Customization Rules Profit Margins

Millennials have ignited a customization disruption—over 70-million of ‘Generation Me’ adults are telling the food service industry how do to business with them. If you are a chain that states ‘no substitutions’, you need to rethink your strategy. Being consumer-centric is the key to long-term success—and higher profits. Diners want to make their meals their own and the foodservice industry is tasked with finding ways to offer customized menu options. The days of offering customers to choose between “wheat or white bread” are long gone. 

Research conducted by Technomic states that a whopping 72% of consumers expect customization but only 61% of quick-service and 52% of full-service restaurant operators are open to adapting plates to meet individual tastes. These statistics show a miscommunication between the customer and the restaurant operator. So, how does a restauranteur connect the dots between customer’s needs and wants in a way that doesn’t break the bottom-line?  The resounding answer is technology.

A study by PAR Technologies concludes that the POS will act as the proverbial “center of the universe” for restaurants. Adapting to current trends will be essential for the survival of brands.  The research further tells us that the most influential factor to the evolution and innovation of restaurant POS technology is the customer. Customization is king when it comes to food ordering, and operators need to offer options that satisfy the customer looking to personalize their meals and the customer looking for speed. 

Companies like NovaDine focus on building tech software that compete in the online world—and turn a profit. NovaDine’s online ordering platform supports more than one level of modifier with technology offering three levels (going up to grandchild level), plus child-pricing rules and item size modifiers, to name a few. This three-level approach easily allows customers to create their own versions of menu items, ensuring more accurate orders while safeguarding dietary restrictions and food allergies, plus “finicky” eaters can pick apart any meal to satisfy their palate. 

From build-your-own burgers to sauces on the side, technology is changing the relationship between the customer, their meal, and the restaurant. NovaDine has thought ahead and built out a technology stack that seamlessly works end-to-end and supports and integrates with third-party delivery partners. The food service industry needs these on-point customization solutions—and NovaDine delivers the flexibility and customization that operators need to increase profit margins across the board.