Економіка, управління та адміністрування (Mar 2023)
Directions of the restaurant business digitalization
Abstract
The article reveals the key areas of digitalization of the restaurant business, which has to transfer its business processes to the digital dimension to ensure stable operations under quarantine restrictions and martial law. Today, the digital transformation of the restaurant business is a normal phenomenon, which is also welcomed by catering customers, as they experience a significant improvement in service along with it. The authors argue that the global COVID-19 pandemic, in fact, accelerated the rapid development of e-commerce for all types of economic activities and sectors of the economy, in particular, it led to a change in the approach to organizing the work of the restaurant industry and forced the administration to look for new areas of interaction with customers and hold them. Now we can say for sure that digital solutions have helped restaurants significantly expand the range of their services, and for customers to get the possibility of contactless payment by invoice, a network of kiosks for contactless ordering, online ordering through a website and mobile application, a loyalty program, etc. Consequently, the organization of business with the introduction of customer-oriented services allowed the subjects of the restaurant business to stay on the market for services of catering establishments. Based on the results of the study, the opinion is substantiated that restaurant business owners should focus primarily on the development of an online food delivery service. Digitization of the restaurant business allows customers to order food online and have it delivered to their doorstep or even apartment. In turn, restaurant owners can process orders online efficiently with the help of online food delivery platforms. Among the key advantages of digitalization for the development of the restaurant business, the ability to use media marketing tools occupies a key place. Digital marketing allows restaurants to connect with customers in ways that traditional (conservative) communication channels are not possible: the visual platforms of Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok, interacting with thought leaders (influencers) and food bloggers, actively maintaining a restaurant website, etc. In this regard, it is argued that the Internet has created such a digital environment where restaurant business entities can easily create useful content and share it with the world. For both small cafes and large restaurants, this creates an opportunity to find their ideal customers. With the help of a media marketing tool, even entrepreneurs with minimal digital literacy can effectively promote their business on the Internet, communicate effectively with the target audience, and remain true to their brand.
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