Consumer Expectations, Takeout Boom Drive Changes
Near-ubiquitous of-the-moment features include
Wi-Fi, communal tables, flat-screen TVs, open kitchens, local art and comfortable and varied seating. Even fireplaces and patio fire pits are trending in segments where just a few years ago one might never have imagined (much less expected) such amenities.
But that’s just the point: Consumer expectations — for nicer, better, faster, hipper, more comfortable, more local, more authentic, more eco-friendly dining environments — are on steroids. The recent wave of new restaurant prototypes, both updated versions from legacy brands and fresh new entrants to the marketplace, reflects chains’ attempts to meet and exceed these rapidly changing expectations. It also points to some fundamental, tech-driven shifts in how the guest experience will change even more.
Discover what the design and branding experts think about the latest prototypes on the following stories, then peek inside three new restaurant prototypes.