Gen Z Dining Out Less Because They Are Afraid To Talk To Waiters

[storewanderer]

I work with college students, and this is definitely a real phenomenon. COVID is part of it, but it goes back before that. I think the main cause is technology. There is a lot of variation, but many members of Gen Z did not really make friends and learn to interact like previous generations did, because their social lives were focused on social media. With self-checkout, online service, etc., many of them never need to speak to a stranger in their lives.

It's true that they are broke, but that's not a factor as it's often their parents paying the bill.

I can see some of this with some younger employees at various businesses. It is normal for someone in their first service industry job to be a little shy or a little nervous (sometimes the little nervous response is to talk way too much) but I have noticed the past 3-4 years some younger employees who you can tell have serious anxiety with the customer interaction. Many of them get better with it over time but some even after a year+ you can tell they are still having a really hard time (and gravitate toward tasks like stocking rather than cashiering when/if they have an option).

I will use any kiosk, self checkout, ATM, or other self service option available to me if that will be the most efficient option but it sounds like efficiency isn't the reason Gen Z likes these options.

As far as restaurants go it really is more efficient to have a kiosk model. This also justifies a lower tip in my opinion. Where I see this going is the higher end restaurants with better service will continue their old model and some of these mid/low scale restaurants that have never been known for service in the first place will go toward a more automated type of model- and maybe in the process they can focus on improving their food and consistency.

[ClownLoach]

I work with college students, and this is definitely a real phenomenon. COVID is part of it, but it goes back before that. I think the main cause is technology. There is a lot of variation, but many members of Gen Z did not really make friends and learn to interact like previous generations did, because their social lives were focused on social media. With self-checkout, online service, etc., many of them never need to speak to a stranger in their lives.

It's true that they are broke, but that's not a factor as it's often their parents paying the bill.

I can see some of this with some younger employees at various businesses. It is normal for someone in their first service industry job to be a little shy or a little nervous (sometimes the little nervous response is to talk way too much) but I have noticed the past 3-4 years some younger employees who you can tell have serious anxiety with the customer interaction. Many of them get better with it over time but some even after a year+ you can tell they are still having a really hard time (and gravitate toward tasks like stocking rather than cashiering when/if they have an option).

I will use any kiosk, self checkout, ATM, or other self service option available to me if that will be the most efficient option but it sounds like efficiency isn't the reason Gen Z likes these options.

As far as restaurants go it really is more efficient to have a kiosk model. This also justifies a lower tip in my opinion. Where I see this going is the higher end restaurants with better service will continue their old model and some of these mid/low scale restaurants that have never been known for service in the first place will go toward a more automated type of model- and maybe in the process they can focus on improving their food and consistency.

Only way this could work at a table service restaurant is if everyone orders on their cell phone. Otherwise as stated before the entire restaurant collapses under customers spending an hour or longer due to the customers taking forever to input each order one at a time on a kiosk. Their technology was fantastic and intuitive, even my mom figured it out immediately. Food was great as long as you made good choices (remember over customized food is not always good, see the crashing express pizza industry for example). Like I said, Stacked was the most watched restaurant in the industry and it collapsed with incredible crowds and lines to get in. They simply could not achieve acceptable levels of table turnover because a party of 6 took up to half an hour to input their order as they passed the tablet around. I went multiple times and didn't realize it was taking so long until they closed. They are running one location still in Huntington Beach without kiosks or tablets, back to old fashioned paper menus and chef designed entrees.

[storewanderer]

I work with college students, and this is definitely a real phenomenon. COVID is part of it, but it goes back before that. I think the main cause is technology. There is a lot of variation, but many members of Gen Z did not really make friends and learn to interact like previous generations did, because their social lives were focused on social media. With self-checkout, online service, etc., many of them never need to speak to a stranger in their lives.

It's true that they are broke, but that's not a factor as it's often their parents paying the bill.

I can see some of this with some younger employees at various businesses. It is normal for someone in their first service industry job to be a little shy or a little nervous (sometimes the little nervous response is to talk way too much) but I have noticed the past 3-4 years some younger employees who you can tell have serious anxiety with the customer interaction. Many of them get better with it over time but some even after a year+ you can tell they are still having a really hard time (and gravitate toward tasks like stocking rather than cashiering when/if they have an option).

I will use any kiosk, self checkout, ATM, or other self service option available to me if that will be the most efficient option but it sounds like efficiency isn't the reason Gen Z likes these options.

As far as restaurants go it really is more efficient to have a kiosk model. This also justifies a lower tip in my opinion. Where I see this going is the higher end restaurants with better service will continue their old model and some of these mid/low scale restaurants that have never been known for service in the first place will go toward a more automated type of model- and maybe in the process they can focus on improving their food and consistency.

Only way this could work at a table service restaurant is if everyone orders on their cell phone. Otherwise as stated before the entire restaurant collapses under customers spending an hour or longer due to the customers taking forever to input each order one at a time on a kiosk. Their technology was fantastic and intuitive, even my mom figured it out immediately. Food was great as long as you made good choices (remember over customized food is not always good, see the crashing express pizza industry for example). Like I said, Stacked was the most watched restaurant in the industry and it collapsed with incredible crowds and lines to get in. They simply could not achieve acceptable levels of table turnover because a party of 6 took up to half an hour to input their order as they passed the tablet around. I went multiple times and didn't realize it was taking so long until they closed. They are running one location still in Huntington Beach without kiosks or tablets, back to old fashioned paper menus and chef designed entrees.

Do you think they need to handle different dayparts differently at some of these places?

For instance maybe an IHOP keeps the service model at breakfast but then at dinner goes to a kiosk type model? They're so empty at dinner anyway it wouldn't matter if people were in there for 2-3 hours.

I think what I propose above is a bad idea as it would confuse customers and employees but still throwing it out there.

[BillyGr]

I can see some of this with some younger employees at various businesses. It is normal for someone in their first service industry job to be a little shy or a little nervous (sometimes the little nervous response is to talk way too much) but I have noticed the past 3-4 years some younger employees who you can tell have serious anxiety with the customer interaction. Many of them get better with it over time but some even after a year+ you can tell they are still having a really hard time (and gravitate toward tasks like stocking rather than cashiering when/if they have an option).

I will use any kiosk, self checkout, ATM, or other self service option available to me if that will be the most efficient option but it sounds like efficiency isn't the reason Gen Z likes these options.

As far as restaurants go it really is more efficient to have a kiosk model. This also justifies a lower tip in my opinion. Where I see this going is the higher end restaurants with better service will continue their old model and some of these mid/low scale restaurants that have never been known for service in the first place will go toward a more automated type of model- and maybe in the process they can focus on improving their food and consistency.

Only way this could work at a table service restaurant is if everyone orders on their cell phone. Otherwise as stated before the entire restaurant collapses under customers spending an hour or longer due to the customers taking forever to input each order one at a time on a kiosk. Their technology was fantastic and intuitive, even my mom figured it out immediately. Food was great as long as you made good choices (remember over customized food is not always good, see the crashing express pizza industry for example). Like I said, Stacked was the most watched restaurant in the industry and it collapsed with incredible crowds and lines to get in. They simply could not achieve acceptable levels of table turnover because a party of 6 took up to half an hour to input their order as they passed the tablet around. I went multiple times and didn't realize it was taking so long until they closed. They are running one location still in Huntington Beach without kiosks or tablets, back to old fashioned paper menus and chef designed entrees.

And, of course, that is not possible, as not everyone has such a device on them (it may seem that way sometimes, but there has to be another option to allow everyone to be treated equally).
There would also be the issue of how to know what devices are with what table, and when to make those orders (that is, you have three people - two submit orders quickly, the other takes much longer - how does the kitchen know when they have all the orders for that table, so as not to start the first two and have the third pop up minutes later).

I would suspect (but not certain, never having used one even where they do exist) with the on-table device, there is something after all orders are entered to click/push, which is harder when the orders are coming from multiple places.

In the long run, the use of those devices on tables works as well as any other self-option. Some will use it and order quickly, others won't, just like two people can do self-checkout in the store and one is done in 2 minutes while the other stands there looking at the machine with no clue what to do. Seems likely that was happening where you went, thus if you had no issues, that is why you didn't realize how long others were taking to order.

And, in reality, it's always been that way. Even with a human taking orders at a restaurant, some people will know exactly what they want and that table can be completed quickly, while other tables there is someone asking 12 questions before they decide they don't want any of the things they asked about and take something else entirely.

Same on the server side - some can make notes, or remember orders and ask about anything the customer doesn't mention no matter what they request (that is, knowing what options go with each meal or section of the menu), while others can't, and may have to return to the table once or twice to ask questions when they attempt to input the order and their computer asks for information they don't have.

Maybe a better combination is a lesser number of servers, with the kiosks that those who want to use them (and know how to) can, with a clear instruction on them that if you are having issue, push button x and a live server will come over.
Since at least some percentage of people will use the automated option, you still cut the number of people needed while serving everyone in the way that is best for them (much like the fast food places that will take orders manually, via kiosk, or a combination of kiosk then pay manually since the machines aren't set up for some payments).

[HCal]

Only way this could work at a table service restaurant is if everyone orders on their cell phone. Otherwise as stated before the entire restaurant collapses under customers spending an hour or longer due to the customers taking forever to input each order one at a time on a kiosk. Their technology was fantastic and intuitive, even my mom figured it out immediately. Food was great as long as you made good choices (remember over customized food is not always good, see the crashing express pizza industry for example). Like I said, Stacked was the most watched restaurant in the industry and it collapsed with incredible crowds and lines to get in. They simply could not achieve acceptable levels of table turnover because a party of 6 took up to half an hour to input their order as they passed the tablet around. I went multiple times and didn't realize it was taking so long until they closed. They are running one location still in Huntington Beach without kiosks or tablets, back to old fashioned paper menus and chef designed entrees.

I feel like that should be a relatively easy fix. The kiosks are now cheap enough that they could easily have a few per table (perhaps one for every 2 or 3 seats). During busy times, they could even have some kiosks in the lobby that you can use while waiting for your table.

Perhaps most people order on their own cell phones, and there is one kiosk floating around for those who don't have a phone, have battery issues, etc.?

[ClownLoach]

Only way this could work at a table service restaurant is if everyone orders on their cell phone. Otherwise as stated before the entire restaurant collapses under customers spending an hour or longer due to the customers taking forever to input each order one at a time on a kiosk. Their technology was fantastic and intuitive, even my mom figured it out immediately. Food was great as long as you made good choices (remember over customized food is not always good, see the crashing express pizza industry for example). Like I said, Stacked was the most watched restaurant in the industry and it collapsed with incredible crowds and lines to get in. They simply could not achieve acceptable levels of table turnover because a party of 6 took up to half an hour to input their order as they passed the tablet around. I went multiple times and didn't realize it was taking so long until they closed. They are running one location still in Huntington Beach without kiosks or tablets, back to old fashioned paper menus and chef designed entrees.

I feel like that should be a relatively easy fix. The kiosks are now cheap enough that they could easily have a few per table (perhaps one for every 2 or 3 seats). During busy times, they could even have some kiosks in the lobby that you can use while waiting for your table.

Perhaps most people order on their own cell phones, and there is one kiosk floating around for those who don't have a phone, have battery issues, etc.?

Cost wasn't the problem. Interface was relatively easy too, basically like online shopping. At the end of the day even with a tablet for every guest there will be people who can't figure it out and slow the process. It also takes control of the flow of the restaurant away from the staff. Most chain restaurants time everything now including seating in an effort to spread out the tickets in the kitchen. If the customer decides when the ticket goes in once again you slow everything or have kitchen rushes. If you want to increase restaurant sales in a full restaurant 10% then speed up the turn of tables 10%. If you want to lower sales 20% then slow the turn 20%. Screw up ticket flow and you could take another 20%. Turn of tables is the difference between being in business and out of business. This is why it doesn't work.