A desire for thrills prompts whimsical serving in dining experiences
Implications - Restaurant goers are indeed looking for a satisfying meal, but they're also seeking a unique experience, which is being answered with adventurous forms of food delivery at restaurants. The shift toward restaurants that incorporate memorable, entertaining aspects like robotic servers appeal on the basis of being appropriate for a wide range of ages, and providing both sustenance and an experience.
Trend Themes
1. Experiential Serving - The shift toward restaurants that incorporate memorable, entertaining aspects like robotic servers, is being answered with adventurous forms of food delivery that appeal on the basis of being appropriate for a wide range of ages.
2. Gamification - Gamification has transformed traditional dining experiences into unique and interactive events that demonstrate how engaging consumers strengthens a brand's connection with them.
3. Virtual Reality - As companies embrace VR technology to appeal to tech-savvy millennials, gastronomical VR experiences demonstrate how utilizing sensory stimulation can create an immersive and memorable dining experience.
Industry Implications
1. Hospitality and Tourism - The hospitality industry has been an early adopter of interactive dining experiences, and can benefit by being innovative in creating memorable experiences for their guests.
2. Fast Food - Fast food restaurants are testing artificial intelligence and robotics to create a more automated, efficient and controlled eating experience that eliminates the need to pay human servers.
3. Health and Wellness - The use of 3D-printed food and virtual reality to engage consumer's senses and provide them a personalized experience can redefine the way the industry thinks about healthy and balanced diets.
