INtouch
PO Box 7577, Columbia, SC 29202
NOVEMBER 2023
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID COLUMBIA, SC PERMIT 168
Restaurants Need to Evolve to Meet Customers Changing Needs
Nominate Your Star Employees Today The South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (SCRLA) is hosting its 71st Annual Stars of South Carolina Hospitality Awards Gala on February 20th at the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston. The Stars of South Carolina Hospitality Industry Awards celebrate the exceptional professionalism and outstanding service of top individuals in the hospitality industry. These individuals go above and beyond to contribute to the positive image of the hospitality industry while also being confronted with supply and labor shortages. The awards program offers hotel and restaurant operators the opportunity to honor outstanding employees, providing not only recognition within the company, but a further acknowledgement of their contribution to a South Carolina business. There are 13 individual award categories and 5 open award categories. Nominations for the event open on November 10.
November 2023 • SCRLA.org
The future of the restaurant industry will be shaped by consumer demand for convenience and frictionless digital experiences. That takeaway was a key point in “The Future of Restaurants: The New Normal and Beyond,” a new survey from Deloitte released June 19. Restaurant dining has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, Deloitte reported, with 55% of the 750 survey respondents saying they are dining out as much or more than they did pre-COVID. But some behavior has shifted. 37% of dine-in guests and 40% of takeout customers are looking for less expensive options along with promotions and discounts. Higher quality products are less of a driver than value, with quality resonating with only 19% of dine-in guests and 15% of takeout. But 60% of consumers said they are unlikely to accept lesser quality when ordering takeout food. iA strong majority of consumers—87%—believe a delivery fee of $5 or less is fair for the convenience it brings. More than half of respondents (52%) indicated they would order from a ghost kitchen that offers takeout and delivery only. Contactless delivery has maintained prominence since the pandemic, enabling faster deliveries; 53% of respondents receive contactless delivery more than half the time. Voice-automated ordering systems are gaining acceptance,
with 79% of consumers saying they would be somewhat likely to use them for drive-thru orders, 74% for phone systems and 70% for dine-in. “The restaurant industry is emerging from the pandemic with a menu full of opportunities to serve its customers, both in the dining room and off-premise,” said Jean Chick, principal with Deloitte Consulting and U.S. restaurant and food service leader. “With large-scale changes on the horizon, driven by advanced technologies and ongoing shifts in consumer demands and preferences, we can expect restaurants to look dramatically different in 10 years. As a result, restaurants should consider implementing various offerings that enable consumers to maximize the dining experience and set up their operations for long-term growth.”
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