As we move into 2025, the food business has undergone many changes. These changes are due to shifting customer tastes, better technology, and higher productivity. Restaurant owners and managers need to adapt to new trends to stay in business and keep serving customers.
We'll show you the eight food industry trends to keep an eye on in 2025, focusing on how restaurant technology is changing how businesses work.
1. Embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Restaurant Operations
AI is here to stay in the food business. An artificial intelligence system can look at what people want and find the best schedule for a restaurant's staff based on that information.
More restaurants are likely to adopt and use AI, which will lead to new restaurant technologies that aim to improve the quality of service while also making it easier to handle inventory and ensure orders are correct. In restaurant technology, AI makes the business more productive and gives each customer a more personalized experience.
2. The Rise of Self-Service Technology
Self-service technology is changing the way restaurants work worldwide. Thanks to self-service kiosks, buying apps, and QR code menus, customers can order and pay for their food without help from staff.
In addition to making things more efficient, the technology will make the customer experience smoother and more tailored to their needs. There will likely be more places that offer self-service options because they cut down on wait times and improve the customer experience.
3. Contactless Payment and Enhanced Payment Solutions
In 2025, more people will choose contactless payments, leading to a higher share of transactions. Restaurants can also improve by adding new payment methods, such as mobile wallets and credit cards that can be tapped and gone. All of these allow for faster transactions and safer encounters through touch.
Restaurants offer a wide range of options, are easy to get to, are secure, and offer various experiences to ensure every customer has a good time.
4. Cloud-Based Point of Sale (POS) Systems
Point of Sale (POS) systems change the way businesses are run in ways that are hard to imagine. Managers of restaurants will be able to see and understand their data at any time and from anywhere.
With cloud-based Point of Sale (POS), restaurant owners can easily connect online ordering systems and reward programs to other restaurant tech. Point of Sale systems that are adaptable and expandable are essential for running a business today.
5. Sustainability and Eco-Friendly Practices
Sustainability will become more important in the food business. By 2025, restaurants will have done more of what is considered "going green." For example, they will use more local and organic products and waste less food.
Their goal is to make it easier to monitor and control waste, keep track of where things come from, and manage supply lines by regulating how technology is used. Restaurant owners who care more about the environment will get more loyal customers.
6. Integration of Online Ordering and Delivery
Most businesses can't do without online ordering and food delivery; they must have them to stay in business. There will be even better online buying and delivery at restaurants in 2025 when they connect them to their Point of Sale (POS) and kitchen display systems.
Technology is making it easier for restaurants to handle orders from multiple platforms, which cuts down on mistakes and boosts working efficiency. Restaurants can reach a bigger audience and make more money with a sound online buying system.
7. Data-Driven Insights and Analytics
The restaurant business moves quickly, and the best way to stay ahead is to make decisions based on facts. In 2025, restaurant technology will continue to improve, giving owners and managers more powerful analytics tools to help them make the best decisions about everything from the food to how well their staff does their jobs.
With data, restaurant owners can learn more about what customers want, which menu items do well, and how to set prices. All of these things make restaurants more profitable and happy customers.
8. The Growing Popularity of Ghost Kitchens
There will be a massive rise in ghost or virtual kitchens in 2025. A ghost kitchen, also called a virtual kitchen, is a kitchen that was built and created to make and deliver food, not to be used for eating.
Restaurants are very interested in being on food delivery apps because more and more people are using them. This lets restaurants avoid the high costs of having a physical spot. To keep track of its supplies and run its ghost kitchen, restaurants need an order management system that works well and quickly.
Conclusion
In 2025, technology will be widely used in businesses. This will help them run more efficiently, give customers a better experience, and stay ahead of the competition.
AI, cloud-based Point of Sale (POS) systems, and online ordering tools are some technologies that restaurant owners and managers can use to make their businesses run more smoothly and give customers a better experience. To stay relevant in a constantly changing world, people need to adapt and invest in the newest trends.
Book a demo with eatOS and get ahead of the competition by using the newest kitchen technology right now. You'll be glad you did in 2025 and beyond.