Indians Want Contactless Dining And Digital Payment Options The Next Time They go to a Restaurant

We are still in the midst of a nationwide lockdown in an attempt to flatten the Coronavirus curve. We do not know when the lockdown will end, and when we will be able to actually step out and enjoy a nice meal at a restaurant. But well, there is hope. And the latest report published by dining out and restaurant tech platform Dineout suggests you and I are now more aware about new tech such as Contactless Dining and there is an even greater willingness towards digital payments.

The Dineout report suggests that 81% of their customers would prefer to scan a QR code on their phone and place an order on an app or web platform instead of handling physical menus or the traditional order placement methods in restaurants. Digital menus are the way forward. Also, more than 60% of the respondents said they would prefer to pay using digital payment methods, including mobile wallets, instead of handling cash or paying via cards at the restaurant. At the same time, more than 96% of respondents also want better waitlist management, in case you are in a queue to get a table. There should be options to preselect seating as well as the availability of sanitizers at tables.

“While demand will return rapidly as millions of Indians are craving their favorite dishes, its also crucial to make the necessary changes to restore consumer confidence and trust by rapidly evolving the restaurant’s approach to using technology as means to implement Contactless Dining,” says Ankit Mehrotra, co-founder and CEO, Dineout.

Then there is the small matter of getting to and from a restaurant. Dineout report suggests 85% users would also prefer digital valet services over having to park their cars in public parking spaces, with cleanliness and contamination being primary concerns.

Platforms such as Dineout are focusing on hygiene ratings for restaurants, which include ratings in aspects such as hygiene checks, use of gloves by waiters, sanitization of restaurant furniture and the use of UV sanitized utensils. Users can now see certified restaurants and their audit rating on the Dineout app, available for Android phones and the Apple iPhone, as well.