The Evolution of Convenience: AI, Self-Service, and the Customer Experience

4 Min Read By Tim Brown

The food and beverage industry is on an exciting trajectory, continually evolving to surpass customer expectations. This past year, restaurants embraced digitalization and automation to prioritize convenience. In 2025, we anticipate more operators will scrutinize channel investments and adopt engagement-based loyalty programs, applications of AI will be focused and practical, and technology investments will be prioritized around self-service, kitchen automation, and communications infrastructure to handle the demands of real-time data and on-premises computational demands. 

Here are the top trends that will shape the industry in the coming year:

1. Maturing Sales Channel and Loyalty Strategies  With the rising costs of customer acquisition across various marketing and sales channels, operators must strategically allocate their channel spend. Understanding the origin of orders and tracking purchases, whether from anonymous guests or loyalty members alike, is crucial for effective…