The out-of-home dining sector is going through a deep transformation. Customers visit the various types of venues less often, while off-premises sales channels and large-scale retail are gaining market share.
A picture of this change emerges from the “2026 Global restaurant report” produced by FTI Consulting, a United States consulting firm. The document describes a sector entering a phase marked by a structurally higher cost base.
A Higher and Permanent Cost Base
According to the report, labour is scarce and expensive, raw material prices are volatile and rising, and delivery costs represent an additional burden on the income statement. These are not temporary increases, but a spending level that is set to remain.
The report cites some figures on the United States. Compared with January 2020, the price of meat has risen by 74 per cent, electricity by 40 per cent and wages by 30 per cent.
The ability to pass these increases on to prices, however, is weakening. Customers pay much closer attention to the price-quality ratio, and the usual moves to reduce costs are no longer enough.
New Consumption and Competition From Retail
Demand is also affected by drugs that reduce appetite and calorie intake. Portions shrink, and requests for starters, desserts and drinks fall in favour of more functional dishes.
According to the report, the era of abundance, of mega portions and soft drinks, should come to an end. People who use these drugs choose venues with menus suited to lighter consumption.
Added to this is the push of delivery, which in the United States has overtaken on-premises dining. Large-scale retail is also entering the restaurant business more and more: chains such as Esselunga, Coop and Conad are creating dedicated spaces in their stores, making the boundary between the two worlds increasingly blurred.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence
In this context, according to the report, businesses will be able to rely on the help of artificial intelligence for both back-office and kitchen activities. The technology makes it possible to manage dish preparation, stock, orders and staff, with an overall improvement in efficiency.
The benefit, however, depends on one condition. Owners and managers will first have to integrate AI and then reorganise their processes.
The medium-term goal indicated by the report is to increase productivity, cut waste, manage human capital better and improve the profitability of each venue. At the same time, restaurateurs will need to make their offering more practical and engaging, or otherwise differentiate it, in order to justify the customer’s choice.
Original article: ilsole24ore
