Lawrence Snapp, CEO and Board Member at Bryj Technologies, Inc., discusses the importance of integrating digital technologies into the dining industry. Mobile apps are becoming increasingly popular in restaurants, allowing businesses to tap into new markets, improve internal operations, and meet the changing needs of consumers who are accustomed to using online platforms. Research shows that 71% of consumers prefer restaurant-specific websites or mobile apps over third-party solutions due to lower costs, convenience, and personalized loyalty benefits.
Successful restaurants and restaurant groups have adopted mobile apps that allow customers to view menus, place orders, join reward programs, make reservations, and pay. These apps help improve the dining experience, drive loyalty, and lead to growth, setting a precedent for the rest of the food service industry to adopt mobile-first strategies to enhance their businesses. As consumers’ demands for digital experiences increase, restaurants must adapt by blending physical and digital experiences to cater to their evolving needs.
Restaurants are exploring new ways to blend physical and digital experiences, such as using QR codes on dining tables to allow customers to view menus virtually and enabling features like click-and-collect to improve convenience and flexibility. By adopting an omnichannel approach, businesses can gather valuable customer data, create interactive experiences, and cater to the preferences of modern consumers. Mobile apps are essential for engaging tech-savvy consumers and optimizing operations in the food industry.
Some key features that drive the restaurant industry’s mobile apps include online ordering and mobile payment options, exclusive rewards, code scanning, subscription services, and beacons and GPS for location-based marketing. These features enhance the customer experience, drive loyalty, increase sales, and promote customer engagement. Subscription-based models offer a steady revenue stream and foster long-term customer relationships, while location-based technologies drive foot traffic to restaurants through push notifications and promotions sent to nearby customers.
Restaurants should look for an end-to-end mobile app solution that meets the demands of the modern dining experience, providing a personalized experience, faster retrieval of data, and increased opportunities for engagement. Mobile apps offer a superior user experience compared to mobile websites, providing restaurants with a powerful tool to build effective digital strategies and drive business growth. Security, connectivity to systems, reliability, continuous improvement, AI analytics, and marketing tools should be key considerations when developing a mobile app for restaurants, especially for large chains.
Looking towards 2024 and beyond, restaurants must continue to invest in technologies that meet present demands and anticipate future needs in the dining industry. Those who leverage mobile apps and successfully navigate the intersection of digital and physical experiences can emerge as leaders in a competitive market, ensuring the longevity and success of their businesses in the digital age. Lawrence Snapp’s insights provide valuable guidance for businesses looking to thrive in the ever-evolving restaurant industry.
