Innovation is present in all areas and catering is no exception. Interactive terminals are increasingly visible in restaurants for taking orders. You will see below how a restaurateur implemented it in these fast food counters. Also, a survey revealed interesting data which we will present to you below. Finally, many restaurateurs have difficulty repaying emergency loans granted during the pandemic.
First, the co-owner of the fast food outlets Ogari San and Gaijin Ramen, David Trudeau-Fournier, decided to ban the cashier position due to the labor shortage and the lack of motivation of employees for this role. Customers at its two food stations in Quebec now place their orders and pay via interactive terminals. This decision made it possible to reduce the need for staff and increase the motivation of hiring candidates. He invested $15,000 in three terminals, saving 40 hours of work per week.
As a result, shifts have been reduced, with 5 employees at Gaijin Ramen and 12 at Ogari San. David Trudeau-Fournier believes that human contact with customers as a cashier is a myth, because during peak periods it is limited. This approach allows you to focus more on the quality of the food. Customers who experience problems with the terminals can be assisted by an employee if necessary.
In the event of an outage, customers can order online via their phone. Student customers frequent the restaurant counters, which facilitates the acceptance of this technology. Although the hybrid model (kiosk and cashier) is gaining popularity, David Trudeau-Fournier does not think his decision to abolish checkouts will be widely adopted.
Then, according to Lightspeed restaurant industry data, employee turnover increased 76% from April to June 2022 to the same period in 2023, indicating a continuing labor shortage in restaurants. Menu prices continue to rise, but the increase has slowed compared to the first quarter of 2023, with a median increase of 4.73% compared to the previous year. Transactions at restaurants, both fine-dining and fast-casual, increased by 3.6% and 3.53% respectively from the previous year. Tipping is on the rise, especially at bars and fine-dining restaurants, but has fallen about 8% for takeout and delivery.
Finally, two-thirds of restaurants that obtained a $60,000 loan from the government during the COVID-19 pandemic have still not made repayments, which exposes them to the loss of the subsidized portion of the loan. , or $20,000. Owner of a restaurant in L'Assomption, Pierre Martel is one of those who has not repaid anything, having accepted the loan out of necessity to save his business. Steve Trépanier, owner of a steakhouse in St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, is concerned for his colleagues and believes that there is no longer any recourse for them.
In Quebec, 80% of restaurateurs received this loan, but only 1 in 10 restaurants repaid it in full. The deadline to repay was December 31, 2023. The government recently extended the repayment date by 18 days, but the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is calling for a one-year delay, noting that businesses are in debt due to COVID restrictions, no commercial choices.
Would it be possible for restaurateurs to borrow the necessary amount from their bank by March 28, 2024 to maintain the subsidy? However, banks are becoming more and more reluctant. Steve Trépanier notes that half of financial institutions no longer want to lend money to restaurateurs, which could lead to the closure of many restaurants.
