Have you ever ordered a dish at a restaurant but when it came to your table, it wasn’t quite what you expected? Or browsed a menu, uninspired by the text descriptions of what you saw listed? Meghan Kavanaugh, content marketing manager with Providence-based Upserve, which makes restaurant-management software, comments on how augmented reality may be a next step.
PBN: Can you briefly take us through how augmented-reality technology can enhance the restaurant industry?
The Most Undervalued Asset in Business: The Right Connection
By Emilio DiSpirito IV License Partner | Private Office Advisor Engel & Volkers Oceanside www.DiSpiritoteam.com…
Learn More
KAVANAUGH: Augmented reality can enhance the customer experience by offering novelty along with function. The New York-based Bareburger used AR to bring its menu to life, running a Snapchat integration with AR food menu app Kabaq that featured a scannable coupon alerting customers to new burgers on the menu.
Customers were able to virtually hold the burger in their hands before they had even ordered it. But it’s more than just a gimmick; AR can drive serious sales for restaurants. Kabaq has found that diners who are able to view AR desserts on a tablet at their table end up ordering 25 percent more than those looking at a standard menu alone.
PBN: How does it work, exactly?
KAVANAUGH: Apps [such as] Snapchat make it easy for restaurant guests to participate in the latest AR developments. Once a restaurateur has uploaded images of the food using apps [such as] Kabaq, which require a number of photographs from different angles, diners can simply scan a code to get access to the virtual menu. To be even more inclusive, some restaurants have tablets available for diners to use right at the table.
PBN: Are you aware of any downsides so far in this new technology?
KAVANAUGH: Any new technological development comes with some growing pains. There’s the initial setup and potential cost of purchasing new software or hardware, [such as] a high-definition camera to take quality shots of each dish, for example. Resources also have to be allocated to train staff and get the message across to customers so that they’re not only intrigued enough to stop in for dinner but able to participate with little to no coaching. But even given these potential speed bumps, AR has a future in many industries, especially food service.
PBN: How might this change the role of restaurant waitstaff?
KAVANAUGH: With the introduction of every new restaurant technology, there is always speculation around how it will change, or even replace, the need for waitstaff. We’ve seen that happen in our own industry with the development of point-of-sale and analytics systems that capture valuable operations data – such as the most popular menu items, dishes that are consistently a hit with regulars and customer preferences.
But while this data is hugely beneficial to restaurant owners and can enhance the overall experience, it will never fully replace the need for a human touch. Servers may be called upon to help guests get online with the virtual menus but even as technology becomes more advanced, people will still expect top-notch service and a personal experience. A restaurant could have the most mouth-watering virtual menu, but if food or service quality wavers, guests won’t come back.
PBN: How widespread is this AR technology so far across the country?
KAVANAUGH: AR’s presence in U.S. restaurants is preliminary. I’m not familiar with any such restaurants in Rhode Island that are using AR, but restaurants in major metropolitan areas [such as] New York and Los Angeles are beginning to roll out these kinds of experiences.
Major chain restaurants and quick-serve establishments are traditionally early adopters of technology, so I’d expect to see them have a growing use of AR in the next couple of years.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.
