A new survey reveals that more than half of restaurant customers would eat food made by robots – if it tasted good.
The Refuelling Rituals survey – published by London-based international customer experience and branding agency I-AM – states that 56 percent would consider robot-made food. Fifty-nine percent also said they would be happy to see more technology in restaurants if it meant an improvement in the dining experience.
Whilst people are still eating out and ordering take-aways, 49 percent of them say they are now cooking at home more than they used to, making this a key growth area – especially in the realm of meal-kit services. Some 54 percent cite the main benefits of meal-kits as a good way to learn new recipes while 40 percent favour them as a less wasteful option. Meanwhile, 74 percent of those surveyed say eating out inspires them to cook at home more.
The survey of 2000 18 to 45-year-olds living in UK urban areas reports that ‘dining is about’: being social (76 percent); getting away from the kitchen (73 percent); special occasions (69 percent); eating something unable or unwilling to cook (64 percent); and eating something new (62 percent).
Jon Blakeney, Group Managing Director at I-AM, said: “As technology-powered ordering systems become ubiquitous, restaurants and other eateries are beginning to think about automating the back end. Like retail, automating parts of restaurants can mean more profits and more efficiency. In a landscape where margins are tight, it means more breathing space to offer better service, more interesting recipes and entertainment.”