1) Who you calling shorty?
“The solution to cocktail indecisiveness? The short cocktail. Miniature versions of full-sized cocktail offerings for those who can’t decide what to order or for those who just want to sample a few things.”
(Tequila Mockingbird cocktail at Jeff Ruby’s Carlo & Johnny in Cincinnati)
2) Sorry, you can’t take it with you (except when you can)
“Bartenders tip their hats to the past and add a bit of spectacle to their presentations by incorporating flasks into the mix.”
3) Cider house rules
“The craft beer movement has paved the way for an influx of artisan ciders. On tap, in bottles and even in the can, these easy drinking, sweet-yet-tart beverages are a welcome addition to bar menus.”
4) Gin up
“Gin is the latest alcoholic beverage to have its moment in the sun.”
5) That’s quite a package
“Restaurants and wineries are getting creative and having fun with wine presentation.”
Millennials have become the fastest growing customer segment within the hospitality industry. Exploration, interaction and experience are the major focus of Millennials who are willing to pay more for a greater experience. Many of them are looking for an overall gourmet experience for a reasonable price and this has produced all new lobby designs in the hotel sector. Lobby bars and hotel restaurants are wide open with combination work, play and eat/drink spaces designed with this Millennial customer in mind, one who is a “party of one” but “hanging out together.” They are looking for a unique and novel experience and this has and will continue to command change within the market.
Moreover, this customer segment is interested in utilizing technology to do things that many others have become accustomed to doing manually: checking in at hotels, paying their restaurant and bar bills and looking up places to eat, shop and play to name a few. In addition to wanting technology, Millennials have no problems speaking up. If what they are seeking is not handled to their liking, they will turn to Twitter, Facebook, Yelp or TripAdvisor to voice their complaints. And last but not least, 59 percent of Millennials stayed at independent hotels last year, 20 percent more than boomers and double those 70 and over, according to MMGY. They currently represent 32 percent of all US travelers and by 2025 will represent over 50 percent of all travelers.
For those who are either tech-challenged or prefer more service, that service must be genuine and of a high quality – good recommendations whether they be for food, shopping or activities delivered by a truly caring team member. “WOW” Service is the only way to ensure repeat business. By creating an impressive, unique guest experience that exceeds all expectations, we are able to capture the customer whether it be with or without technology. On the meeting and event side, planners are expecting hotels to have tools to assist them. These tools may include online requests for proposals, dynamic package pricing that allows the planner to pick and choose certain amenities and more.
Expectation of more international visitors has been talked about for two years but these travelers are here now. International leisure travel has increased markedly due to the visa waiver program introduced by President Obama in 2012 and this is moving more international tourists to travel to the United States. The U.S. Department of Commerce projects an annual growth rate of approximately 4 percent in international travel. This represents over 80 million visitors. China is preparing to send tens of millions of leisure tourists into the international market every year. With the new “10 year visa” agreement between the U.S. and China signed earlier this year, we will be getting more than our fair share of Chinese travelers. Considering the average Chinese traveler spends a week in the U.S., huge incremental demand is created. These Chinese travelers average spending over $1,000 per day when traveling abroad, excluding accommodation.
Moreover, the busiest times for Chinese guests to travel are in February at the time of the Chinese New Year and around Chinese Labor Day in May. Other popular months are April and July while European visitors tend to travel April to October. Again, specific to China due to their huge numbers, more than 618 million Chinese use the Internet, more than 80 percent of whom access the web via their mobile device! While they have been known in the past to travel in groups, 2 out of 3 make their own arrangements now. All of this is big news and comes courtesy of Chinese International Travel Monitor 2014, published by Hotels.com.
Booking more profitable business is critical as more revenues result from strong increases in occupancy levels, average rates and revenue per available room (RevPAR). This may suggest more profits, but the growth in distribution costs as well as other operating costs such as health care and the minimum wage increases can stunt profit growth. While the revenues are coming first and foremost from RevPAR growth, there are additional ways to increase both revenue and net income.
One is by less reliance on the online travel agencies (OTAs). By directing guests to your hotel’s website and telephones, the savings are abundant. The digital distribution costs are soaring and the number of players entering the market to compete with OTAs is rapidly rising (think Google, Facebook, Apple, TripAdvisor, Amazon and more). The key is to negotiate with your distribution team (yes, the OTAs can be an integral part of your team) and reduce your commissions. Then make certain that you have a strategy in place to earn the repeat business of every single guest…and get them to book direct next time. Think incentives!
Innovative technology, mobile check-in, and seamless connectivity across platforms and devices are no longer the future, they are the present. Today, mobile apps are being used as everything from a digital concierge to accessing big data. Geo-location can make it easy to sell guests something that is literally right in front of them. In a recent survey by Software Advice, guests desired local restaurant and hotel restaurant discounts when looking for deals as well as maps with coupons for other deals. At our hotels, we use 1App, which sends guests deals to do everything related to eating, playing and shopping. Additionally, monitoring guest use of the Internet relative to bandwidth can provide a different data set, perhaps one that will drive down your ever increasing costs of providing ridiculous levels of said bandwidth. Most importantly, when looking at the face of a changing consumer today, technology innovation is paramount. As most have heard, Starwood and Hilton will be having guests check in via mobile phone in 2015.
The sharing economy is a new reality hoteliers are still grasping to embrace. Over the past few weeks we have seen jurisdictions attempt to regulate this reality as evidenced by the San Francisco City Council implementing new legislation providing a legal avenue for Airbnb. Uber, Lyft, and other ride sharing companies are also in uncharted legal territory that will be legislated over the next few years. The challenge here is that users like these services, government legislation is not generally keeping up with these rapid developments, and hoteliers are unsure of how to react. Is Airbnb a complement to hotels or is it a threat to the traditional hotel model? Given the penchant of Millennials to chart their own path and their increasing share of the traveling public, expect to see Airbnb, Uber, and other competitors continue to dominate the conversation. It would be interesting to see if STR is able to capture the impact of Airbnb and incorporate it into the competitive set of hotels, particularly in dense, urban environments where the impact may be the greatest.
Political uncertainty will continue to be an unfortunate reality because at the national level, it is unclear that the President and the new Republican Congress will be willing to compromise on anything leading into the 2016 presidential campaign. This impacts hoteliers on many levels but most crucially as it impacts two areas of vital importance to the hospitality industry: healthcare and the re-authorization of Brand USA legislation. Whether or not you agree with Obamacare and its implementation, now that it is reality the hotel industry is just getting its arms around incorporating the demands of the legislation into HR policies, legal ramifications, and the impact it has on the healthcare options available to employees. Continuing threats of repealing the legislation or defunding Obamacare create uncertainty about what resources may or may not need to be allocated in the coming years.
Reauthorizing Brand USA through a renewal of the Travel Promotion Act is something that the lodging industry will continue to promote because the initial legislation attracted more than 1.1 million additional visitors to the US that resulted in $3.4 billion in spending. This public-private partnership has been highly successful and the legislation’s renewal is critical.
Impacted by national, state, and local politics is the living wage movement and the uncertainty of how quickly the minimum wage will increase. But one thing is clear, the minimum wage is going up across the country and hoteliers need to plan accordingly. In San Diego where we run several hotels, the City Council recently passed legislation to increase the minimum wage above and beyond the already scheduled increase in the state minimum wage. Although that wage increase is now on hold pending a public referendum in June 2016, the confusion creates uncertainty in the business climate and does not allow businesses to forecast or budget accurately.
Reputation management continues its importance because it is no longer all about TripAdvisor. Although this platform continues to dominate in the hotel industry, it is easy to skip over the increasing importance of Yelp, Yahoo, Facebook, and Expedia for guest reviews and comments. Managing a property’s reputation is increasingly important and using tools to help this process is crucial. Many of our properties use Revinate as a complete, one-stop solution for reputation management instead of the cumbersome process of logging into each platform and spending an exorbitant amount of time on a crucial yet time consuming aspect of the hotel industry. Engaging with guests and responding to their needs publicly through these forums can go a long way in driving future bookings to your property.
Social is Mobile and maybe soon we will see social as a dominant booking engine. According to PhoCusWright, the term “mocial” may be among the most overused buzzwords of the past few years, but there’s no disputing the importance of mobile to social strategy. Hotel companies are likely underestimating traveler interaction with them via mobile. For most social platforms, mobile is becoming the primary means for travelers to access and contribute content.
Travelers’ ability to access social networks anytime, anywhere empowers them to create and consume more content than ever before. And this is not just for domestic travelers. Our international visitors are just as likely to have a smart phone.
In addition, nearly 50 percent of hotel companies have a booking engine or widget on their Facebook page, according to PhoCusWright’s “Social media in travel: Mayhem, myths, mobile and money” study. Bookings generated through the channel, however, are generally low, with 45 percent of companies surveyed saying they receive less than 1 percent of total bookings through the site.
Real time marketing and providing content on an ongoing basis will dominate the industry. Although it would be unwise to discount the impact of traditional marketing, real time marketing must take place on a regular basis and incorporate guest-generated content, especially via social media. This must be a crucial component of the marketing mix. Think of your property’s Facebook page as a second website with the option for guests to contact hotel staff and make reservations. At RAR we use a Facebook app provided by buuteeq, one of our digital marketing providers, that pulls information about the property from the hotel’s website onto its Facebook page. This app also provides a link through which guests can book a room directly on the property’s website. Facebook pages also need to take advantage of custom apps that can highlight a hotel’s unique features, characteristics, and charm. Whether it is Facebook or another social media outlet, guests should be able to contact the hotel with an expectation that they will receive a response in a timely manner.
Video campaigns on social media, when done properly, are proving to be successful for hoteliers looking to generate guest engagement. We are anticipating the use of video campaigns this year and have already introduced the use of Flip.to to engage future guests in social media conversations. Flip.to allows for hotels to connect with guests from the moment they make a reservation and to create a unique experience upon arrival. By connecting with the hotel, guests are able to share with their friends and family about their upcoming trip. Flip.to then creates a custom experience for their social media connections that can help lead to future bookings. In the first few months since we partnered with Flip.to, we have seen an increase in interactions with the hotel, shared experiences with friends and family and future rooms booked directly from the engagement.
Health and wellness trends will continue to drive customer decisions. Healthy food options are one of the easiest ways to cater to this trend. The Chicago Marriott O’Hare recently implemented a test pilot in partnership with Farmer’s Fridge, a Chicago start-up, to provide a healthy vending machine. At the suggestion of a guest, soda, candy bars, and ice cream were replaced with a “detox salad” made of kale, quinoa, Greek yogurt, berries and locally sourced honey. Although the response to the healthy vending machine has been positive, the hotel’s best-selling food item is still the Marriott burger. There is a need to balance health and wellness with tasty options that are cost effective.
One of the successful ways I catered to the health and wellness of my guests was through a weekly “Run with the Owner.” Repeat guests especially enjoyed the opportunity to provide a consistent program to maintain their exercise routine while away on business, not to mention having a nice “chat.”
4 Big Trends in Hospitality & Travel Technology for 2015
“Three Screens” is Out, Universal Digital Is In
The idea of three screens has been valuable in expanding our ideas and ability to reach travelers across a spectrum of devices, but we are past it now. The next year will be one in which innovations in travel technology are made in such a way that all methods of correspondence are available to travelers—text, email, voice—and all applications and software are available in the same format across all devices. Ultimately, it means that the guest has total control over the way they plan their travel and communicate while on the road.
Mobile Check-in Sets the Standard, But Not the Way You Think
To the above point, mobile check-in is one example of a technology that has previously been thought of as a device-specific capability, and thought of in this way, it is limiting. But what forward-thinking mobile check-in companies have created is more than a way to tell a hotel about impending arrival; it’s actually a means of communicating that has opened a door to allowing guests to check-in from any device with or without an app, to send and receive text message with the front desk, and to customize their stay with ancillary selections. In this way, mobile check-in sets the standard for guest communication as a whole.
The Face of Search Will Change
The idea that we still type “Maui hotel” in a search engine or OTA is hard to believe. Big data allows travelers much bigger capabilities than this. A spectrum of ways to empower travelers to search for what they really want (i.e., an all-inclusive, beachside resort with scuba diving and fine dining) in the form of Recommendation Engines will appear on the scene in 2015, we predict. We also think you’ll see the ability to search reviews and effectively include subjective terms such as “quiet” or “good service” or “nice location.”
Groups Will Demand Online Booking & Planning Capabilities
It is time! Groups deserve the same ease of planning as other travelers, if not more since they are so important to the bottom line. Moreover, they are going to demand it by deferring to hotels that offer the most efficient and effective planning process. This means finding rates and discounts online and the ability to plan at least some of their details online.
1 – The Rise of Chicken - The recent announcement by KFC of their intention to provide 1600 jobs in 40 new restaurants across the UK and Ireland is proof that fast food in general and chicken in particular has dealt with the downturn better than many parts of the sector. In Dublin there is the success of speciality chicken houses like Crackbird, while in the UK Channel 4 recently showed a 'fly on the wall' documentary series about how a late night chicken restaurant captured all facets of modern Britain.
2 - The Growth of Fast Casual – Fast Casual dining is a trend that has been building for the last few years in Ireland. Located between the speed of Fast Food and the comfort of Casual Dining, it services people in a hurry, who nevertheless want the quality of food to be good. The recent Mexican wave of burrito bars on every street corner feeds into this, with an emphasis on quality ingredients, made to order and the option of a longneck to wash it down.
3 – Blogging, Pop-ups and Social Media – This one is straight out of 'too cool for school' Brick Lane in London. Food Bloggers in London compete with each other to profile the latest taste sensation. Last year Soho has a festival – Ribstock - to find the best grilled ribs in town. The 700 tickets sold out in five minutes on twitter. Previously they had a competition for the best chili – Chili Standoff.
4 – Small Menus – This trend has been coming for a while as consumers realise that a restaurant that offers everything can hardly be able to do it all well. Having just a few menu items, done well, appeals strongly to today's market. Restaurants such as The Mulberry Tree and Rigby's in Dublin have menus so small there is almost no choice, you eat what you're given.
5 – What’s the new Pizza? – With Irish fast food still caught up in a Mexican wave (witness one of the latest burrito joints, Porco Loco, in Stillorgan), we look to London to see what the next trend in ethnic food will be. South America is strongly represented with Brazilian and Peruvian street food making inroads in trendy East London. Brazil is hosting the next World Cup and the next Olympics, so this is only going to grow. Asia is represented by Pakistani street food and ‘Chinese Bao’ - pillow-soft steamed buns typically with pork filling. Also continuing to grow are Vietnamese outlets and Japanese gyoza (dumpling) stalls. Mixed-ethnic offers such as Roti Roll (Turkish/Indian) are beginning to get noticed, while Turkish pizza or stuffed naan are replacing the 'so-over' wrap.
6 - Local Fish – We’re living on an island in the Atlantic Ocean and we have an abundance of fresh local seafood that can be sourced and added to menus to meet demand. Restaurants based in coastal fishing towns are in prime position to take advantage of this trend by sourcing fish from local fishermen. McDonaghs Seafood Bar in Galway is one example of an outlet that makes a strong selling point out of declaring where their fish is coming from.
7 – Save the Children – This is a trend that has been growing in parallel with kids' waistbands. The fears over obesity in children used to be an American problem but is now spreading throughout the world, Ireland included. Ireland has the second-highest rate of obesity in Europe, and one in four three-year-olds is overweight. The big multinationals are providing healthy options with kids' meals – McDonalds automatically include apple slices, a new smaller size French fries (1.1 ounces) and reduced sodium in their Happy Meals. This is one that all outlets need to get onboard with, pronto.
8 - Gluten-free Cuisine – As more and more people claim to have food intolerances, restaurants are learning to adapt and provide menu options that cater to this demand. Luckily for the traditional fish and chip outlet in Ireland, providing a gluten-free option is easily done by changing to gluten-free batter for fish or a gluten-free bun for a burger. This is part of a macro trend where the public want to know exactly where their food is coming from.
9 - Irish-sourced food - Local sourcing is another macro-trend that will maintain its momentum in the restaurant community in 2013. Whether purchased from local farms or grown locally, restaurants will make use of seasonal ingredients on their menus. We already see this in supermarkets where Irish-grown food is clearly signposted. In Ireland, the ready availability of good quality Irish beef, pork, fish and potatoes in particular, should allow fast food restaurants to take strong advantage of this trend.
10 - Displaying Calories and Nutritional Information - The Minister of Health was due to review the initiative for displaying calories at the end of last year and if necessary legislate. In the mean time, displaying nutritional information is encouraged on a voluntary basis. This trend will also lead to outlets providing more healthy options as consumers take more care about the health impact of what they are eating.
11 – Technology in Fast Food – The use of smartphones and tablets in ordering, customising and paying at the till will spread. Consumers will expect to be able to order online and even collect their food using a voucher on their smartphone. The savvy business operator will make sure their outlet is easy to find on restaurant locater apps like Urban Spoon and LocalEats.Social Marketing will also continue to be a major part of promoting businesses. We're not sure the new online currency Bitcoin will be accepted everywhere, but in the UK customers can already order food online with it.
12 – Customisation – People buy single tracks from iTunes instead of albums, this allows people to customise their musical collection to exactly what they want. People want to be able to do this with their food orders. The Counter Burger chain, Dundrum and Suffolk St in Dublin, make customisation their selling point. The key to making customisation work is to make sure you can give the customer options to personalise their meal, without being left with tons of unused food.
Labour market information: tourism, hospitality and leisure in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
At its peak the tourism and hospitality industry in the Republic of Ireland had between 150,000 and 250,000 employees across all areas (depending on which criteria you use), earning over €6 billion for the Irish economy. But as with all sectors, the economic downturn has led to recruitment freezes and job cuts in all public and private parts of the industry, outside of specialist roles.
But it is not all doom and gloom: this sector will also be one of the first to recover. When consumer confidence returns and people begin to know where they stand financially, the industry will see the benefit. Corporate business will also return to the industry as national and international trading begins again.
Hospitality
Fewer job opportunities currently exist in the hospitality sector due to lower occupancy rates and less private and corporate functions taking place. According to the FÁS/EGFSN National Skills Bulletin 2009: ‘The demand for hospitality staff is set to decline and there are no shortages at present, nor are any expected in the medium term.’ This report also states that ‘between 2007 and 2008, there were 2,000 net job losses in selected occupations, with bar and waiting staff and chefs accounting for most of the decline.’
But take heart from the fact that most job losses are in casual employment rather than graduate positions. Some of the larger hotel chains have continued to grow, albeit at a slower pace. A strategy of special offers and packages has been adopted by many accommodation providers.
Tourism
Tourism jobs have taken a hit due to falling visitor numbers and less consumer spending. State bodies have seen recruitment freezes, job losses, non-renewal of contracts and reduced seasonal staff. This has also led to fewer job options with public and private tourist ventures.
The leisure industry
The leisure industry has suffered as people have less disposable income. However, with health, fitness and ‘wellness’ issues remaining topical, a certain level of demand will remain and will grow into the future, according to the various tourism bodies.
Sport
The larger sporting organisations appear to remain strong due to the ongoing popularity of sport in Ireland and elsewhere. However, those in the sports industry more dependent on state funding (eg local authorities) have been hit much harder and hence have limited graduate opportunities.
The events industry
The events industry is one of the first to be hit during an economic downturn as companies or individuals are unwilling or don’t want to be seen to fund costly events. But keep your eyes open. Events will still happen – but probably on the cheap – so get involved. Also, marketing budgets often remain high even when all other department funding is cut.
Growth areas
The cruise line industry has seen growth in recent years and remains an employment option. Some catering management companies in the ROI have reported growth leading to graduate opportunities.
Fáilte Ireland, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourismhave targeted a number of strategic areas as potential growth areas worth investing in:
Cultural tourism: a significant growth area worldwide, which has had an estimated value to the Irish economy of over €5 billion annually.
Festivals and cultural events initiative: aims to spread events around the country and invest in attractive and sustainable events to enhance local and regional tourism.
Food tourism.
Sustainable/eco tourism (also called agri, agro and rural tourism): a real global growth area.
Adventure tourism.
Short city breaks: Ireland as a city break destination.
Car touring: seen by many tourists as a cheaper way to holiday.
Sports tourism: involves a focus on bringing major sporting events to Ireland, particularly those which showcase Ireland as a tourism destination. Piggy-backing on events such as the Olympic Games in London 2012 can also be lucrative. Recent reports have suggested that tourism in the Republic and Northern Ireland could benefit to the tune of €58m and €12m respectively from the 2012 games.
Leisure pursuits/amenities: walking, hill walking, cruising, angling, golf, cycling, equestrian.
Spa and wellness/well-being activities.
New and developing markets such as China and India: knowledge of these markets (eg a desire to travel in groups) and the offering of suitable products is vital. Language skills can be vital for building these ‘tourism’ relationships.
English language learning.
Business/corporate tourism: offers real growth potential through marketing Ireland as a conference/business and incentive travel destination. The success of the newly opened Convention Centre Dublin is an example of this. The potential benefit to other sections of the tourism industry is also great, eg accommodation providers, leisure pursuits/amenities, food and drink sector.
E-tourism: potential opportunities for those who want to innovate in and work on online marketing/sales and information management.
Rapidly aging populations: this will mean a need for a far more expansive range of products and services aimed at this demographic group, eg cruises.
Time to innovate
Innovation and entrepreneurship will be key factors in the recovery of this sector. This may be in the development of new products or services, or the re-invigorating of existing products that have become predictable and stale.
Six technology trends revolutionising the hospitality industry
Calum McIndoe, Sales Director of Infor Hospitality explores the six technology trends revolutionising the hospitality industry
1. Cloud / Software as a Service (SaaS)
Software delivered as a service, rather than held on premise is already a mainstream technology topic and despite being a new concept in the hospitality sector, it is already big news. At Infor, 85% of the queries we see from hospitality companies and hotels include a serious look at cloud computing. Two main factors are behind this.
Firstly, upfront investment is lower with the cloud as there are no initial hardware costs or associated expenses such as full time, in-house IT staff to maintain the system. Secondly, hotels like the idea of taking the headache and distractions of IT off their site, leaving them free to focus on the day-to-day business of looking after their guests.
As well as the low capital expenditure of the cloud and the cultural “fit”, there is also the fact that implementation timetables can shrink from months to days, resulting in immediate and obvious benefits in obtaining time to value.
The sum total of these drivers is that cloud technology is no passing fad: for the hospitality sector it is the new normal.
2. Mobility
Mobile is the new face of computing as devices such as tablets and smartphones revolutionise the way we interact with technology. Hospitality is no exception to this revolution, in some cases leading the war.
There has often been the expectation that because hotels are, by their very nature, fixed entities, mobile technologies may have minimal impact. However, this myth has been thoroughly laid to rest as tablets, mobile phones, smartphones and laptops have become critical tools on both sides of the check-in desk.
These benefits are not reserved for just large international chains: the low capital expenditure investment for mobile hardware and much reduced software costs mean that mobile is a viable option for small independent properties, looking to develop customer service as a competitive edge.
3. Social
Social media has had a profound impact upon the hospitality industry. Trip Advisor has become one of the main sources of information for people researching holidays, hotels and leisure facilities. Meanwhile, newer social tools like Facebook or Twitter are quickly becoming just as influential. For any hotel to not at least monitor social media is tantamount to willingly flying blind.
The online reputation of a property is business critical. It does not however, stand alone as a marketing department concern, but relates directly to daily operations. As such, social media monitoring MUST be interfaced with the hotel management systems so that swift, appropriate action can be taken.
4. Personalised systems
Customers expect their experience within a hotel to be totally personalised to them: from the welcome message on the television screen and food preferences to additional services such as personal training or flowers in the room.
This quickly creates a huge range of valuable customer preference data that needs to be fed into the hotel management system in order to deliver a personalised, high quality service for each return visit. This is not just a case of linking the customer relationship management system into the hotel operations - it is embedding the process of capturing guest preferences and proactively using that data.
For example, if a guest comments on the facilities in the room to someone on the front desk as they leave for the day, the data can be passed to the relevant operational team for the issue to be rectified and the guest notified upon their return - delivering a truly personalised service at all levels of the stay.
5. Integration
Hotels span many functions - from accommodation and event catering to specialised facilities such as golf or health spas. Each of these areas has, traditionally, operated an individual software system. Whilst this approach has delivered specific functionality, it has also led to silos of information.
Integrating these systems can provide more comprehensive management information, faster reporting and a truly comprehensive view of profitability. For example integrating the hotel management system with the restaurant point of sale application means that the hotel has a comprehensive view of revenue per guest or event. The hotel can also pull together truly holistic reports for management information and customer communication.
6. Globalisation
The last major trend currently in the hospitality industry is globalisation. In the 21st century, hotel companies will need to adopt different management approaches to survive and develop amidst high levels of economic uncertainty. As international trade and business expand, there is no question that international links will become more important for the hotel industry. This means that the technology systems in use - especially those in large chains - must account for the global perspective.
This may be something as relatively simple as issues of scalability or international languages, or something as complex as accounting for different regulations and working practices in different countries.
All of these trends have already brought about profound change in the hospitality industry - and they will continue to disrupt and redefine operations. From the back office to front of house, the kitchen to the corporate boardroom, the technology that underpins these changes will deliver a sharp competitive edge at all levels.
Can we start you off with a drink maybe? Many cocktail bars across the US have come up with the rather brilliant idea of introducing herbs, spices or fruits into the ice cubes which add continuously stronger favours the more the ice melts. This innovative idea will change how cocktails are made and may even create a few new ones along the way! Mint, strawberries, basil and lavender are all perfect examples of what you can put in your next batch of ice cubes.
(Lemon slices and Mint Infused in Ice Cubes creating new ways to present cocktails)
2. New Asian Flavours
With new Asian restaurants come new Asian flavours. The surge in Thai, Chinese and Japanese restaurants all around the country has only fuelled our desire for more. The Asian markets around Dublin are seeing an increase in Irish people coming in and sampling products. Some shops are even providing classes which teach beginners about the ingredients and the delicious, traditional Asian dishes that can be made from them. Keep an eye out for Asian restaurant menus' where the food becomes unfamiliar but tasty!
3. The Ramen Burger
We think this is more of a personal dream rather than a trend! Nonetheless, the Ramen Burger has become an overnight sensation in the US when Ramen and Burger lover and blogger Keizo Shimamoto decided to be adventurous and mix the two insanely popular dishes into one. When the "burger" was released in a local food fair in Brooklyn, it caused quite a stir, selling a staggering 500 burgers in just less than 2 days. We really hope somebody tries to perfect this burger in Ireland. Like really. If you own a restaurant, serve burgers and are reading this blog post, do it! We will be the first people queuing at your door. Have a look at this recipe of the Ramen Burger to get you started!
4. Tablet Orders
We have only reached the tip of what Tablets and Smartphones are capable of doing. We believe that 2014 will be the year where more and more people begin ordering through tablets such as iPads. Think about it. You walk into a busy restaurant in Cork city centre on a Saturday night. The queue for a seat is horrendous. You decide to wait it out because a guy from work said that this place served the best damn Ramen Burgers (ahem) in the country. Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, you get a table. Now you have to wait for the waitress (who has 10 tables to get through before you) to take your order. Or maybe you don't. Take the iPad that was handed to you when you sat down and order at your own convenience. Not only is this convenient for you but the poor waitress now has no orders to take and can focus more on additional services that make dining out so great. You might think it’s a costly investment but it will surely save you money in the long run not to mention vastly improving your service. Once this trend begins to become popular, you will notice many of the technology companies such as Apple or Samsung creating services and maintenance contracts for the catering industry which will reduce the risk even more.
(Order your Dinner and Play Angry Birds at the same time!)
5. Menu Redesign
"Healthy" is becoming a popular word surrounding food at the moment. In 2014, you will see a lot more menus which detail every ingredient of each dish as well as the calories. You will also find more places informing where their food was sourced which is important in terms of freshness. One example we can think of is Jamie Heaslip and Jo Burger's Co Owned Bear which states what farm the beef which they serve in house came from. All this information will surge new menu designs which in turn creates difficulty for chefs'. How do they display this information whilst still making their menu look appealing to hungry customers? Time will tell.
6. Popcorn for Dessert Anyone?
We’ve all met someone who likes to throw a bag of minstrels into a tub of popcorn at the cinema to create a surprisingly delicious combination of flavours. Now, this is beginning to hit the mainstream with dessert menus containing more popcorn based after-dinner treats. From Cookies and Cream Popcorn to Fudge Mint Popcorn, the possibilities are endless. And to make it even better, popcorn cooked the right way is actually good for you. Maybe not the caramel or chocolate that you put on it but at least it makes you feel slightly better about eating it.
7. Chicken
Steak has a new enemy, Chicken. With the likes of Nandos, Crackbird and the Bird Cage doing so well in Ireland, it’s almost certain that we will see an increased number of speciality chicken houses around the country. From fried chicken to chicken based dishes, the little bird will pack a punch this year.
Seth Mattison is an Internationally renowned expert on workforce trends and generational dynamics. As founder and CEO of Futuresight Labs, Seth advises many of the world's leading brands and corporations on the key shifts happening around talent management, change and innovation, leadership, and the future of work.
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