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Skift Table is your source for news and analysis about the business
of restaurants. Get insight into the Megatrends shaping the future
of dining out in 2019 at table.skift.com/megatrends-2019.

6. Consumer Microfeedback Leads the Way on
Product Development
“Startups” are out of the spotlight. Instead, these
once-upstarts have become mature companies
focused on iterating and designing relevant, success-
1. Franchisees Assert Their Power Over Chains ful products. Now that they’ve proven their premise,
Many decisions get made on a corporate level, but reservations, delivery, and other restaurant-sup-
implementation of these changes and policies rests porting software providers are drilling down into
squarely on the shoulders of individual restaurant the smallest pieces of feedback to guide product
owners in a franchise model. Toward the end of development. Forget big picture and go deep on
2018, we’re seeing franchisees in companies from what people actually want.
McDonald’s to Papa John’s assert their collective
power to effect change and expect this trend to 7. The Lines Between Meal Times Have Been Erased
continue. Taco Bell pioneered this years ago with its wildly
successful “fourth meal” campaign, but again,
2. Labor Crunch and Costs Determine In-Restau- delivery services are leading the way, creating new
rant Changes moments for dining that may not have existed for
Labor and staffing issues plague every restaurant restaurants before. At the same time, an all-day
business f rom fast food corporation to one-off cafe boom is sweeping the country as restaurants
independent restaurants. Leaders are imple- maximize their profits to offset fixed costs like rent
menting plenty of solutions to help with the — and customers are loving it.
crunch and rising minimum wages, and some of
these changes have begun to alter the way that 8. Front of the House Hospitality Seriously Ups
restaurants operate. Its Game
Sorry, so-called “rockstar chefs,” front of house service
3. Blockchain Brings Transparency to Sourcing from GMs to hosts to waitstaff is stepping back into
if Restaurants Care the limelight. New digital tools and technology
Blockchain technology isn’t just for bitcoin — it’s are making it easier for hospitality staff up f ront
useful in tracking food sources, too. Restaurants to remember, recognize, and serve guests. Stories
can track and verify ingredients f rom meat to of above-and-beyond service go viral online. As
produce thanks to new technology, in turn reducing restaurants work to set themselves apart from the
errors and potentially illness or allergic reaction. rest, an elevating front of house service works in any
But the technology is only as good as it is applied. setting, from fast casual to fine dining.

4. Forget Second-Tier Cities, It’s the Year of 9. Google's Domination of Local Discovery Is
the Suburb Almost Complete
As they race to dominate in the market, third- Changes in Google’s Maps product have made
party delivery companies are targeting large, searching, booking, and navigating to restaurants
suburban markets to fuel expansion. National a seamless experience. Thanks to our reliance on
chain partnerships boosted these efforts in 2018 smartphones and GPS, it’s become an indispensable
and will continue to drive growth in 2019. At the tool for restaurants. At the same time, Google’s ad
same time, as costs of operation in cities rise, search business, allowing keywords to go to the
restaurants are re-thinking locations. Thanks to highest bidder, change the way restaurants must
digital marketing and social media, an address market themselves.
on the corner of Main and Main isn’t necessary
for success. 10. The Battle for Loyalty Takes Place on
Multiple Fronts
5. Restaurants Finally Create Healthier Work Customer loyalty is big business, and savvy restau-
Cultures rants are employing tactics from third-party vendor
2018 was the year of #MeToo, and the message contracts to building in-house programs. Credit card
seems to have resonated among industry leaders. providers are introducing more restaurant-facing
Restaurant businesses of all sizes are imple- loyalty programs. LevelUp, one of the biggest players
menting new programs to hire, train, retain, and in the loyalty space, was acquired by Grubhub this
support staff. past summer. Who will own the space?

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