Touchscreen ordering, self-service kiosks, headless commerce, drone delivery, and even robot waitstaff. Technology in the service industry has taken off. Before the pandemic, many businesses were getting along fine without modern tools, but now it's essential.
There are plenty of startups focused on time-saving technologies that may be useful solutions. Are these realistic or are they dreaming of a fully-automated future?
Technology in service 📱
Over the years, the way customers order their food has changed. Servers moved from a docket pad to a handheld terminal, and then tablets. Technology is now accessible enough for customers to order straight to their table via iPads and their own personal devices. People are ordering in different ways, but what about getting the food to the table?
We have already seen robots as waitstaff in Japan, and now there are eateries using robots to deliver food orders without human servers. One sushi restaurant in Brisbane uses a robotic server to deliver to booths, where customers have ordered from an iPad.
Technology in the kitchen 🧑🍳
Training robots to slice vegetables could save chefs from prep tasks and allow them to focus on the final stages of cooking and assembly. Chefs are one of the most affected groups in staff shortages, alongside senior front-of-house staff. Restaurants around the country need the help as customers return to dining out and shopping in-person.
Kitchens are full of gadgets that make it easier for chefs to create masterpieces with food science. There are now many software tools that can help with the other elements of operating a kitchen. The kitchens of the future could be even more automated.
Restaurant technology today 💡
While some of these ideas seem like they'd be better off in a sci-fi movie, there are a lot of ways that technology can help. Software to manage stock, orders, bookings, and deliveries all help make running a business easier. At Bopple we are always looking to create tools that take the complexity out of running a hospitality business. From QR codes for digital menus, to our DoorDash Drive integration, exciting ideas are always brewing.
Back to blog
