52% would use an order-ahead capability every time, if available, and 29% would use it some of the time. 37% will make two or more extra visits per week if they can order ahead.
“Our research makes clear that UK employees will visit and spend more if canteens and workplace restaurants offer an experience that is quick, easy and genuinely personalised, whether online, via smartphone, kiosk or at the checkout,” said Mel Taylor, CEO, Omnico.
“Time is precious to employees – we found that 61% do not visit their in-house restaurant more often because they can’t face queuing.”
The research, which was conducted among 750 employees across the UK, found that 58% of respondents would visit at least once more in the week, if they could access experience-enhancing technologies such as ordering ahead, or are able to make payments via apps, touch-screen kiosks, wearable devices and phone-scanning.
70% said they would visit more frequently if the staff cafeteria operated a personalised loyalty programme, which they could access via any channel.
The research found that a loyalty scheme offering rewards redeemable against future purchases would deliver an extra two visits per person each week. And overall, technologies that eliminate queuing and make ordering and payment easy across all channels will increase visit frequency by an average 1.18 extra days per person each week.
48% of those surveyed said they would want to place an order using a phone app, while 25% would want to pay using a smartphone payment system such as Apple Pay.
From a list of types of promotion that employees want from loyalty schemes, 48% selected value meals and 45% want meal deal packages, allowing them to buy a discounted package of meals over a set period.