Low-Touch Economy: The New Normal for Restaurant Success

As states look to reopen their economies, fast food and quick-service restaurants face the daunting task of meeting the needs of customers who have dramatically changed their behavior and preferences in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s no surprise that consumers now clearly prefer low and zero contact interactions to ensure their safety, and recent data reveals not only the extent of this abrupt change in preferences, but also highlights impactful trends that all brands need to consider seriously.

Many of the current changes in customer preferences will likely last for years – and may even become permanent. As a result, restaurants need to develop both short-term and long-term plans for responding to these trends. While these plans must be built on a low-touch customer experience, they must also include an off-premises strategy designed to optimize that experience. Brands that are the most successful in doing this will not only survive the current crisis, but also thrive…