Have restaurants evolved over the last ten years?

The ease of travel and the internet have made the world a very small place. One of the areas that have been impacted mostly by this ‘global village’ feel is the restaurant business. Cuisines and food preferences have over the years been the unofficial regional demarcations. However latest trends have seen all sorts of cuisine in places you would never expect them to be.

As people travel, they demand newer tastes and flavors in their local restaurants. The restaurateur has no option but to make the necessary changes in order to make money and retain customers. The major changes in the last several areas are highlighted below.

Design and Décor

In the last few years, a design for the kitchen would just be scribbled on the back of a napkin and the builders start on it. However, design and décor has become part and parcel of a restaurant, and a new niche of restaurant and kitchen design has emerged. Most restaurateurs have to hire consultants and designers to figure out the best look which will attract and retain customers. The designs are customized to fit the overall theme, and sometimes the cuisine on offer, with unique touches of brilliance for that memorable moment. This has seen restaurants evolve from the stuffy haunts ten years ago to casual ambiance with a fine dining element.

Presentation, Reviews and Accessibility

When most restaurants started out, they started by handing out menus on cheap paper to walkers by. Additionally, the only mode of review that was available to the public was the mostly biased review by a celebrated food critic. The review would often not be accessible to most of the public. Restaurant owners are resorting to more stylish and effective methods of communicating what is on offer. The easy availability of smart phones and internet means that customers now search and review the restaurants on site. The easily accessible and widely popular social media sites and photo sharing apps make for instant on-site reviews of the restaurant. Potential customers can easily access the review sites, restaurant websites and social media to connect with their local favourite haunts and check the recent ratings and reviews. They of course expect to find exhaustive information about the restaurant including an updated menu, special offers, the prices, operating hours and provision for booking and reservations.

Cuisine

About ten years ago, most restaurants stuck to a specific cuisine or menu items. Some still do, for the eclectic restaurateurs however, diversification of the menu has attracted the adventurous people. This desire to explore has made customers want to seek out different tastes and cuisines on different days. Most have therefore moved from the sole cuisine offering to provide a range of tastes from all over the world. This is mostly common in the fine dining restaurants, where the dining has evolved into an eclectic blend of food items and cuisines. Most offer a limited menu, also referred to as a prix fixe menu, which changes on a daily or weekly basis. This unpredictability, coupled with fine preparation skills will keep patrons trooping to the restaurant.

The direct contact or impact that restaurants have on the customers requires that the owner keeps on their toes to ensure that they are satisfied. Food is taken personally by almost everyone, and experiences, both good and bad, are never forgotten. Keeping up with the trends and paying keen attention to what the customers require or yearn for will keep the restaurant open and help in earning great amounts of money.