A whistle-stop tour: the trends and tech changing the face of hospitality in 2020

What better time is there to reflect on the trends and tech changing the face of hospitality, than at the beginning of a new decade? In such a fast paced and growing industry there are so many factors that could play a part in the success of your business. On that note, here’s a whistle-stop tour of some of the things you should consider to guarantee a successful 2020.

The importance of customer experience

What do we mean when we talk about customer experience in hospitality? The truth is, it includes a whole host of things. The service a customer receives when they visit a restaurant or bar, the process and means by which they make a booking or how they place an order… the list goes on.

Instagram influencers

Are your dishes ‘insta-worthy’? With the rise of social media and the influencers that come with it, there’s no hiding when it comes to how you present your food.

To stay ahead of the game in a world where 69% of millennials take a photo of their food before eating it, restaurants have almost no choice but to incorporate it into their marketing strategy.

Advancement of technology

The advancement in technology goes hand in hand with the increased importance of customer service. In fact, you could go as far to say that this, combined with employee happiness, are the sole reasons technology has become so crucial in the hospitality industry.

The list of new tech available to restaurateurs isn’t a short one. For instance, we’re using AI to help our clients accurately forecast demand and perfect their staffing levels. This can be combined with other revolutionary tech such as the in-service, voice-enabled technology from our partners SevenRooms, to help the restaurateurs amongst you take your level of service above and beyond your competitors. 

And then there’s in-app ordering. An offering that’s becoming increasingly popular in pubs, bars and restaurants but doesn’t come without its operational challenges. 

Rise of the plant based diet

Consumer tastes are changing and your menu needs to keep up with them. With the number of vegans in Great Britain having quadrupled between 2014 and 2019, many restaurateurs are feeling the pressure to add meat free options to their offering.

And it’s not just the meat free dishes that are becoming more popular; many consumers are opting for the most sustainable, local and environmentally friendly choices, so there’s a lot to consider.

Use of delivery services

With UberEats and Deliveroo now household names, many restaurants who didn’t previously offer a delivery service have had to seriously think about doing so; especially as so many of their competitors and consumers have adopted the service. In fact, 26% of those asked said that the introduction of delivery services makes them less likely to eat out so the decision they make could substantially affect success.

Low and no alcohol drinks

When we think of drink trends, many of us think of alcoholic drinks. Previously we’ve seen an increase in the popularity of gin and Aperol Spritz; but with 2019 came the introduction of a new found love for low and no alcohol drinks.

With sales of the likes of alcohol free spirits up 407% at the beginning of 2019 vs the previous period, will the popularity of alcohol free drinks continue to grow or will next year bring another trend to the drinks industry?

In our most recent eBook on ‘the trends and tech changing the face of hospitality’, we delve even further into all of these points. From Instagram influencers and rise of the plant based diet, to trends in tech and the importance of customer experience; we expand on how these developments are changing the face of the industry. Giving you the insight you need to make the best decisions for your pub, bar, cafe or restaurant business in 2020. 

Download the eBook