Is social media shaping the restaurant concept of the future?
‘Food is the most primitive form of comfort. ‘ - Sheilah Graham
Times have certainly changed since the above quote was written by a British socialite during Hollywood’s Golden Age.
If we were to expand on it today, it might go something like this - ‘Food. The most primitive form of comfort, shaped by the most advanced forms of technology.’ Now, how’s that for a strapline?
Of course, once upon a time, we built technology to aid in growing and harvesting to feed the population - essentially, the food requirements informed the technological needs.
Now, the roles have reversed and often, what we eat, where we eat and how we eat it are dictated by technology instead.
It’s had a huge impact on food in general, even down to data collecting and deliveries but one of the places where this evolution is most apparent is at the intersection between the restaurant and social media.
The visually-led Instagrams and Tiktoks of the world are a banquet of delicious eats - we have a huge and relentless appetite for Michelin-starred chefs who made their name whipping up gourmet potato recipes, Dalgona coffee, Five Guys employees taking us behind the scenes, restaurant visits and stunningly curated feeds of enough foodie magic to give us serious FOMO. The channels are hungry for content and social media has made everybody a food critic.
But it goes even further than that.
Social media is now so intrinsically linked to the restaurant experience that these channels are now actually influencing restaurant concepts from the planning and development stage onwards.
Let us count the ways…
Design -
● There are restaurants and cafes around the world that literally design their interiors to be as ‘Instagrammable’ as possible. Painted angel wings, flower walls, thematic decorations, views for days, and even the toilets have to have a little something special (yes, we’re looking at you, Sexy Fish.)
● When planning a restaurant now, lighting schemes are often considered to help the diner get the best ambience for the best shot. If the dish is going to end up on the ‘Gram, you want it to look good after all.
● Then it goes even deeper. Obviously, this need for constant connection, to be able to post that photo straight away or Tiktok-live your dinner has led to serious consideration on locations for plug sockets and WiFi boosters throughout the restaurant scape. Some places are even utilising the data collected from the WiFi usage to work out where people are most likely to sit, what times of day they are there, and more to decide on promotional activities which they can then sell back to the guest using - you guessed it -social media.
Menus -
● There is enormous pressure on chefs now to craft a menu that not only looks good on the plate, tastes good (because you know a review is coming) but also stays up-to-date with the latest trends. From proper vegan recipes to the latest legume or heritage ingredient, social media can often make you feel like ‘classic’ is just not going to cut it.
● Ah, the hero dish. Everybody wants one because these are the plates that tend to go viral, bringing a wave of new diners to your doors. It might be a ‘3D caramel popcorn milkshake’ or it might be a ‘stuffed duck neck’ but Tiktok is taking this so seriously that they’ve even launched a delivery kitchen serving only the app’s most viral food trends.
● Menu hacks. They’ve been around as long as social media has been and have reached a point where even McDonald’s is getting in on the action. They’re offering customisable menu hack options based on suggestions from social media and even have Tiktok celebrities fronting the campaign.
Service -
● Imagine a restaurant where the service staff were so rude, you’d want to complain to the manager every time? Well, welcome to the new world. It exists and it’s deliberate. Based on the Karen meme, this Australian diner offers not only a great burger but ‘a place where you can complain until the cows come home because we literally don't care.’. Oh, and if your name is Karen, you get a free drink. An idea that literally would not exist without social media.
Marketing -
● Once upon a time, people would take a punt on a new restaurant based on a suggestion from a friend. Fast forward a little bit and though we had websites and review platforms to guide our decision, we were still willing to give it a try based on word-of-mouth. Now, in the age of social media, our Insta feed becomes a window into our location - a one-stop-shop to check out imagery, follower count, contact details, the menu and even book. It’s at the point that for many Gen Z and Millennial diners, a bad Instagram feed means no reservation. Social media as a marketing tool has to come into consideration from very early on in the planning stages, possibly even with a dedicated team member to look after it. Looked after by the marketing department, this team needs to be working closely with operations to ensure the best of experience. Find out more here. <add symbiotic relationship link>
● If the dishes are the star and the location the stage, then the team are the supporting cast and will often be expected to participate in your marketing activities. With a server doing a behind-the-scenes tour or a chef showing how to make the signature dish at home, it seems our staff have even more plates to spin in the modern restaurant. Hilton has even introduced the ‘Waitographer’ - service staff trained by a professional photographer to take the best snaps for guests.
With Web3 and the Metaverse on the horizon, this symbiotic relationship between the internet and the R+B industry looks set to intensify, rather than abate.
Have you got an appetite for technology at your R+B or do you prefer to keep things a little more traditional? Let us know how social media has impacted your concept over at @wired.fnd.
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