As restaurants look to maintain customers’ spending in the face of economic pressures, they must be wary of a widely held sentiment among consumers that dining is becoming impersonal.
By the Numbers
According to findings from May/June edition of PYMNTS’ Digital Divide study, “The Digital Divide: Technology, the Metaverse and the Future of Dining Out,” created in collaboration with Paytronix, 13% of restaurant customers strongly agree that restaurants are becoming increasingly less personal, and it affects their satisfaction. Plus, an additional 26% somewhat agree.
Read more: Restaurants Tinker With Tech Recipe to Balance Efficiency and Personal Service
The Data in Action
Restaurants are noting that, when it comes to leveraging technology to address staffing challenges, there is a balance to be struck. Chili’s, for one, has paused its test of its robo-hosts and robo-runners, dubbed “Rita.”
“We recently paused the expansion of our Rita the Robot test,” a spokesperson from Brinker International, parent company of Chili’s, wrote in an email to PYMNTS. “While some of our 61 Rita-fied restaurants will continue using … in the coming months, we’re holding off on introducing any new Ritas to our other Chili’s locations.”
See more: Chili’s Rethinks Robo-Waiters
