Vision for the future

Where does the Modern Cafe go in the future? And more importantly what do my customers expect from my restaurant in the future?

I think the matter is the same as it has been since a restaurant began some 1000 plus years ago, it will always be a matter of interactivity.  Customers expect their favorite cafe, diner, and coffee shop to interact with them - it is not enough anymore for a waiter to know your favorite item on their menu - Do they know your name?  But is that really enough anymore either? I think as we move more and more into a digital age with information streaming by us at the the speed of light, and more options available with a few clicks on the smart phone, restaurants need to open more channels to create contact points and interactions with customers.
Think about that for a minute, how many restaurants do you know on twitter or facebook, okay so you know a few... Are they having meaningful dialogue with their customers? Probably not... How can they?

The wow factor for most eateries come when you sit down and get great service, food, and atmosphere... top that with a killer dessert or awesome wine selection and you might have found your new favorite place. Interactivity at all these levels and you are blabbing to all your friends on how great things were and voila "successful restaurant" here we come.

Sorry folks that isn't good enough anymore, is it? I have personally been to lots of places that hit 9 out of 10 in all of these areas and I may not be back for a time... Why not its good enough right?  No, just no real reason to.  What would get me to come back when I can go to 10 other places and then compare my experiences.  I know too that after checking out 4 other places I've forgotten half the reasons why I liked that place in the very beginning anyway, sad really.  It's like channel surfing restaurant style.

God forbid you are have an off night at your place because by the time you close your doors for the evening and 4 people were not happy with their steaks, well 400 could know about it.  Think about it, how many friends you got on facebook? The average is 300 friends, so 1 unhappy customer could mean 300 people who will be reluctant to check you out... ouch.  4 separate folks not happy 1200 people know... that's a lot more than the rule that I learned when I first started in retail, 1 person mad and they will tell 10 friends.  By the way, that still applies but in a digital age where you can post "that so-so place really sucks" now as a person that may see that friend once a week I now have a starting point to have a conversation with that person.  Great, that is what any owner wants to hear, your place is now the conversation starter for two acquaintances as to how your place sucks.  Compound that with someone who had a poor time, then goes on face-book or twitter to find out someone they know had a poor time and poor restaurant owner doesn't even know what hit them.

I think that in this new world of social interactivity, a restaurant needs to find a new way to connect with its customers.  I am currently looking at creating an avenue for my customers to vote each quarter on what items that they like best, poor items get dumped and popular items stay on.  A system where  you can see what others have commented and add your own to the mix, and get real time interaction with the kitchen as to what they are doing to fix issues or accept praises.  I would personally find it interesting to make a comment about a meal which posts to my face-book and get a reply from the chef stating what they have done about my experience.  I'd feel special, and I would feel like my new favorite place cared about me.  I would also go back to make sure my winning selection stayed on the menu...

http://www.themoderncafe.ca/