Eating with Your Eyes: Augmented Reality for F&B

Eating with Your Eyes? Augmented Reality for F&B

F&B outlets around the world are increasingly looking to technology to improve or differentiate their dining experience. One technology which appears to have picked up some popularity in this space, is AR, or augmented reality. Unlike virtual reality (VR), which requires transporting the user to an entirely virtual environment, augmented reality overlays virtual objects or characters on the real world. If you have ever heard of or played Pokemon Go, it is the same technology.

AR Menus

Augmented reality technology presents a huge opportunity for hospitality providers to revisit the way they display and promote their products. For example, with AR diners can preview a photo-realistic, life-size projection of their dinner right in front of them. Diners can swipe through the menu, allowing the restaurant to better sell their dishes and aid the decision-making process, whilst introducing the customer to new dishes and tempting them to order more frequently.

Whilst AR menus may not suite all diners, some restaurants have turned to AR to create a memorable dining experience. For instance, City Social, a Michelin star restaurant in London’s tower 42, has built in AR to its cocktail menu. For example, when a customer orders the tequila-based ‘Calavera cocktail,’ two skeletons strumming guitars appear and guard the drink – a reference to tequilas customary theme, blood & death. You can read more about this AR-fuelled, cocktail experience here.

AR for story-telling

Augmented reality technology can also be used to take the customer on a journey, tell a story and change the setting or theme of a restaurant. Using cutting-edge 3D mapping technology and advanced storytelling techniques Belgium based Le Petit Chef provide their guests with an immersive dining journey, following a French chef on his adventures whilst they dine. The mood, music, table patterns and decorations change for different characters/elements of the story to immerse the diner into a 2-hour long continuous 3D projected tale. If you are interested in visiting Le Petit Chef, they now have a location in London available to book every Wednesday and Friday. Find out more here and watch a demonstration of their dining experience here.

Integrating AR

Part of wi-Q Technologies’ vision is to offer a means for venues to not only integrate emerging technology such as AR into their existing operations, but a means to generate and measure its ROI. Through leading integrations with the world’s leading hospitality technology providers, such as Oracle, Amadeus, Agilysys, PayPal and many more, wi-Q and Mi-Room offer exactly that.

To find out more about wi-Q’s app-free mobile ordering and experience platform for your F&B services please email info@wi-q.com