Just 20 years ago, customers only dined out to celebrate a special day or occasion. But today we have become busier, salaries have increased and more convenience is desired in our lifestyles. The rapid growth of digitalization has also enabled a quicker exchange of information and more ways to communicate.
From a research report this year, Australians spent $45.3 billion on dining out in the past year, which is 50% more than 7 years ago and 125% more than 30 years ago (see Diagram 1). Since 2010, people have increased the frequency which they dine out (see Diagram 2).
At the end of June 2007, we had a choice of 13,987 cafe/restaurant businesses. In 2017, the number of choices has grown 3 times, that is about 42,456 cafes and restaurants.
Our eating habits and choices available have drastically changed over the last three decades. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons.
What do we look for as a customer?
- Quality food
“We are leaving ‘fast food’ behind as we move to towards quality over quantity.” — Future food
Just decades ago, it was the mums and the wives who cooked at home. But today there are more women than ever are in the workforce and we often don’t want to spend an hour or two planning and buying their ingredients, then another hour to cook the food each day. Restaurants can cook you up a delicious meal within an hour whilst you relax, eat and socialise. And if you’re in a rush, there’s delivery, which significantly reduces the meal preparation and cook time.
The evolving taste of the food and trying something new has also encouraged us to eat out. The food is often quite different from what you’d cook at home. How often would you cook up soft shell crab burgers with yam fries and a lemon tart for one meal?
Healthier food has also become a priority for Australians and we can see that restaurants have adapted for this change such as gluten free and vegan dishes. Have you noticed?
- Socialisation
We believe that some people dine out purely for the food. But there’s an increasing number of us who perceive dining out as a social event and experience. Family gatherings, casual meetings, work meetings and birthday parties often happen in a restaurant or venue with food of some sort today.
“Eat and tweet.”
“Eat and tweet” is now the norm in our daily life. Customers like to share their food with their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter friends. Mobile has enabled our sharing process to be so much easier and quicker. With so many of us sharing food photos, online has become a place where we’re constantly looking for that trendy, different place to eat out at with our friends or family so we can tell others about our experience.
- Experiences
“A place to see and be seen”.
Dining out is also about being at “a place to see and be seen”. For example, brunch is more expensive than breakfast or lunch at home. Yet, many of us have brunch dates scheduled on the weekends and sometimes weekdays. A glass of wine in a bar is almost the same price as a bottle of wine in a liquor shop, but yet we still like to go out for Friday or “Sunday arvo” drinks.
Food is no longer seen just as fuel for the body. Some restaurants have millions of followers on Instagram because of their “picture-worthy presentation” of food and perhaps cutlery and interior decor, not just the delicious food. “Friendly staff”, “pretty food”, “cozy environment” and “personalised service” also appeared in the high star rating reviews. Today, we like spending money on experiences in a restaurant, not only on the food. It all plays a part together and, if done well, we’ll be sure to let our friends and colleagues know about it. It gives us something to talk about.
How can restaurants continuously meet the customers’ changing expectations?
As the dining out behaviours are influenced by our changing expectations, restaurants need to be finding ways to give us an excuse to try them or keep us coming back. But they also need to make sure we know about it, understand what we’re looking for and build a great relationship with us. So here’s a few tips:
- Make your menu more searchable
When the MasterChef started, people learnt a new dimension to food, became aware about food trends and changed their expectation of the food industry. We saw how it was possible for “normal people” to cook like a “professional” and we were educated on different cooking techniques and ingredients. As a result, we naturally compared and started to look out for this in our dine out experiences. So why not make it easier for people find your trendy food creations online and find out what they’re interested in? A mobile-friendly, searchable menu is far more quicker to find than a PDF menu. The real-time data from a digital menu will help you understand the customer behaviours and adjust your menu offering as often as you like
2. Make your customers “feel good”
Making customers “feel good” should be part of experience in your venue and is a free marketing strategy. We are more likely to share those “special moments” online and instantly the restaurants also get exposure from this. But with so many food and dining out posts online, what will attract me to one temptation over the others? Restaurants should consider their venue interior decor down to the detail of cutlery and tableware to make their customer experiences at the place “photo-worthy”.
The story behind a dish or a restaurant is a also good way to get more “likes” and make your customers feel good (eg. the name of the local farmer that the produce came from). Just add it to the dish’s description. With a social menu, this can be done in a few seconds but shared with several thousands online increasing the opportunity for giving more that “feel good” moment when they dine out.
3. Create better first impressions
Our journey of “dining out” starts online, mostly from Google or some search engine. 80% of customers search the menu before they dine at a restaurant. And a good first impression online will bring the customers in and make the whole dining process more enjoyable. If the customer is treated well, the experience will never end. The customer will leave a good star rating, tell others and likely return again for a great experience.
4. Personalise your service
“It’s the small things that count.” A personalised service is when the wait staff have a good “read” on my situation and will know when to spend time talking to me, talking about the menu or simply just coming at the right time to take my order. Sometimes I would like the wait staff to recommend food and other times I just want to find reviews through my mobile. I definitely don’t want to wait for paying the bill when I’m ready to leave so be sure to be quick or let me do it online from my phone.
By enabling some customers to order from their mobile, wait staff will have time to pay attention to the customers and their needs. For example, the wait staff will remember to bring additional fresh focaccia requested. The attention to detail service (not necessarily taking orders faster) will make a memorable and enjoyable experience for everyone.
Conclusion
People dine out not just for food but they’re paying for the whole experience from beginning to end. It’s a disappointment if a menu on Zomato is not the same as in the restaurant or the “specials” have changed. An social menu can provide insights to customer behaviours and keep your menu aligned easily with their continuously changing expectations.
Why do you enjoy dining out? Share your thoughts on our Facebook and Instagram. Or feel free to contact us at hello@atumio.com.
Reference
- One beautiful online menu
- The power of customer service
- Better serve your customers by freeing up staff time
- How Social Media Changes The Way We Think About Food
- Eating out in Australia: 2016 in review
- Food and Eating: An Anthropological Perspective
- On the purpose of going to restaurants
- Technology and the Future of Dining Out @Kristen Hawley
- Americans spend more on dining out than groceries for first time ever
