Artificial intelligence is developing at a feverish rate and becoming more and more visible in the public sphere, making it an incredibly exciting time to be a business owner or anyone for that matter! Though it’s mostly uncharted territory, for now, various technological advancements are promising to bring AI smoothly into the restaurant industry and make massive improvements in both customer-facing and back-end capacities.
Why should restaurants adopt AI?
In 2024, restaurants are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their day-to-day operations and streamline various processes. AI technologies offer a range of benefits, such as improved efficiency, cost reduction, and enhanced customer experiences.
Using AI-driven predictive analytics can aid in demand forecasting, ensuring that restaurants maintain optimal stock levels and prevent shortages. Moreover, AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can enhance customer service by handling reservations, providing menu information, and addressing queries, freeing up staff to focus on more personalised interactions.
Additionally, using AI for optimised scheduling and employee management can lead to better employee retention. AI can even assist with menu planning based on customer preferences and trending culinary styles. By incorporating AI into their operations, restaurants can not only improve efficiency but also stay competitive in an ever-evolving industry.
2024 AI Trends In The Restaurant Industry
Serving points that recognise customers
If you’ve ever gotten friendly with a barista or a customer assistant at a franchise, you’ll know how convenient it is to simply walk up and have someone set to work on “the usual” for you. Soon enough, we may see serving staff taken out of the equation. Cameras combined with biometric facial recognition software are now able to recognise regular customers at self-service kiosks and make suggestions from the menu based on a given customer’s previous orders. This kind of innovation is already a reality at American fast food chain BurgerFi. Once a customer opts in for facial recognition features, the camera will be able to recognise their likeness, transfer their order to the restaurant POS, and have it cooking in seconds!
Delivery mapping that eliminates delays
Fast food delivery is more popular than ever and has increased demand for restaurant-niche B2B services like Deliveroo POS integration. The popularity of delivery isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, so it’s becoming more and more important to ensure drivers can get to their destination quickly. GPS map apps are already being informed by aspects of artificial intelligence, and as technology becomes more aligned with the food niche, managers will find it increasingly easy to monitor a driver’s location and map out the most efficient routes.
Greater integration with inventory management
Modern EPOS systems that integrate inventory management and processing orders to suppliers are more common than ever. With the ability to compare regularly-updated order data to current stock levels, restaurant owners are fully equipped to zero-in on sources of theft and waste.
However, as any experienced restaurant manager will tell you, the business can often move so fast that it’s near impossible to spend time thinking about these things over more immediate, pressing concerns. Soon, artificial intelligence will provide the means to automate this task completely, take human error out of the equation, and give seniority one less thing to worry about.
If you’re looking for a comprehensive EPOS system to help manage your hospitality business, get in touch with our team of tech specialists to arrange a free demo. Simply email sales@3s-pos.com or request a callback.