand, which is why it is beneficial for you to always offer a visually pleasing and up-to-date menu, which is easier to achieve with a digital menu.
➥Simplified management when making changes to the menu
Updating menus, particularly managing product availability, is a major challenge. Digital menus make it easy to remove missing products with just a few clicks on a computer, eliminating the need to rewrite the establishment's paper menus. This facility considerably reduces the risk of customer disappointment in the event of a stock shortage. In a sector where time is precious and labour shortages persist, it is preferable to concentrate on service tasks that add value to the customer experience.
Technology combined with human service: an optimal customer experience. Professionals in the restaurant, hotel and bar industry have said that service staff will always be essential, that human contact is here to stay, but that doesn't mean that technology should be neglected. It should be seen as a new working tool that will reduce energy-consuming tasks, improve customer relations and reduce stress for employees. It's impressive that technologies already exist to help in the restaurant, hotel and bar industry.
See how Alfred's digital menus designed specifically for the restaurant, bar and hospitality industry can help you optimise your customer experience and management on many levels.
