Artificial intelligence causes a loss of guests at the Candleheimer Fuchshof

Artificial intelligence causes a loss of guests at the Candleheimer Fuchshof

Sajda Sesar successfully runs her restaurant “Fuchshof” in the small town of Candleheim. But recently a misleading rumor about the closure of a restaurant of the same name caused an uproar and led to a noticeable decline in the number of guests. How Rhine Palatinate reported that the landlady's phone remained silent and the guest room was empty - a sign that something was wrong. This unexpected situation lasted for over four weeks and presented the restaurant with a major challenge.

But what is behind the rumor? An unexpected player in this story is artificial intelligence, whose distribution of information is often careless and not always accurate. This problem not only affects the Fuchshof, but also raises the general question of how catering establishments can deal with such challenges.

Customer behavior is changing

The catering industry is under pressure. A recent study by news.de shows that guests are increasingly demanding digital payment methods. About one in five guests leave a restaurant if they only accept cash. What is particularly alarming for many operators is that almost a third of the 30 to 39 age group do not want to visit cash restaurants. Men are even more sensitive, around 26.2% avoid places without digital payment options.

Awareness of digital payments shows the importance of moving with the times. Hella Fuhrmann from Adyen warns operators who do not offer such options could quickly lose guests. It is now clear at the latest that restaurants have to adapt to changing customer wishes in order to continue to be successful in the future.

The role of artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence has already found its way into the restaurant industry, and not just in large fast food chains like Taco Bell and Domino’s. More and more smaller companies could benefit from AI-supported technologies. Like that Hospitality Magazine explains, such technologies not only help to save costs, but also to analyze customer behavior and thus optimize the offer and service quality.

Using AI can help restaurant operators create personalized experiences and increase guest satisfaction. Systems for analyzing ordering behavior or for automatic menu adjustments are already on the rise. At a time when competition is becoming increasingly fierce, the implementation of such technologies could provide the decisive advantage.

The catering industry must respond to the wishes of its guests - be it through digital payment systems or the innovative use of AI. Sajda Sesar and her colleagues have the challenge of continuing to position themselves and finding new ways to win back guests and ultimately keep the “Fuchshof” alive.