Technological advancements have changed the food retail industry enormously in the past years. Your local supermarket undoubtedly looks different from 10 years ago. It is now filled with self-scanners, self-check-out counters, delivery services and what else. However, when we take a look at restaurants, not much innovation can be seen. Most restaurants still have their own traditional feel, with no technological gadgetry that can improve customer experience.
Amsterdam-based tech start-up FoodStory is about to bring change to this. FoodStory is the first Augmented Reality powered 3D menu offering ability to showcase food as holograms and gather data/insights on a micro-(dish)-level (Srivastava, 2018). By downloading the app, customers can go through the menu of a particular restaurant and view the different dishes. These are projected through the smartphone or tablet camera. Guests can view the menu inside the restaurant or at home before making a reservation. (FoodStory, 2018)
There are several reason behind why FoodStory was created, being beneficial for businesses as well as consumers. We can reason that it is beneficial because customers are now able to see a hologram of the dishes they are interested in, which will help them make a more thought through decision and fulfill their expectations. This will result in higher customer satisfaction and thus also improve one’s business. It also results in less dishes being sent back to the kitchen, or not being fully consumed because it was less enjoyable than initially thought. This reduces food waste enormously, which in turn reduces costs. Moreover, as consumers can see the menu at home, they are able to reach an average of 50.000 views a month (FoodStory, 2018), boosting a restaurant’s marketing reach. From the consumer side, being able to see menus in augmented reality from several restaurants beforehand assists a consumer in making the right decision for a restaurant. As going to a restaurant costs a lot of time and effort, this is therefore very useful.
Currently, the app is in use for a few Dutch restaurants, but FoodStory is planning on expanding globally. Is this the future of restaurant menus and a necessity for restaurants to include in their offerings? I believe it is a welcome tool for businesses as well as consumers. What are your thoughts?
Srivastava A., (2018). 10 mind-blowing Dutch tech startups you should know about in 2018. Silicon Canals. [Online] available at: https://siliconcanals.nl/events/twn18/10-mind-blowing-dutch-tech-startups-you-should-know-about-in-2018/
FoodStory., (2018). Food & Innovation go hand in hand. Augmented Reality in Food is the future. [Online] available at: https://foodstory.io/
