“Vegetables’ turn from supporting players to centre-of- the-plate stars is one of the most salient menu trends of the future” Charles Banks


porting players to centre-of-the-plate stars is one of the most salient menu trends of the future, across foodservice industry seg- ments. In fine-dining restaurants and casual diners alike, vegetable centric choices will rise in prominence.


The next time you try to grab a table for two at your town’s chicest restau- rant, be prepared for a new greeting from the maître d’: “Tickets, please!” We expect to see more fine-dining estab- lishments to eschew traditional reserva- tions for ticketing systems. By employing all-inclusive prix-fixe meal passes to “sell out” dining rooms months in advance it will circumvent the no-shows, which cost businesses and pressurise establishments to raise prices for other diners to recoup their costs. With regard to trending cuisines, Ameri- can continues its march with no sign of abat- ing, also Korean together with other South East Asian cuisines as well as Modern Medi- terranean. Also look out for Persian, Israeli, German and Austrian – expect to see con- temporary schnitzel on menus in 2015.


Peter Backman Managing director, Horizons


Technology


The speed of change in technology, for both consumer-end and business-end use, represents a


massive challenge to food service operators. Not only do businesses need to keep up to date, but they need to continue to adapt to consumer’s ever-changing demand for tech- nological advances, and operators also need to find ways to incorporate technology in ways that will enhance their business. One of the biggest areas of technologi-


cal change over the next few years will be in booking, ordering and paying, all of which will move towards mobile technology as con- sumers look to do all these things quickly, efficiently and securely through phones and tablets – and even watches. Mobile technology is already being used by many (but not yet enough) operators for messaging news on deals, menu changes, availability and opening hours, as well as conveying information like nutritional con- tent, food provenance and seasonality. Wine lists and menus are being presented in tablet form too – providing the opportu- nity to move away from printed menus and offer more information as well as being eas- ily updated. These advances will continue to be rolled out – and perhaps there will come a time when we’ll all look at the menu before we go to a restaurant, choose and book our table, like we do cinema tickets, and order pre-din- ner drinks ready for our arrival. Apps represent one of the biggest areas


of growth and operators need to ensure they are part of this development. Like it or loathe it, online reviews will become increas- ingly important as will apps appealing to particular audiences. Apps will offer restau-


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rants with free tables tonight, with particu- lar dishes, with special deals, where you can take the kids, or pay under a certain price per head – the opportunities are endless. The continuing emergence of a younger generation, which is coming into the mar- ket, will change the technological goal posts. Operators must keep up with this as today’s teenagers become tomorrow’s high-spending consumers. As these people come through the pipeline they bring with them a whole new way of working. Establishments must communicate and build a direct relationship with them on these terms – and keep up with the fast pace of change they will bring. Mobile communication, particularly in


pubs and casual dining, will also extend to table-to-table communication devices in eating-out establishments. How many times have you wondered what someone on another table has ordered? Or wanted to ask whether they’d recommend their dish? Soon we’ll be able to do just that. Restaurants and pubs will have to stake their place in the mobile world. This is a sphere through which they can convey their business principles, personality and role in the wider community. Online is becoming the window through which the eating-out audience views your business and it’s a way to create and mould the image you want your business to have. It’s also a platform that operators cannot afford to ignore.


“Apps represent one of the biggest areas of growth and operators need to ensure they are part of this development ” Peter Backman


September 2014 | Restaurant Insight Report


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