If you’ve watched (read: eaten) the various food trends that have peaked popularity in Australia of late, the on flow to small businesses has seen certain cuisines dominate menus and customers are more than willing to be spoon fed.
Over the last ten years, Aussie foodie obsessions have shifted from Japanese to Mexican to southern-style American and a return to fresh local produce with a focus on health conscious dining.
With these shifting trends, restaurant owners have had to adapt. ANZ too have shifted focus with new innovations. Case in point: their slick new ANZ BladePay™ device which together with the right POS vendor app can help business owners provide a seamless service to their customers, from order through to payment, making for an improved and more efficient dining experience.
Ready to take a big step with your small business? Check out ANZ BladePay™ features.
Farm to Table
Funnily enough, it looks like ‘sustainability’ is here to stay. Sourcing fresh produce from local farms to your restaurant’s table shouldn’t seem like a foreign concept. However, until recent years, businesses have been cutting costs by ‘ordering in’ frozen ingredients from other countries. But with the switch to health conscious dining, customers have cottoned on and pushed forward the social movement. Restaurants are now developing direct relationships with their local farmers, which has resulted in more nutritious and all round better tasting food. As this trend continues, the costs should level out as transportation costs are decreased and your dishes will be infinitely more flavoursome to consumers.
Is it Vegan?
A few years ago, we would have exerted a lot of energy to not roll our eyes at this question. But the joke is on us as vegan-friendly restaurants are no longer a minority. In fact, the ‘vegan’ trend in dining has transitioned from soy-based alternatives to superfoods and beyond. Expect to see a surge in sorghum grain, cauliflower everything, activated charcoal and even plant-based ‘butchers’. If documentaries like Okja, Cowspiracy, Food Inc. or Earthlings have yet to turn you, your increased profit margins might. The world is your… bean sprout?
Techno Eats
If space tourism is about to go mass market, then you better believe technology is coming to the dinner table. While drones have already started delivering food, some restaurants are making strides in incorporating tech into their food preparation and even serving. Think robot mixologists or baristas. Looking further ahead, new technologies are constantly being brought to market to make the food industry more agile, and you can shop around for these online or at conventions like Find Food Australia or the Good Food & Wine Show. What a time to be alive.
Food is Art. Art is Food.
We live in an Instagram world and we must accept it; presentation is everything. No longer can a restaurant serve a dish without a signature flourish and edible flowers are almost as common on a menu as avocado. Adopting this strategy has been key in securing free marketing from the consumer. Having a unique visual drawcard, whether it be rainbow-coloured or perfectly plated, will bring people eager to witness it. In turn, they will become your greatest spokesperson.
Preparation Is Key
How your food is made is almost as important as if it tastes good. Restaurants that set themselves apart have focused on mastering techniques that bring an edge to their food. Is it fermented? Is it smoked? Is it sous vide? Is it preserved? What can you bring to the table that will make the famous saying, ‘Here’s something we prepared earlier…’ a reality.
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Disclaimer: Eligibility criteria, terms and conditions, fees and charges apply to ANZ BladePay™ and third party apps developed by POS vendors. Use and potential benefits of ANZ BladePay™ require an app built by a POS vendor with appropriate functionality. ANZ is not responsible for apps developed by third parties.