The restaurant sector has been one of the most affected by the successive lockdowns and curfews. The sanitary measures taken before the latest closures were not sufficient to prevent the risk of transmission ofCovid-19, and the return to normal for restaurant owners is not expected tomorrow. It is therefore essential to look at online ordering and see if it can be a quality alternative to look forward to2021.
Ghost restaurants, or virtual kitchens, refer to establishments that do not have a restaurant room to accommodate their customers.Only the kitchens exist. For customers, everything happens online, thanks to home delivery platforms.
The two confinements reinforced a trend that was already rooted in consumer habits: having meals delivered. Restaurant owners who embrace the concept of virtual kitchens have seen their business grow.
In addition, they spend less than they would if they had a "real" restaurant: they don't have to rent the place or pay the wait staff. And in times of pandemic, reducing costs when working in one of the most affected sectors is a significant advantage!
Do you know the acronym O2O (online to offline)? It's used to refer to the new consumer trend: swapping the offline restaurant sales mode (traditional restaurants with a room to eat in) for that of ghost kitchens (order online and enjoy your meal at home).
Since restaurant owners don't know when they will reopen, switching to online ordering can give them a breath of fresh air and help their cash flow. It's also a good idea to expand your customer base.
Don't worry about your brand image! Big names, such as Ducasse or Guy Savoy, have also launched into meal delivery, whereas it was thought to be reserved for fast-food restaurants and chains.
A "reduced" digital existence forces restaurateurs to be present everywhere.
- Delivery applications: click and collect and delivery platforms are well known by consumers and offer visibility to restaurants. Their initial investment will quickly pay off. In addition, there are software applications that facilitate the management of orders and menu changes by grouping them on a single terminal.
- Social networks: photos of good and/or beautiful dishes are invading the networks! The presentation and the dressing of the dishes can make the difference between a restaurant and another one in a photo! Posting regular content also allows you to maintain a certain closeness with your customers.
Added to the closures of the establishments, the new generations push the restaurant owners to digitalize.
Automating the steps of the take-away sale allows to :
- Better manage orders and deliveries;
- Spend less time managing inventory;
- Streamline back-office operations;
- Improve service.
An adapted software can give in real time the state of the stocks, automate the stages of payment, reduce the risks of errors of the orders taken by hand... So much time saved that you can spend cooking!
With such help "in the kitchen", ghost kitchens are likely to be doing well in 2021!
About RusHour
RusHour is dedicated to becoming a trusted partner for restaurants around the world, offering several products and services that help restaurants adapt to the technology and trends of tomorrow. We provide our customers with a unique way to manage all online orders from multiple platforms from one location. At the same time, our team of experts is on hand day-to-day to support restaurants through this change.
Any questions? Write to us: hello@rushour.io
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