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Welltech Bistro Blog
June 24, 2009
April 27, 2009
Virtual Menus with Nutrition Info is the #1 Desired Technology
A new report from the Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University reveals restaurant customers’ preference for restaurant-related technology. It describes how restaurants really can hone in on customer satisfaction as well as develop a powerful competitive advantage.
The study, “Customer Preferences for Restaurant Technology Innovations,” details eleven technologies, including pagers for table management, handheld order taking while waiting in line, internet-based ordering, kiosk-based payment, kiosk-based food ordering, online reservations, payment via SMS or text message, payment via smart card, payment via cell phone using NFC technology, virtual menus available tableside with nutrition information, and virtual menus online with nutritional information.
The preferences were measured at different stages of the dining experience: Pre-arrival, Post-arrival, Pre-process, In-process, and Post-process.
Of course, for technology involving provision of Nutrition Information, the online menus are accessed pre-arrival, and the in-house (tableside) menus with nutrition information are important for In- and Post-process. Welltech Bistro provides this technology for both online and in-house electronic menus.
Virtual menus available tableside with nutrition information was the most valued technology of all choices given to the 1737 respondents.
This report makes a stong case for why restaurants should bother with technology; it describes several benefits. Potential benefits to the customer include improved convenience and increased control; potential benefits to the restaurants include increased speed of service, reduced processing costs, increased volume and revenue, and improved service and food quality. And of course, looking specifically at the provision of nutrition inforamtion, there are additional benefits, such as enhanced state of health / weight (from choosing within dietary preferences) as well as a trust and loyalty toward the restaurant for disclosing the information.
The concluding paragraph of the report sums it up well:
“We will most certainly see more restaurants relying on
technology to create a competitive advantage. While these
technological approaches might find success in certain segments,
they must still be grounded in some sort of service
concept and not just a technological concept. To be economically
sustainable, technology must do something that adds
value in the eye of the customer. So, while technology might
take away some aspects of personal service, it may improve
service quality. If customers believe that an innovation adds
sufficient value, it is probably here to stay.”
April 16, 2009
Welltech Bistro Featured in QSR Magazine
Please visit the QSR Web site to read the article, “Software Helps Stores Comply with Menu Labeling“.
“With menu-labeling legislation rising on town council agendas across the country, dozens of companies are popping up to help operators comply with the new rules. One such company is WellTech Bistro…” click to read more.
As the article states, no matter the details of the legislation, having trusted web-based software is an excellent strategy for keep the information current, accurate, and accessible at all times.
April 9, 2009
Does menu labeling really make a difference?
Some say labeling makes a difference, some say no. It depends on many things: who you ask, what types of restaurants, what location of the country, and how a study is conducted.
You might have read a recent study claiming that just about no one who is anyone pays a mind to nutrition information posted in fast food restaurants. This study, out of Yale University and published in the May issue of the American Journal of Public Health, counted the number of customers who read nutrition information at a few select locations (McDonald’s, Burger King, Starbucks and Au Bon Pain) in both urban and suburban settings. Of the 4000+ patrons, only six (0.1) looked at it before buying (others looked after buying, but they looked!). This might be used as an argument either for or against menu labeling. For: “We need to make the information more prominent.” Against: “Why bother? No one cares.” I have other questions/observations about this:
1. Patrons at these restaurants are, more likely than not, repeat customers with a pre-conceived idea of what they want. Most people enter a McDonald’s or Starbucks knowing what they want already; they’re not going to scour a menu or nutrition information.
2. People might feel self-conscious viewing the nutrition information on a pamphlet or wall chart.
3. Maybe folks already are aware of the nutrition information, from previous visits, looking at the restaurant’s web site.
4. Most people who frequent these types of quickserve restaurants are not there for a healthy meal; if they were interested in health food for that meal, they might prefer to go to a restaurant that caters to those needs.
Wouldn’t this study’s results be a lot different if researchers parked themselves at a new health-oriented quickserve or fast-casual restaurant, where folks weren’t already aware of what was on the menu?
On the other hand, a study came out this week, “People Will Make Healthier Choices If Restaurants Provide Nutritional Data, Study Finds.” In this study, whose design is completely different than the first, the researchers evaluated whether providing calorie and nutrient information after the patrons ate the food changed their subsequent food choices. They found that, indeed, providing this information changed people’s future selections. This was especially true when a person ordering an item labeled “low calorie” had more calories than they expected.
The literature abounds with different approaches to research and different conclusions that either support or deny the backing of menu labeling laws. For many, the bottom line is disclosure: no one has to change their behavior, but if they want to, they should have the facts available to them to make informed decisions.
March 3, 2009
Welcome to the Bistro!
Welcome to the official Blog for Welltech Bistro. My name is Dina Aronson, and I’m the founder of Welltech Bistro. Here you will get all the latest information about nutrition and how it relates to restaurants, with a focus on how restaurants can use technology to manage the nutrition aspects of their business.
It is an exciting time for restaurants: with all of the new legislation around menu labeling, there are new opportunities to demonstrate exceptional customer service and really rise above your competition.