The restaurant industry has been on a roller coaster for nearly two years, as changes fueled by COVID-19 continue to unfold at a rapid pace. Deloitte's new report, "The Restaurant of the Future: A Vision Evolves," examines how consumer demand for convenience, digital experiences, and safety are permanently influencing restaurants' business models.
"The pandemic has accelerated the progress of the restaurant of the future, calling for fundamental shifts in business models to meet new demands," said Jean Chick, principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP, and U.S. restaurant and food service leader, in a statement. “Now, amid continued pressures in areas like supply chain, safety-related costs, and labor availability costs, restaurants should work strategically to build loyalty among on-premises and off-premises diners. Those that can quickly adapt and meet diners' evolving demands for convenience, frictionless digital experiences and safety can be poised to not only survive, but thrive.”
The report is based on a survey of 1,000 Americans fielded in September 2021, who had ordered from a restaurant within the last three months.
The key takeaways are:
• Almost two-thirds (64 percent) of consumers do not plan to return to their pre-pandemic habits of dining in restaurants within the next six months.
• Convenient off-premises dining has emerged as a permanent fixture in the restaurant experience: 61 percent of consumers order takeout or delivery at least once per week, up from 29 percent one year ago and 18 percent prior to the pandemic.
• Demand for frictionless digital experiences continues to be at the top of the menu. More than half (57 percent) of consumers ordering takeout or delivery prefer to use a digital app; nearly two-thirds (67 percent) of on-premise diners prefer to order their food digitally.
• One-third of consumers say enhanced cleanliness and safety protocols are important in returning to on-premises dining sooner and more frequently.
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