US Foodservice Disruptors Market Report 2024
£ 3,695 (Excl.Tax)
Report Summary
Diners’ perspective on disruptive restaurant technologies is complicated. They prioritize and appreciate consistency, speed, and convenience, yet they are wary of technology that feels too unfamiliar or invasive. They appreciate technology like personalized suggestions but are cautious about privacy concerns and app fatigue. Innovations that make off-premise dining more accessible and convenient are popular with diners, yet half of consumers feel technology is ruining hospitality.
Foodservice is undergoing a transformation, and as more of the consumer journey moves to digital interfaces, operators are tasked with navigating the divide between consumer needs and tech innovations. The grounding element in this rapidly changing landscape is technology that enriches rather than dominates the dining experience. Consumers still want to be able to choose between fast, efficient dining or a slower, experiential meal, gain awareness about how restaurants handle food as well as data, and access a personalized experience at value.
The main challenge that restaurants face is balancing the introduction of advanced technologies with the inherent warmth and personal touch of dining. Operators must prioritize staying agile, integrating innovations that genuinely add value while maintaining the essence of hospitality.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Consumer interest in and usage of disruptive restaurant technologies
- Attitudes toward disruptive foodservice concepts
- Updates on disruptive concepts launched in the past
- How technology is redefining hospitality
Diners are seeking transparency and reassurance that technologies will enhance the restaurant experience while retaining its fundamental warmth and personal touch.
Varchasvi, Research Analyst
Table of Contents
-
Executive Summary
- What you need to know
- Market predictions
- What consumers want & why
- Opportunities
- Transitioning from traditional to tech-enabled requires human touch
- Offer more choices without adding to operational complexity
- Let user-friendliness guide tech adoption
-
Market Dynamics
- Market context
- The unemployment rate slightly edged up, but job growth remains solid
- Graph 1: unemployment rate, 2019-24
- Nearly 40% of consumers have seen their financial situations change for the better in the past year
- Graph 2: change in financial situation over the past 12 months, 2024
- Market drivers
- Current and potential regulatory/legislative changes
- Restaurant employment is regaining its appeal
- Graph 3: hires, job openings and quit rates in accommodation and foodservices sector, 2024
- Successful AI integration will pave the way for more customer-facing AI solutions
- Graph 4: AI usage among restaurant operators, 2024
- Voice ordering solutions have room for improvement
- The downsides of an increasingly digital foodservice landscape: social media and consumer trust
- The downsides of an increasingly digital foodservice landscape: risk of data breaches
-
Consumer Insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Restaurant technology outlook
- Diners have embraced restaurant technology
- Graph 5: restaurant technology outlook, 2021-24
- Older generations need a helping hand to adopt restaurant tech
- Graph 6: restaurant technology outlook, by generation, 2024
- Bring more awareness to tech's transformative impact
- Graph 7: restaurant technology outlook, by area, 2024
- Ordering considerations
- Diners need restaurants to be reliable
- Graph 8: factors important when ordering from restaurants, 2024
- Income plays a role in whether "high-speed" or "high-quality" will resonate with diners
- Graph 9: factors important when ordering from restaurants, by income, 2024
- Diners prioritize familiarity over novelty
- Graph 10: factors important when ordering from restaurants, net – any rank, 2024
- Multicultural consumers may be pioneering trends in technology adoption
- Graph 11: factors important when ordering from restaurants – net – any rank, by race/ethnicity, 2024
- Restaurant technology experience
- When convenience doesn't cut it: consumers' mixed response to restaurant technologies
- Graph 12: restaurant technology usage and interest, 2024
- Millennials, Gen Z welcome tech; older generations hesitate
- Graph 13: restaurant technology usage and interest – net – any usage, by generation 2024
- Inclusivity requires maintaining traditional ordering and payment
- Graph 14: restaurant technology usage and interest – have not used and not interested in using, by generation, 2024
- Menu item interest
- Curious diners savor affordable variety
- Graph 15: menu item interest, 2024
- Offering variety and comfort requires a balancing act
- Graph 16: menu item interest, by generation, 2024
- Consumers' lifestyles define their openness to foodservice innovation
- Graph 17: menu item interest, by area, 2024
- Restaurant technology interest
- Comfort and convenience may clash
- Graph 18: restaurant technology interest, 2021-24
- Meet multicultural diners' personalization and pricing needs through tech
- Graph 19: restaurant technology interest, by race/ethnicity, 2024
- Speed or variety? Dining tech depends on location
- Graph 20: restaurant technology interest, by area, 2024
- Attitudes
- The modern diner wants transparency
- Graph 21: disruptor attitudes – part 1, 2024
- Personalization ≠personal touch
- Graph 22: disruptor attitudes – part 1, by area, 2024
- Is tech overshadowing the essence of hospitality?
- Graph 23: disruptor attitudes – part 2, 2024
- Multicultural consumers don't think so
- Graph 24: disruptor attitudes – part 2, by race or ethnicity, 2024
-
Innovation and Marketing strategies
- Revisiting disruptive concepts
- An update on operators that tested disruptive technologies
- Technology tests continue
- Innovative restaurant concepts and strategies
- AI and crypto solutions abound
- Tech gives familiar concepts a boost
- Sustainability may be best targeted towards loyal, habitual customers…
- …but high tech, BOH solutions may make an even bigger impact
- Noteworthy menu launches
- More is more: over the top menu items satisfy the craving for novelty
- Consumer-driven trends make it onto menus
- Marketing and advertising
- McDonald's Value Deal disrupts the QSR landscape…
- …starting a chain of value deal launches
-
Appendix
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
Why Mintel?
Gain access to high quality market research with every purchase of Mintel’s consumer reports. Here's what else you can expect when buying from us:
Mintel’s Clients Portal
After your purchase is completed, you’ll receive an invitation to join Mintel’s Clients Portal which provides instant access to supplementary insights from Mintel’s industry experts.
Multiple Report Formats
Mintel’s reports are available in PDF and PPT formats, and arrive in your inbox alongside an excel datasheet, so you can share Mintel’s market intelligence with ease.
Interactive Databook
Mintel’s bespoke consumer data is presented as an interactive website, so you can deep dive into your chosen topic, explore demographics and download specific statistics.
Custom Presentations
Using Mintel’s custom presentation tool, you can easily incorporate selected research data and analysis into a tailor-made presentation to win over clients and stakeholders.
Browse our sample PDF report below:
Please Note: All of the figures, graphs, and tables in this sample report have been redacted.
Trusted by companies. Big and small.
