Emerging chains are using their tech-savvy and agile size to become competitive, while familiar legacy brands are going all-in on data-driven analytics to maintain market share and grow new customers. The Internet of Things means more appliances and kitchen tools are connected, data-gathering tools.
Restaurants are embracing Big Data and customer personalization. The industry’s embrace of data is mainly driven by customer expectations, especially Millennials. A 2017 U.S. Department of Agriculture report showed that Millennials eat the highest share of their meals out at fast-food or fast-casual establishments. When it comes to food they’re eating, Millennials prefer fresh, natural, organic and even locally sourced offerings on the menu.
Applebee’s is focusing on “leveraging data and analytics of our guests and operations to craft personalized experiences.” Over 5.7 million Applebee’s customers provided feedback via tabletop device surveys, showing a 7% improvement in overall guest satisfaction by the end of 2017. By leveraging data-driven insights, the brand has been able to cut through the (mis)perceptions and stereotypes to aggregate customer demographic data.