Three Innovative Concepts Transforming the Dining Journey

The foodservice industry is grappling with multiple challenges, affecting both consumers and operators. Consumers are feeling the pinch of inflation and reduced disposable income, while operators face tighter profit margins due to rising costs and increased prices of ingredients and other inputs. To navigate these challenges, enhancing customer experience and differentiating from competitors are crucial strategies.

Despite a recovery in global transactions in 2025, in regions like Western Europe, Latin America, Australasia and Middle East and Africa, consumers are now dining out less often than in 2019. Instead, they are seeking dining experiences that align with their evolving habits, prioritising affordability and convenience, but also more meaningful experiences that justify their spending. This shift underscores the need for restaurants to adapt by offering innovative experiences, personalised services and loyalty programmes to attract and retain customers throughout the three stages of the customer journey: before dining out or ordering a meal, in the restaurant, and after the purchase.

To illustrate how restaurants can adapt to these evolving consumer habits, let's explore three case studies that highlight innovative strategies at each stage of the customer journey.

Before the purchase: Zomato Nugget revolutionises customer support with AI

Navigating the highly fragmented foodservice market can be overwhelming, especially when searching for the perfect place to eat or finding a meal that suits your tastes. To address this challenge, Zomato India, a restaurant discovery platform and delivery service, introduced Zomato Nugget to its loyalty members in February 2025.

Zomato, which led the third-party delivery market in India with a 53% value share in 2024, had over 7.4 million active loyalty members in its Zomato Gold programme in participating markets

_{Source: Euromonitor International}

Through Nugget, an AI chatbot, the brand allows customers to interact via messaging as natural as when texting a friend. The AI responds in real time, aligning with their unique food and beverage preferences, dietary needs, price range and even current mood. The chat is designed to assist in placing orders seamlessly, making the dining experience more personalised and convenient. By leveraging AI technology, Nugget enhances customer engagement, providing a more intuitive and responsive way to explore culinary options and satisfy cravings.

In the restaurant: Avant Garden’s “Table for One” is redefining solo dining experiences

As solo dining reservations continue to rise, restaurants are now crafting unique experiences tailored specifically for individuals. For instance, Avant Garden offers a "Table for One" dining experience, where guests can savour their meals in solitude, normalising the act of dining alone.

In the US, 33% of total consumer foodservice sales in 2024 came from full-service restaurants

^{Source: Euromonitor International}

Full-service restaurants can capitalise on this trend by optimising their spaces to facilitate quicker table turnovers and creating tasting menus designed for solo diners. Restaurants can tailor these tasting menus to suit individual preferences, offering a range of small plates or courses that cater to the solo diner's unique tastes. This flexibility empowers solo diners to discover new flavours and explore premium options they might not have considered in a group setting, potentially increasing the average ticket price per person. Solo dining offers a unique opportunity for personal indulgence and self-care, allowing diners to fully immerse themselves in the culinary experience without distractions. This “me-time” can be a form of relaxation and enjoyment, making each meal a memorable, unique and indulgent treat tailored just for one.

After the meal: Chipotle x Strava elevating active lifestyles together

Restaurant brands are increasingly seeking ways to position themselves beyond the foodservice space and integrate into consumers’ daily routines in the effort to become a lifestyle brand. Loyalty programmes enhance engagement with members, and partnerships enable brands to reach new audiences by diversifying their offerings beyond food purchase. According to Euromonitor’s Voice of the Consumer: Lifestyles Survey, fielded January to February 2024, 66% of North Americans exercised at least weekly, surpassing the global average of 63%. That’s why Chipotle partnered with Strava, an app for tracking and sharing physical activities using GPS. This collaboration encourages Chipotle members to participate in City Challenges, motivating them to win perks by staying active and to earn rewards. By integrating exercise and healthy eating into daily routines, Chipotle positions itself as a health-conscious option, creating a cycle of working out, enjoying nutritious meals, and earning perks.

Chipotle’s loyalty programme increased from 35 million members in 2023 to 40 million in 2024 and its engagement index, which measures the company’s customer engagement level compared to the industry average, grew by 35% in just one year

^{Source: Euromonitor International, Loyalty Competitor Tracker}

Now more than ever, it's crucial for restaurant operators to create engaging experiences throughout the entire customer journey. Whether it's when consumers are deciding what to eat, enjoying their time at the restaurant, or how the brand can accompany its core audience in their daily lives, maintaining momentum is key.

Read our article, Top Five Trends in Loyalty for 2025, for more analysis on global loyalty trends and drivers.