People used to just go into fast food restaurants with family and friends but today, a vast majority of the population of the country orders to eat on-the-go or at home. Therefore, many experts believe that robot chefs, virtual ordering, and autonomous deliveries will be the new reality in 2030, according to a report from CBinsights.
The fast food industry has been evolving constantly, starting with White Castle, which implemented its first quick-service restaurant in 1921, and recently with McDonald’s, which opened its first automated restaurant in Texas in 2023.
According to IET sites, Danny Klein, director of digital content at QSR magazine, says the best place to start when it comes to upcoming fast-food technology is with digital integration, including shop designs and mobile technology. You can see in the “‘restaurant of the future’ models that the biggest quick-service players have recently launched, including Taco Bell’s Go Mobile model and numerous McDonald’s concepts.”
The future of fast food is coming and we can see that with the expansion that fast food industries are experiencing. Nowadays, it is common to see McDonald’s and other fast-food chains in almost every state you visit.
Technology is the best way to go from face-to-face customer interaction to digital ordering, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the drive-thru became popular and is one of the implementations for the future of fast food industries to improve their service.
Food delivery is not new, but could be quicker and easier with online platforms that may speed up the ordering process to help people save time and have a more positive service experience. For example, industries such as Uber Eats and DoorDash are becoming popular among people when ordering fast food.
In one way or another, robotic fast food restaurants will be seen around the United States where long lines, face-to-face interactions, and indoor eating will be limited and replaced with technology. The need for data and analytics will be crucial to understanding what customers want to serve them better.
Fast food restaurants are part of the culture of the United States and they will be in the country for many more decades ahead. The innovations that they are implementing will attract people’s attention, positioning the fast food industry at the top and generating billions of dollars every year.
