• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, August 6, 2024

Email is the preferred channel for receiving restaurant offers, according to Restaurant Trends and Diner Expectations, a study by SevenRooms.  

Of consumers polled, 38% of millennials, 37% of Gen Z and 44% of Baby Boomers prefer email. In contrast, 41% of Gen Z would rather receive texts. 

Accordingly, food service operators are most interested in automating their email and text systems: 

• Customer service/communication (emails, calls, text) — 30% 
• Inventory management and supply-chain logistics — 29% 
• Intake and booking of large parties — 28% 
• Dynamic cancellation policies — 27%
• Dynamic reservation availability based on real-time data — 27%

Automated emails might “come from the voice of a manager and invite a guest to return to the venue following key events like their first visit, after they leave a negative or positive review or if they haven't visited in 60 days,” the study says. 

Of course, SevenRooms offers email services, so you can be accept the following claims at face value or remain skeptical:

• Targeted email sends drives 23% higher open rates
• Targeted emails generate 28% higher click-to-open rates
• Targeted emails draw 2x more revenue per email.

“Normally when you have a high volume [of guests], you can’t reach everyone personally,” says David Haffner, general manager, Brodeur’s Bistro. “But with automated email campaigns, nobody is falling through the cracks. It saves me time and makes every guest feel like a VIP.”

What do consumers want to hear ahead of time about in emails or texts? They cite:

• Full food and cocktail menu — 54%
• Specials or promotions currently offered — 49%
• Dietary options (for vegetarians, vegans, or gluten-free diets) — 30%
• Reviews or testimonials from previous diners — 27%
• Dress code and ambiance description — 24%
• Any restaurant amenities (i.e., valet parking, coat check, etc.) — 24%
• I don’t expect anything to be shared with me in advance — 8%
• Other — 1%

SevenRooms partnered with Censuswide Research to survey 1,004 U.S. consumers and 251 U.S. operators from March 4-11, 2024.