Restaurant diners would welcome tech to speed up service

23 October 2014 by
Restaurant diners would welcome tech to speed up service

Restaurant visitors hate waiting, particularly for their food to arrive, new research has shown, and almost half would welcome technology to help speed up the process.

Diners do not like waiting when ordering, paying, or waiting for their food, a study from market insights group CGA Peach and hospitality technology company Zonal Retail Data has shown, although many consumers would be interested in using their mobile devices to speed up orders, such as paying via an app.

The poll asked 5,000 people, who had eaten out in the past six months, about their restaurant preferences. It found that almost half of consumers (47%) said waiting for food is their biggest frustration when eating out. Almost a quarter (24%) said that their order being taken incorrectly was their biggest annoyance.

Similarly, one in six (17%) said that not being able to pay quickly and move on is a major source of frustration.

However, over a third (34%) of consumers would like to use their mobile devices to speed up ordering, a figure that soars to 54% among 18 to 24-year-olds, and stays at 51% among 18 to 44-year-olds. The technology mentioned could also apply to booking and payment.

Zonal Retail Data Systems chief executive Stuart McLean, said: "Competition is fierce, and people know that if their restaurant or pub doesn't give them speed and convenience, there are plenty of others who will. We need to make life for our customers as easy as possible, and the brands that identify the systems and processes to achieve that will be the ones that win the race."

Hospitality has been slow at adopting technology >>

Poll finds UK diners prefer British-style food >>

Poll shows flexible in-room entertainment key to hotel guest satisfaction >>

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