Between 2011 and 2019, Rick Tsakalios delivered tech support as a “Genius” for a major technology company. He received several awards while serving in this position. Currently a business owner in Huntley, Rick Tsakalios remains highly interested in the technology industry.
As a restaurateur, Rick Tsakalios closely follows stories involving new advancements in the food services industry. According to Fortune Business Insights, America’s food services industry had a value of $824.61 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach $1.76 trillion by 2030. This growth will be fueled, in part, by new technologies and innovations, including many developments involving contactless services.
Restaurant owner Rick Tsakalios is well aware of the American public’s growing interest in contactless delivery and payment services, as well as mobile payment solutions. Food delivery services that involve no contact between the delivery person and the customer became extremely popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many Americans continue to enjoy the experience. One study conducted during the pandemic found that nearly 80 percent of customers intended to continue prioritizing contactless services after the pandemic ended.
While contactless delivery services are convenient for patrons, restaurateurs enjoy several benefits of using mobile payment solutions. Without the need for cash or credit cards, they can minimize checkout bottlenecks during peak hours and optimize table turnover rates.
Restaurant owners like Rick Tsakalios have closely followed the development of online ordering and delivery platforms in recent years. A National Restaurant Association survey found that eight out of 10 delivery customers order food using a smartphone app. The inability to keep up with technological advancements can seriously hinder a restaurant’s ability to be profitable. In addition to introducing online ordering, owners must also invest in a user-friendly design and real-time tracking capabilities. Considering the popularity of contactless and cash-free services, online ordering platforms must also support a variety of payment capabilities.
Even restaurant patrons who frequent an establishment’s physical location sometimes prefer contactless services, such as self-ordering kiosks. These kiosks, which allow customers to order and pay for meals on their own, often feature digital menu boards. Business owners who oversee daily operations at restaurants can use digital menu boards to quickly add or remove meals and specials. This can be especially beneficial for restaurants that maintain unique breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus.
With so many different approaches to payments and billings, Rick Tsakalios and other proprietors have turned to advanced point-of-sale (POS) technology. POS systems combine many of the aforementioned technologies into a single platform: customers or servers can place orders at the POS, which are immediately relayed to the kitchen staff, followed by payment transactions that support credit cards, mobile payments, and more. Customers can also use the system to provide actionable feedback to restaurateurs like Rick Tsakalios.
These are only a few of the technological developments and trends that have influenced the food services and restaurant industries in recent years. Other technological developments include kitchen automation, food services robotics, and artificial intelligence-powered customer insights and marketing strategies.
While Rick Tsakalios is interested in technological developments in the food services industry, he also enjoys reading about technology as it pertains to world events. Additionally, Rick Tsakalios follows stories about unreleased technology company products, smart home technology advancements, and emerging medical technology, especially tech-enabled advancements in stem cell research.