Restaurant dining hottest trends in 2020!
Restaurants have seen a massive evolution in the last few years. From simple eateries to complex experiences, there is now something for every kind of diner. And with all these developments, it can become difficult to keep track of what’s next, what’s new, and what your restaurant needs to focus on in the coming year to be as successful as possible. While it might seem confusing to keep track of all the trends emerging for 2020, here are a few that you definitely need to keep in mind as you plan the year for your restaurant:
Think about the social media aspect
The word ‘instagrammable’ either excites restaurant owners or makes them cringe. No matter which category you might fall under, there is no denying that social media plays a huge role in how customers experience food, and that’s going to continue in 2020. So while that doesn’t mean that you redesign all your offerings, think about your social media presence and what you want customers to feel when they have their meal. Small changes, even in presentation, can really help make your food stand out and contribute to a strong social media presence.
Food photography has always been around, but it has a new face now in the form of Instagram, so it is important to consider what kind of message you want your food to send, and how your patrons can generate some free publicity for you through this.
New eating patterns
Another trend that’s becoming more popular as we go into 2020 is non-traditional eating hours. We’re so used to structuring life around three set times, but people are increasingly reducing those kinds of boundaries and eating at different times. As lifestyles change and people have different schedules, expect to see traffic at what might traditionally be considered off-peak hours (i.e. late lunches, early dinners) and different kinds of eating patterns.
Not everyone is into eating large meals all at once. Some prefer eating smaller snacks throughout the day or having portions to graze on during a casual dinner, so expect to add some more variety in portion size in the new year to help address this.
Rise of online delivery
And of course, how can we discuss 2020 without discussing the ever-ubiquitous delivery apps? As more people become increasingly dependent on smartphones, coupled with busier lifestyles, the demand for online delivery is going to rise in 2020. Restaurants are going to have to be more flexible and adept at scaling operations to be able to handle deliveries. A good ecosystem therefore needs to be in place to manage and track deliveries across apps.
Because as demand for online delivery rises, more apps will come into play to dominate some of the market shares. Plus, an increasing number of restaurants are also adapting their operations to handle more food pickups (both from customers and delivery men) as apps add more options for customers to access restaurants quickly. Being able to adapt quickly will be important as well as preparing staff and resources to handle deliveries alongside walk-in patrons.
Restaurants can be competitive, difficult, and challenging – yet there’s nothing else quite like the thrill that comes with seeing diners happy and content with a delicious meal that you have worked so hard to make for them. 2020 is going to be a year filled with change as customers and technology evolve. Through social media and apps, there are a lot of ways for restaurants to boost their visibility and access new segments like never before. By incorporating some of these trends into your restaurant as the new year unfolds, you can keep customers happy and on their toes about what comes next, as well as excited about where your restaurant is poised to go in the future.