Foodservice 2025: Report predicts restaurant industry’s robotic future

Six European countries, including the UK, were examined by the F&B industry chair of the École Hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland, for a new study designed to anticipate future industry trends and in particular the purchasing power of restaurant managers.

Geeky restaurants​

The report suggests three types of restaurants will exist in 12 years’ time – geeky restaurants, green restaurants and latecomers.

Geeky restaurants will demonstrate proficiency in IT using it to improve supplier relationships, while green restaurants will attract consumers interested in environment or nutrition through personalised menus and long-term supplier relationships.

Latecomers, on the other hand, will have not adapted to IT or sustainable practices with some exploiting a niche market for nostalgic consumers.

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Robotic​

While advising suppliers to invest in technology, offer local produce and guarantee food safety, the report’s authors said geolocation, augmented reality, holography and robotics would revolutionise restaurants.

“The foodservice industry will be one of the sectors with the lowest profit margin rate, and the external pressures it must face will be huge. The decrease in the consumers’ purchasing power and free time will force restaurants to modify,” the report said.

“Consumers will face two major problems: a tight budget and lack of time. Restaurant selection will be facilitated, even managed, by smartphones and virtual experiences,” the report suggested, predicting the following developments:

• Augmented reality restaurants – videos or virtual experiences to allow potential diners to experience the atmosphere.
• Cooking by mechanical devices or robots.
• Voice-recognition technology in, for example, coffee machines.

For more on how technology could impact and benefit your hospitality business in the future, check out our technology feature all next week on BigHospitality.​