Blogs
Research from Barclaycard has revealed that faster service is one of the top demands of diners.
37% of respondents to Barclaycard's survey said that service speed is a priority when choosing where to dine, over considerations like menu choice or value for money. In addition, 59% of diners reported finding slow service the most frustrating part of eating out.
In the past, our own research has turned up similar results, with many of our guests' biggest grievances centred around waiting times. Waiting for the bill to arrive, waiting too long for food and drinks, and slow taking of the order were all amongst the 10 most common gripes.
From the Barclaycard research, it's clear that there's one wait time that annoys guests more than any other, with 49% of respondents becoming impatient while waiting to pay. This has led to a number of guests seeking out venues that allow alternate, faster payment methods, including contactless payment, pre-order apps, and mobile payments.
Many of our clients use the Mystery Guest program to identify key waiting points in the guest journey, and are targeting their service to monitor and eliminate these lags in the guest experience. Some operators combine this with sophisticated payment technology- TGI Friday's staff, for instance, carry a guest's latest bill with them at all times, eliminating the wait for payment completely.
Barclaycard also sees a rising demand for more advanced payment technology. Sharon Manikon, customer solutions director at Barclaycard, said "Time is of the essence for today's busy Brits and this need for speed now seems to be translating to the dining experience. As the restaurant sector enters a new era of 'dining-on-demand', the industry needs to respond with the right technology to improve the service and experience they provide, or risk getting left behind by their more savvy competitors."
