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Artificial Intelligence is popping up all around us today – and chatbots have finally made their presence felt in the hospitality industry. So how are savvy restaurateurs capitalising on this clever technology to deliver exceptional customer service and increased revenue? The hospitality industry depends on personal interaction and exemplary service to thrive, of course. But with the rise of mobile technology and the millennial generation the way we carry out that personal interaction has changed. Young people are comfortable engaging with a device and prefer messaging to other forms of communication – so for restaurateurs seeking their business, it pays to capitalise on this behaviour. Technology talks… The good news is, the restaurant management technology for this exists now – for example,  Open Table  integrates with Facebook Messenger. People can engage in conversations on Messenger about their dinner plans and before they know it they are booked into...

The hospitality industry has worried about allergens in food for some time, and several shocking recent cases have brought the topic to the forefront of public concern. While food labelling is being tightened following the tragedy, UK bars, restaurants and food outlets are already working hard to identify potential areas of risk. But it’s difficult to be comprehensive. The  NHS warns  that there are many different types of allergic reaction to food – and that’s not even counting milder intolerances that can also affect diners. Drawing up a definitive list of every potential allergen is a headache for any chef – one recent tragedy was caused by a reaction to unlabelled sesame in a baguette. The responsibility of missing something is a heavy burden. Food allergy causes at least  ten deaths a year  in the UK, according to the Food Standards Agency. And once you have a list for your food preparation, how do you make sure your serving staff are aware of ...

When the UK government announced its immigration plan in December, it was greeted with dismay by the hospitality industry. Kate Nicholls of the industry body UK Hospitality , told The Caterer: “The central plank of government’s immigration policy, to cut off lower-skilled migration with a salary threshold, is  fundamentally flawed  and will damage the hospitality sector and the wider UK economy.” It’s another worry for a hardworking industry that is already facing severe skills and labour shortages – to the point where The Observer newspaper carried a story in 2018 entitled: “The  great British chef shortage  – why eating out is under threat.” As Brexit has approached, the UK hospitality workforce – which is estimated to be around 6m people – has been disappearing. In fact, it has been suggested by the British Hospitality Association that the industry could face a staff shortfall of over a million workers by 2029. The natural result of this skills and...

Predictions for the UK restaurant trade are fairly upbeat as the country heads even further into Brexit turmoil. Foodservice visits could rise by a huge  93m in 2019  according to one source, as consumers continue to choose to spend their cash on food. They have a little more disposable income, too, with UK employment higher than ever before, and with  wages rising  at the highest rate in a decade while interest rates remain low. So which 7 trends will shape dining in 2019 – and how will  restaurant EPOS  technology feed into them? Join me for brunch? All the signs are that UK diners are eating out less in the evening, and choosing less formal dining when they do. However, that’s doesn’t mean they’ve stopped eating out. It’s predicted that there will be steady growth in going out for breakfast and brunch, already a popular trend throughout 2018. Lunch will remain a big market this year and is estimated to rise by about 2%. For these bu...