Generation Z diners don’t want to speak to waiters in restaurants and prefer to order and pay via mobile apps, a café boss has claimed.
Tom James, managing director of the chain Bill’s, said a growing number of younger customers do not want to engage with waiters because they have ‘grown up’ communicating through their phones and devices.
In an attempt to modernise its restaurants and appeal to Gen-Z customers, the casual dining business has recently installed several technological upgrades – including self-service kiosks and QR codes.
Mr James said in some sites, especially in central London, more than 50 per cent of customers were already choosing to pay digitally.
He told The Times: ‘It’s definitely a way that a big portion of the market would like to go out and eat.
‘It goes against hospitality and, as a sort of old-school hospitality veteran, it’s different. But we have to adapt.’
A growing number of younger customers do not want to engage with waiters because they have ‘grown up’ communicating through their phones and devices (pictured: A TikToker posts a video showing her displeasure at having to speak to a waiter)
Tom James, managing director of the chain Bill’s, said in some of the company’s sites, especially in central London , more than 50 per cent of customers were already choosing to pay digitally (stock image)
Self-service kiosks have been regularly seen in many restaurant chains such as McDonalds and Leons for a number of years now, leading campaigners to warn that older diners who are more comfortable with face-to-face contact may end up effectively locked out.
Mr James insisted Bill’s would not lose its focus on traditional hospitality and stressed wait staff would remain on hand in restaurants for customers who want to do things the traditional way.
He also claimed their self-service kiosks would be ‘much more subtle’ than those found in fast food chains, adding: ‘That personal interaction, that creating experience in a moment, is the single most important thing for us in the business. However, you have to offer the alternative now.’
Bill’s has also introduced a wider range of non-alcoholic drinks and cocktails to lure Gen-Z diners to its sites, after a recent report found 21 per cent of under-25s said they avoided booze completely last year.
Tables and menus have also been revamped to be more social-media friendly, whilst a company TikTok was launched and led to ‘huge positive results’.
Mr James said: ‘The other side of it was consciously knowing how important social media is to Gen Z. We started again and looked at everything from crockery, how the dishes look on the plate, knowing that it’s not only about great dishes, it’s how they look on social media channels.’
The restaurant boss also claimed reservation numbers had been boosted in the last two years after it begun using AI chatbots instead of human staff to take bookings.
The Bill’s boss claimed Generation Z diners don’t want to speak to waiters in restaurants and prefer to order and pay via mobile apps
In an attempt to modernise its restaurants and appeal to Gen-Z customers, Bill’s has recently installed several technological upgrades – including self-service kiosks and QR codes
Self-service kiosks have been regularly seen in many restaurant chains such as McDonalds (pictured) for a number of years now
Bill’s, currently owned by billionaire restaurant tycoon Richard Caring, began its life as a grocery store in Lewes, Sussex, named after founder Bill Collison.
Before the Covid pandemic, Bill’s was struggling to attract diners and was forced to close dozens of sites in recent years after Mr Carling admitted the brand had become ‘tired’.
But today it operates around 45 sites across the country and saw sales figures of £92.6million in 2023. These numbers continue to rise by 3.4 per cent in the first half of 2024, the company said this week.
Mr James said: ‘Part one was the rebrand and how we present ourselves, much more vital and colourful and going after families and Gen Z. Part two was just a really forensic approach to every cost.’
He also highlights that as many of it’s competitors pushed steep price increases on its customers during the cost-of-living crisis, Bill’s barely raised theirs.
The company now plans to open two new sites, in Milton Keynes and Street, Somerset, before the end of the year.
This is ahead of a wider expansion next year, which will see a combination of traditional Bill’s restaurants and new cafe bar-style sites which will focus on sharing dishes, cakes, pastries, coffee and draught beer rather than just sit-down meals.