CHICAGO – What will drive the restaurants of the future? Sustainability, experience and delivery, according to Michael Schaefer, the head of food and beverage research at Euromonitor International, who spoke during the National Restaurant Association Show this week, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Delivery. Schafer said that delivery will impact the industry much like drive-thru windows revolutionized fast food. More concepts will appear specifically for automation, mobile ordering and delivery. The global delivery food market reached $114 billion in 2016, and Euromonitor forecasts growth of 8.5% annually through 2021.
Experience. With more retailers adding food to increase customer traffic, how customers experience food is changing too. For example, Ikea opened a pop-up cooking class/restaurant in London that allowed customers to cook beside chefs.
Sustainability. More customers want clean food, which means everything from more plant-based options to “no waste” locations. Customers want to feel good about their choices, not just nutritionally, but how those items arrived at the restaurant.