COVID-19 Brings Changes to Restaurant Industry

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many changes to the way people view everyday life, and this is especially true for consumer behavior. A recent poll states, “76% of consumers say that COVID-19 has changed how they look at behavior in public forever” (Restaurant Business Online). These new behavioral changes are impacting dine-in restaurants in the long run, as technologies are now becoming more involved in the industry. To limit as much contact as possible restaurants are implementing “digital or online-only menus”, as well as “touchless condiment dispensers.” Ultimately, this use of technology going forward appears it will have a large impact on giving peace of mind to customers, as 64% of consumers feel that shared condiment stations are not safe (Restaurant Business Online).

Overall, moving forward I truly believe more technology will continue to be placed into the restaurant industry. Technology can effectively limit what people touch and the amount of people consumers at restaurants come in contact with. I believe items such as touchless condiment dispensers will lead to more small tech changes within dining areas over the next couple of years. Perhaps an automated cleaning system will be capable of cleaning tables after consumers finish their meals. I can also envision restaurants using fewer hosts and hostesses and resorting to technology such as tablets to limit physical contact.

Unfortunately, although all these changes are interesting, I believe the use of this technology will have real economic ramifications on restaurant workers and could potentially place people out of work. In general, with COVID-19 pushing the world to a more distant and limited contact environment, I believe technology may continue to have harsh impacts on particular jobs.

Source: https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/technology/touchless-technology-future-restaurants

17 thoughts on “COVID-19 Brings Changes to Restaurant Industry

  1. I remember in February being at the restaurant I work at the last night it was open before we had to close due to COVID. After that, things for the restaurant changed completely and only take-out was being offered. Many changes had to be made, like the ordering system online as well as how orders were inputted and sent to the kitchen. It was a very trial and error based period of time. Many other restaurants now, they give out QR codes instead of menus, so people scan them on their phones and open up the menu that way. This helps with less surfaces/items being touched. COVID hit many restaurants hard, making them have to close. For others, COVID may have been a blessing and in the future, will help the succeed. With new innovations restaurants may be more efficient than ever in the near future.

  2. It’ll be a very interesting change as the restaurant industry becomes more tech savvy. It should definitely aid in cutting down on waste and probably save restaurant owners money in the long run, however, it does seem troubling as the food industry is one of the top employers in the United States, so it will definitely disrupt the market as the changes continue, but it likely wouldn’t disrupt things as much as businesses continuing to go under as less people go to restaurants out of fear. Hopefully, these changes with automated equipment can allow for people to feel safe using the equipment, but doesn’t cut down too much on labor.
    https://restaurant.org/articles/news/restaurant-tech-to-improve-business-after-covid-19

  3. First of all, covid-19 is indeed a huge damage to the catering industry. People began to worry more about the cleanliness and hygiene of dining in restaurants.I have noticed that many restaurants have also been temporarily closed due to the outbreak even though they might have been popular before. So as you said, the introduction of these new technologies is very helpful for restaurants. However, without the introduction of these technologies, people’s distrust of public catering has also led to massive unemployment. And, with the development of technology, these skills will be introduced in all aspects (not just the catering industry). Or, in general, because of the epidemic situation and the replacement caused by the development of technology, unemployment seems inevitable. But for now, we can’t stop new technologies from joining. Because technology can bring a lot of benefits. Take restaurants, for example, and it’s not just about reducing people to people contact. At the same time, it is possible to reduce the use of resources, such as electronic order, which can reduce the consumption of paper, but also more convenient and faster, saving more time. So, for my opinion, covid-19 may be just an accelerator to introduce new technologies earlier.

    Source: https://restaurant.org/articles/news/restaurant-tech-to-improve-business-after-covid-19
    https://time.com/5820618/coronavirus-future-of-food/

  4. As it was mentioned in this post, the food and restaurant business has drastically changed recently and very quickly due to COVID-19. Restaurants that have had the chance to dine out are fortunate to have their businesses up and running again however, not all restaurants have this opportunity. Some are still closed and some are still doing delivery. Technology affecting these restaurants by becoming touch-less is beneficial as of this moment. I agree, due to covid we may be finding new technological ways to enhance ways to not interact with customers, but I believe that that may be temporary until there is a cure for this virus. In this moment as it was mentioned covid has affected many workers in the food and restaurant owning business. In the near future, I do think that many would not want their jobs taken away because technology has advanced greatly and would try anything in their power to prevent this from happening – especially consumers who go out to eat. Consumers who go out to eat would prefer to have a physical employee and interact with them then just interact with a machine or some sort of advanced technology.

  5. Overall I love this topic of discussion because the food/restaurant industry is so important in all of our lives, and the fact that it is being hit so hard by time these times leaves a lot of questions needed to be answered or already answered. As you mentioned, there are already changes for restaurants being made such as digital or online menus, and touchless condiment dispensers. These things definitely give restaurants the ability to open up and seat people, but with limited seating, restaurants seem to be losing money as they won’t serve the average amount of customers. Smaller independent restaurants have even had to go out of business, leaving “about $20 billion to $35 billion in sales up for grabs.” Something even greater needs to happen with these smaller businesses as it’s harder for them to stay afloat in this economy. One thing mentioned in the article I read was that some small businesses should share property and split the cost, while reforming their services into mainly curbside pick-up and delivery. Clearly there is a lot more information and strategy needed to perform this with the goal to create revenue, but it seems like a great idea for the time being.

    You also mention that “76% of consumers say that COVID-19 has changed how they look at behavior in public forever.” The fact that restaurants may never be the same means change needs to start happening now. Everything at this point in time seems to be unknown, but at the same time, restaurants need to plan on how their business can stay up and running in the long run. Personally I believe that things will generally go back to “normal” in 2-3 years, but that doesn’t help the fact that businesses need to profit each year, especially during this time.

    Lastly, in the world we live in now there will be a lot less restaurant employees, and eventually the technology involved to create better solutions for consumers will drive these employees out of work. For anyone who has worked or plans to work in the restaurant industry, I would suggest getting into the business of delivery since so many people want to stay away from the dangers of being out in public places.

    https://www.morganstanley.com/ideas/coronavirus-restaurant-trends

  6. I agree with you that the restaurant industry needs to apply technology to its own restaurant operating system as soon as possible. Although the application of technology will have an impact on the demand for jobs such as waiters. But it must be achieved. First of all, from the beginning of the epidemic to now, the whole economy has been greatly impacted. Many real economies are burdened with huge expenses and no income every day. And the catering industry is one of them who has suffered huge losses. The application of technology in the whole operation system is not only to reduce the possibility of customers being infected with virus, but also to provide customers with confidence and attract more customers to come to dinner.
    For example, Texas Roadhouse of State College provides online order to reduce the contact of personnel. Customers no longer need paper and pen to order without contact.
    Although I’m very satisfied at the moment, I think there is still more room for improvement in many restaurants. For example, self order kiosks and digital check presenters. Customers can get the services they need without contact, such as paying the bill, ordering, etc., and the restaurant can also save labor costs. Secondly, if the customer can be directly in the seat can pay the bill, right? This can reduce the contact between the server and the customer, and the customer’s credit card will not have contact with the virus. Customers can pay by simply inserting their credit card into a built in credit card processor.

    Source: https://restaurant.org/articles/news/restaurant-tech-to-improve-business-after-covid-19

  7. The restaurant industry has been drastically changed by the technology adapted during the times of COVID. These technological advances have been able to help restaurants adapt to fit their customers needs better. AI has started thought of for restaurant purposes. From being able to detect someone’s car who is picking up an order to changing the menu they see online based on preference this technology could lead to customers buying more. When the customer constantly has a quick experience that feels like it is geared towards just them, they want to make more purchases. This technology will be able to be extended past COVID. Online ordering has become more popular than ever and being able to perfect this experience through the use of technology will help restaurants stay in business long enough to implement more tech to help their restaurants thrive.
    Source: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/outside-insights/where-technology-fits-covid-19-response-restaurants

  8. This post makes a great point. I believe that in order for the restaurant industry to survive, they are going to have to make, and keep, some big changes. Touchless ordering, serving and condiment dispensery is popping up all over the world to adapt to Covid. I have also seen some restaurants using maniquins to make their restaurants not seem so empty even despite strict occupancy restrictions. I am in favor of keeping contactless menues. Using a QR code to look at, and sometimes even order your food is a great idea that i think will live on past the pandemic. Personally, I have struggled to get used to some new technology implementations in restaurants because of the unfamiliarity. However, I have enjoyed that Penn State introduced a really easy ordering system called Penn State Eats. It is quick and very user-friendly. It will be interesting to see if college campuses will ever go back to in-person ordering.

    Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/06/03/world-restaurants-coronavirus-adaptation/

  9. I totally agree with your points that the pandemic is a disaster to to restaurants and I also saw a great number of restaurants went bankrupt or closed down during this difficult time.

    With the restaurant began to open up, I am worry about the safty of the environment of the restaurant. How would the restaurant guarantee a safe and hygeian environment to all the customers? What regulations would these restaurant implement to maximize the safe level?

    However, there are many great measures to keep restautants as safe as possible. For example, restaurants Invest in anti-bacterial screen covers for POS systems; restaurants now recommend customers to use mobile phones to pay for the bill to reduce cash payment; restaurants are also begin to adopt virtual menus, which is also a good way to avoid contact. The pandemic accelerates the developments of new technologies, and technologies help us to reduce risks during the pandemic.
    Source: https://industrytoday.com/restaurant-technology-during-covid-19/

  10. I first hand have experienced these changes in the restaurant industry. I waitress at a huge restaurant in the summertime and to ensure the safety of not only the customers but also the staff, major precautions and rules had to be put into place. Some precautions include employees getting their temperature checked before their shifts. If the temperature is above 100 degrees, the employee must go home and get tested. My restaurant, however, did not use electronic menus. We used paper menus that would immediately be thrown out after a customer is done with it. Food runners and chefs were required to wear gloves, but waitresses and hostesses did not have to. Regarding condiments, we used packets of ketchup, mustard, mayo, salt, pepper, etc. If this pandemic continues until next summer, I believe my restaurant should side with technology to keep everyone safe.

  11. I have recently heard about the online menus and I think that that is a great start to touching less when one goes out to eat. I definitely think that the overuse of technology is going to change every environment we find ourselves in. Whether it be the park, grocery store, restaurant, school, etc. Moreover, I agree that technology is benefitting this change in all our lives to keep us safe. We are going to have to accept this new way of living as our norm.
    In an article I found restaurants seem to be accommodating to workers and their situations. Many restaurants like McDonald’s, Starbucks and Taco Bell have paid sick leave for their workers. This is a generous accommodation and will help workers not lose employment however, some companies simply can’t afford to do that which may cause a rise in unemployment. Another change that is introduced is that employees get their temperature checked pre-shift, this is a safety precaution that is being implemented as well. I also read that many restaurants will reconsider their construction to put pick up windows or make the space capable to keep social distancing. This will help make going into to public less frightening.
    What I have been witnessing is a lot of online ordering a pickup. I have done this at every place I ordered from and I didn’t have to come in contact with anyone. This new change is overall helping the environment and people to ease the spread of the virus. I agree with your statement that a lot of jobs will be lost however, I am optimistic that technology will present a new way for people to work and it will be behind a screen. Right now, everyone is understanding the struggle this time has brought to so many people, I think that it can only start to get better from here. I think it’s important that restaurants acknowledge their employee benefits and how they operate their company.

    SOURCE:
    https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/how-coronavirus-is-changing-restaurant-policies/574001/

    https://www.qsrmagazine.com/outside-insights/13-things-could-change-restaurants-after-covid-19

  12. I agree with your point that this pandemic will damage the economy for restaurants and will hurt job opportunities for waitresses and hostesses but I believe it will offer many new technologies for restaurants. As you mentioned a more distant and contactless world is needed due to the pandemic. From what I have seen the restaurant industry has been doing a great job of making its environment as safe as possible in the pandemic. I have noticed a lot less contact between people and your food. This is only possible with new technologies to do so. One restaurant that has already started this to use new technologies is called CaliBurger. As David Dorsey, writer for The News-Press, describes it “The burgers will be flipped, and the fries will be fried, by a pair of robots” (Dorsey, 2019). This came out before the Pandemic hit, but could be used much more now that we need a more distant dining operation. With robots making your food it eliminates the chance of the virus being spread by a live person cooking. I can very well see these robots taking off in the future to prevent the spread of disease and help keep restaurants open. These robots offer a safer way to prepare food in the pandemic and will offer a safer option to people who want to eat out.
    Sources
    https://www.news-press.com/story/news/in-the-know/2019/12/03/cali-burger-opens-university-village-robots-flipping-frying-in-the-know/4240280002/

  13. I agree that the COVID-19 has effected restaurants in a very negative way, but the technology and changes that have come from it may be beneficial. There is definitely going to be a new normal now in restaurants and bars after COVID-19 shut many of them down for months. The touchless menus and curbside pick-up are definitely going to be used in the future. When restaurants first started to open up again people got used to outdoor seating or just doing take out instead of sitting down at the restaurant. Before COVID-19 this was not as normal, but now I think people will try to continue their habits from quarantine and do more take out or mobile ordering. Technology with definitely play a large factor in the success of a restaurant and all restaurants are going to have to adapt to the new normal in order to make money. Technology may start to replace some of the jobs in a restaurant or bar, but in the end it may make it safer for the customers and make the business more efficient. In the article I read, it mentions popular restaurants that have shutdown due to COVID. After a vaccine is found and the rules with social distancing become less strict, this may lead to a boom of new businesses and restaurants taking over the ones that closed down. In the end, COVID-19 had negative economic effects on restaurants around the country, but the new technology used and new ways of doing things may be good for the future.

    Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/08/13/the-35-most-popular-restaurants-that-wont-reopen-after-the-pandemic/42198639/

  14. I also agree with all the points that you brought up. When restaurants were beginning to open back up in the early summer, I was so curious about what circumstances would be like when dining out. How could it be possible to stay safe and regulate all of the rules in a restaurant setting? But, all of the changes and modifications that have been made to the industry do seem to really be creating safe dine-in experiences for people. The small technological changes like the QR code, and the touch-less condiments are definitely the major aspects that you see in almost every restaurant now. Touchless payments are also a technology that really eliminates the chances of spreading germs. Being able to pay online or easily scan your card is a concept that is seen in many other places, but it is really effective. It eliminates the transfer of one of the most dirty, germ filled items possible, money. Another technological phenomenon to consider in this industry is the “contactless pick up” scene. This concept practically helped millions of restaurants stay afloat during the harsh pandemic times. Without all of the technology that goes into the ordering, creating, and picking up the food, restaurants would have been hit 10 times harder than they already were. Technology is advancing everywhere, and the pandemic seems to have made it happen at a more rapid rate than in the past.

    source: https://seventablets.com/blog/how-technology-is-changing-the-restaurant-industry/

  15. I agree with your all of your points about technology in the workplace. With the sudden COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurants were forced to make major changes in their food operations to stay sanitary and “COVID free”. While these changes mostly have been enforced by national law, I think the food world has been looking at a more technological future for quite some time now, even before this pandemic (which just sped up the inevitable). Personally, I worked as a Doordash driver this summer, and saw major changes to food pickups and deliveries. Most places now have the option to order online and just (contact freely) pick up your food right when its ready. While this is the most efficient way to serve food, I believe the unemployment rate will skyrocket, and even more Americans now will be without a job. All in all, technology in the workplace does make operations more efficient, but not without the expense of human production.

    Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/louisefron/2017/12/03/how-technology-can-transform-workplace-humanity/#77ae2b482f00

  16. I mostly agree with your argument that restaurants closing and being limited due to Covid is a bad thing for the economy. However, I think that this will be a good thing down the road. Many restaurants in the area have resorted to online menus where the customer has to look it up on their phone, or they have to scan a QR code to access the menu. The restaurants themselves will benefit greatly when this is all over because of all the costs they are cutting. If you say that restaurants will start to use less waiters and waitresses they will save money there, and the fact that they no longer need to print physical menus will save money as well. With all the extra money that they have earned I believe that they will create new features, such as expanding their restaurants to accommodate more seating. This could include a bar, in which the restaurant will need to hire more bartenders, or just more tables and booths, in which the restaurants will need more cooks to keep up with the orders. Another big thing is making sure the small restaurants stay alive because they are so entwined with communities everywhere, and that will make them the go-to for people in those communities looking for jobs. If the community supports a local business, the local business will support the community back. Despite everything I said, the article I read stated that, “The National Restaurant Association anticipates sales to decline by $225 billion during the next three months, which will prompt the loss of between five and seven million jobs” (Graham Campbell). This backs up your point of view and it is clearly happening so you cannot argue it. Overall, you make a great point in your post and it is easy to agree with, but whatever happens in the end I feel like it will work out.

    SOURCE:
    https://restauranttechnologynews.com/2020/07/how-technology-and-digital-gift-cards-can-help-restaurants-combat-the-economic-fallout-from-coronavirus/

  17. I agree that some of these changes you included will have negative effects on the economy. The use of less hosts and waitresses will most definitely spike unemployment rates if this does become the case after COVID-19. I personally have seen some of the innovations you talked about when going to a restaurant in my hometown. At many restaurants where I live, they have already implemented the online-only menus and I believe they are quite helpful and should be implemented at every restaurant. Digital or online-only menus are not only good for the environment but also could benefit people with bad eye-sight such as the elderly. With these types of menus, we are eliminating all the waste from throwing away menus when they get wet or ruined. Digital menus also help people with bad eye-sight because on a phone or other electronic device they can zoom in to read the menu better. This benefit from online menus related to the trends of technology which we talked about in class. These types of menus go along with the trend of technology becoming easier for people (to use and for convenience purposes) Another change I could see happening in the restaurant industry is a rise in the use of apps like grubhub, or uber eats. Since many people are ordering delivery during the pandemic, I feel that the practice could stay once it is over. This rise could possibly help counteract the economic backlash you stated in your post

    Source: https://medium.com/@chrishtopher.henry_38679/how-technology-is-changing-the-food-and-beverage-industry-a79d68ee462e

Leave a Reply