Forty-five percent of diners say their favourite restaurant chain changed in the past year, up from 33% in 2025. For restaurant operators, that is a warning: loyalty is becoming harder to maintain.¹
Southeast Asia’s foodservice market is forecast to grow from USD 252.85 billion in 2026 to USD 465.45 billion by 2031, representing a compound annual growth rate of 12.98%. The market is expanding, but so is the competition.²
For operators, the challenge is not simply opening a restaurant. It is staying relevant after the doors open.
Relevance Starts with Identity
Dr. Martin Bém has spent more than 20 years building and operating food and beverage concepts across Asia. He is the Owner and Managing Director of Ponte Group Pte Ltd in Singapore.
When he began his career, Asian diners had less exposure to international cuisines, hospitality concepts and restaurant brands. Today, guests travel more, discover new concepts through digital channels and arrive with higher expectations.
Good food remains essential, but it is no longer enough to guarantee differentiation. It is the foundation on which the rest of the experience is built.
That creates a difficult balance for operators. Follow every trend and the concept can lose its identity. Ignore every change and the restaurant may begin to feel dated.
Dr. Bém describes the challenge this way: “The most challenging and important part of the business is to stay relevant, to stay up to date with trends, new developments, and new concepts going to the markets, but at the same time not neglecting the DNA of the brand and of the concept.”
The answer is not to copy whatever is popular. It is to understand what the restaurant stands for and adopt changes that reinforce that position.
A neighbourhood restaurant might refresh its menu around local produce without becoming a trend-driven concept. A premium restaurant might introduce digital booking and data-informed menu planning while preserving personal service. Relevance should sharpen the brand, not dilute it.
Every Detail Shapes the Experience
A restaurant’s relationship with a guest begins before the first bite. It starts when the guest discovers the brand, visits its website, makes a booking or sends a message.
From there, every interaction contributes to the overall impression:
The ease of making a reservation.
The greeting at the door.
The time taken to be seated.
The first drink and the first explanation of the menu.
Waiting times between courses.
Plate presentation.
Staff attentiveness during the meal.
The accuracy and clarity of the bill.
The farewell at the end of the visit.
Dr. Bém refers to this as the “big picture” of the customer experience: “The customer experience is like a big picture, and every little touchpoint is a pixel in the big picture. If too many pixels are damaged or not properly inserted, the overall picture gets distorted.”
This view is consistent with research from InTouch Insight, which defines restaurant experience as the complete impression formed across discovery, ordering, payment, dining, pickup, delivery, staff interactions, issue resolution and follow-up.³
The same study found a substantial relationship between service friendliness and satisfaction. Across 753 mystery shops at 10 leading quick-service restaurant brands, friendly service corresponded with 98.9% overall satisfaction. The figure fell to 87.1% for neutral service and 31.2% when service was not friendly.³
The figures show the importance of the service interaction, although they do not mean that kitchen execution is unimportant. Food quality, order accuracy, speed, cleanliness and value all remain part of the experience.
The practical lesson is simple: operators should walk the entire guest journey themselves. Make a reservation, use the website, place an order, wait for the food, ask a question and pay the bill. The gaps that are invisible from the kitchen often become obvious from the guest’s side of the table.
Use Technology Where It Helps
Restaurants are operating under pressure from rising costs, changing consumer behaviour and stronger competition. Technology can help, but only when it solves a real operational problem.
A 2026 Popmenu survey of 328 U.S. restaurant leaders found that 44% were already using AI in their businesses, while another 25% planned to adopt AI tools during the year. Ninety-seven percent said they were sharpening their focus on guest experience.⁴
These figures are from the United States, not Southeast Asia, but they illustrate the direction of travel: restaurant operators are looking for technology that improves efficiency and strengthens guest relationships.
Dr. Bém sees the greatest immediate value in the support structure behind the guest experience: “I think at the moment the biggest value is created more in the support structure, back-of-house administration, workflow, ordering processes, inventory, procurement, analyzing data, and the like.”
Useful applications include:
Inventory tracking and purchasing.
Demand forecasting.
Procurement and supplier management.
Staff scheduling.
Workflow coordination.
Menu and sales analysis.
Customer relationship management.
Automated marketing and communications.
The right balance depends on the restaurant format. Quick-service and fast-casual operators can use technology throughout ordering, production and service. For mid- to high-priced restaurants, technology may be most valuable behind the scenes, while the guest-facing experience remains deliberately human.⁵
That distinction matters. In premium dining, personal attention is not an inefficiency to eliminate. It is part of what the customer is paying for.
Operators should therefore ask three questions before investing:
What problem are we trying to solve?
Will the system save time, reduce errors or improve decisions?
Does it make the guest experience better, or merely add another layer of process?
Technology should remove friction, not move it from the operator to the customer.
Sustainability Can Improve Operations
Sustainability is often discussed as an additional cost, but operational sustainability can also reduce waste and improve efficiency.
At LeVeL33, his microbrewery restaurant in Singapore, Dr. Bém says the team brews on site, upcycles spent grain, manages energy use and sources locally. He also says that AI-managed kitchen-exhaust controls reduced electricity consumption by 25%.
The 25% figure should be understood as an operator-reported result. Before publication, it would be preferable to document the baseline, measurement period and methodology used to calculate the reduction.
Even so, the broader principle is practical: sustainability begins with examining how the operation uses energy, water, ingredients and packaging.
Potential improvements include:
Adjusting kitchen ventilation according to demand.
Reducing food waste through better forecasting.
Reusing suitable by-products.
Reviewing refrigeration and cooking schedules.
Sourcing locally where quality and supply make sense.
Measuring water and energy use by service or production area.
Sustainability can also strengthen a restaurant’s identity. Local sourcing and upcycling give operators a more distinctive story to share with guests, particularly when the practices are visible, credible and connected to the food on the plate.
The strongest sustainability stories are not slogans. They are operating decisions that reduce waste, improve margins or make the guest experience more meaningful.
The Human Advantage
Southeast Asia’s foodservice market is expected to become larger and more competitive. Mordor Intelligence identifies digital ordering, delivery, cloud kitchens, operational technology and contactless payments among the forces shaping the sector.²
But technology does not remove the need for human connection. It makes that connection more valuable.
Dr. Bém believes that future concepts will need creativity, flexibility and speed of execution. Ideas are increasingly easy to find. The difficult part is turning them into a reliable operation.
His central point is: “Nothing takes away from the fact that you still need the human touch to fulfil a human need to be successful.”
That principle applies across formats, although it looks different in each one. In a quick-service restaurant, it may mean a clear greeting, an accurate order and efficient recovery when something goes wrong. In a premium restaurant, it may mean remembering a guest’s preferences, reading the pace of the table and making the experience feel personal.
Relevance brings guests through the door. Consistency, care and attention give them a reason to return.
Finding the Next Opportunity
Knowing what to change is only the first step. Operators also need access to suppliers, equipment, technology and ideas that can improve the business.
THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2027 will take place from 2–5 March 2027. The official event covers nine segments, including Bakery and Ice Cream, Café and Bar, Cleaning and Laundry, Dining, Furnishing, Kitchen, Services, Tech and Wellness.
For restaurant operators, the Kitchen, Tech, Dining and Services segments are especially relevant to the issues discussed here. They provide opportunities to compare equipment, operational systems, dining solutions and business services in one place.
Dr. Bém describes the show as a useful brainstorming exercise: a way to explore new ideas, identify suppliers and understand where the industry is heading before bringing those insights back to the team.
The restaurants that last will not necessarily be the ones that follow every trend. They will be the ones that know which changes matter, execute them consistently and remain recognisable to the guests who made the brand successful in the first place.
Sources
Tillster. “Restaurant Customer Retention: Why 45% of Guests Are Churning in 2026.” Published July 23, 2026. Link
Mordor Intelligence. “Southeast Asia Foodservice Market Size & Share Analysis — Growth Trends and Forecasts to 2031.” Link
InTouch Insight. “Restaurant Customer Experience: 7 Data-Backed Ways to Improve CX.” Published June 25, 2026. Link
Restaurant Technology News. “Research: 69% of Restaurants Are Adopting AI While 81% Increase Digital Marketing Investment.” Popmenu research, published February 20, 2026. Link
by Chanya Colevas
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Forty-five percent of diners say their favourite restaurant chain changed in the past year, up from 33% in 2025. For restaurant operators, that is a warning: loyalty is becoming harder to maintain.¹
Southeast Asia’s foodservice market is forecast to grow from USD 252.85 billion in 2026 to USD 465.45 billion by 2031, representing a compound annual growth rate of 12.98%. The market is expanding, but so is the competition.²
For operators, the challenge is not simply opening a restaurant. It is staying relevant after the doors open.
Relevance Starts with Identity
Dr. Martin Bém has spent more than 20 years building and operating food and beverage concepts across Asia. He is the Owner and Managing Director of Ponte Group Pte Ltd in Singapore.
When he began his career, Asian diners had less exposure to international cuisines, hospitality concepts and restaurant brands. Today, guests travel more, discover new concepts through digital channels and arrive with higher expectations.
Good food remains essential, but it is no longer enough to guarantee differentiation. It is the foundation on which the rest of the experience is built.
That creates a difficult balance for operators. Follow every trend and the concept can lose its identity. Ignore every change and the restaurant may begin to feel dated.
Dr. Bém describes the challenge this way: “The most challenging and important part of the business is to stay relevant, to stay up to date with trends, new developments, and new concepts going to the markets, but at the same time not neglecting the DNA of the brand and of the concept.”
The answer is not to copy whatever is popular. It is to understand what the restaurant stands for and adopt changes that reinforce that position.
A neighbourhood restaurant might refresh its menu around local produce without becoming a trend-driven concept. A premium restaurant might introduce digital booking and data-informed menu planning while preserving personal service. Relevance should sharpen the brand, not dilute it.
Every Detail Shapes the Experience
A restaurant’s relationship with a guest begins before the first bite. It starts when the guest discovers the brand, visits its website, makes a booking or sends a message.
From there, every interaction contributes to the overall impression:
The ease of making a reservation.
The greeting at the door.
The time taken to be seated.
The first drink and the first explanation of the menu.
Waiting times between courses.
Plate presentation.
Staff attentiveness during the meal.
The accuracy and clarity of the bill.
The farewell at the end of the visit.
Dr. Bém refers to this as the “big picture” of the customer experience: “The customer experience is like a big picture, and every little touchpoint is a pixel in the big picture. If too many pixels are damaged or not properly inserted, the overall picture gets distorted.”
This view is consistent with research from InTouch Insight, which defines restaurant experience as the complete impression formed across discovery, ordering, payment, dining, pickup, delivery, staff interactions, issue resolution and follow-up.³
The same study found a substantial relationship between service friendliness and satisfaction. Across 753 mystery shops at 10 leading quick-service restaurant brands, friendly service corresponded with 98.9% overall satisfaction. The figure fell to 87.1% for neutral service and 31.2% when service was not friendly.³
The figures show the importance of the service interaction, although they do not mean that kitchen execution is unimportant. Food quality, order accuracy, speed, cleanliness and value all remain part of the experience.
The practical lesson is simple: operators should walk the entire guest journey themselves. Make a reservation, use the website, place an order, wait for the food, ask a question and pay the bill. The gaps that are invisible from the kitchen often become obvious from the guest’s side of the table.
Use Technology Where It Helps
Restaurants are operating under pressure from rising costs, changing consumer behaviour and stronger competition. Technology can help, but only when it solves a real operational problem.
A 2026 Popmenu survey of 328 U.S. restaurant leaders found that 44% were already using AI in their businesses, while another 25% planned to adopt AI tools during the year. Ninety-seven percent said they were sharpening their focus on guest experience.⁴
These figures are from the United States, not Southeast Asia, but they illustrate the direction of travel: restaurant operators are looking for technology that improves efficiency and strengthens guest relationships.
Dr. Bém sees the greatest immediate value in the support structure behind the guest experience: “I think at the moment the biggest value is created more in the support structure, back-of-house administration, workflow, ordering processes, inventory, procurement, analyzing data, and the like.”
Useful applications include:
Inventory tracking and purchasing.
Demand forecasting.
Procurement and supplier management.
Staff scheduling.
Workflow coordination.
Menu and sales analysis.
Customer relationship management.
Automated marketing and communications.
The right balance depends on the restaurant format. Quick-service and fast-casual operators can use technology throughout ordering, production and service. For mid- to high-priced restaurants, technology may be most valuable behind the scenes, while the guest-facing experience remains deliberately human.⁵
That distinction matters. In premium dining, personal attention is not an inefficiency to eliminate. It is part of what the customer is paying for.
Operators should therefore ask three questions before investing:
What problem are we trying to solve?
Will the system save time, reduce errors or improve decisions?
Does it make the guest experience better, or merely add another layer of process?
Technology should remove friction, not move it from the operator to the customer.
Sustainability Can Improve Operations
Sustainability is often discussed as an additional cost, but operational sustainability can also reduce waste and improve efficiency.
At LeVeL33, his microbrewery restaurant in Singapore, Dr. Bém says the team brews on site, upcycles spent grain, manages energy use and sources locally. He also says that AI-managed kitchen-exhaust controls reduced electricity consumption by 25%.
The 25% figure should be understood as an operator-reported result. Before publication, it would be preferable to document the baseline, measurement period and methodology used to calculate the reduction.
Even so, the broader principle is practical: sustainability begins with examining how the operation uses energy, water, ingredients and packaging.
Potential improvements include:
Adjusting kitchen ventilation according to demand.
Reducing food waste through better forecasting.
Reusing suitable by-products.
Reviewing refrigeration and cooking schedules.
Sourcing locally where quality and supply make sense.
Measuring water and energy use by service or production area.
Sustainability can also strengthen a restaurant’s identity. Local sourcing and upcycling give operators a more distinctive story to share with guests, particularly when the practices are visible, credible and connected to the food on the plate.
The strongest sustainability stories are not slogans. They are operating decisions that reduce waste, improve margins or make the guest experience more meaningful.
The Human Advantage
Southeast Asia’s foodservice market is expected to become larger and more competitive. Mordor Intelligence identifies digital ordering, delivery, cloud kitchens, operational technology and contactless payments among the forces shaping the sector.²
But technology does not remove the need for human connection. It makes that connection more valuable.
Dr. Bém believes that future concepts will need creativity, flexibility and speed of execution. Ideas are increasingly easy to find. The difficult part is turning them into a reliable operation.
His central point is: “Nothing takes away from the fact that you still need the human touch to fulfil a human need to be successful.”
That principle applies across formats, although it looks different in each one. In a quick-service restaurant, it may mean a clear greeting, an accurate order and efficient recovery when something goes wrong. In a premium restaurant, it may mean remembering a guest’s preferences, reading the pace of the table and making the experience feel personal.
Relevance brings guests through the door. Consistency, care and attention give them a reason to return.
Finding the Next Opportunity
Knowing what to change is only the first step. Operators also need access to suppliers, equipment, technology and ideas that can improve the business.
THAIFEX – HOREC Asia 2027 will take place from 2–5 March 2027. The official event covers nine segments, including Bakery and Ice Cream, Café and Bar, Cleaning and Laundry, Dining, Furnishing, Kitchen, Services, Tech and Wellness.
For restaurant operators, the Kitchen, Tech, Dining and Services segments are especially relevant to the issues discussed here. They provide opportunities to compare equipment, operational systems, dining solutions and business services in one place.
Dr. Bém describes the show as a useful brainstorming exercise: a way to explore new ideas, identify suppliers and understand where the industry is heading before bringing those insights back to the team.
The restaurants that last will not necessarily be the ones that follow every trend. They will be the ones that know which changes matter, execute them consistently and remain recognisable to the guests who made the brand successful in the first place.
Sources
Tillster. “Restaurant Customer Retention: Why 45% of Guests Are Churning in 2026.” Published July 23, 2026. Link
Mordor Intelligence. “Southeast Asia Foodservice Market Size & Share Analysis — Growth Trends and Forecasts to 2031.” Link
InTouch Insight. “Restaurant Customer Experience: 7 Data-Backed Ways to Improve CX.” Published June 25, 2026. Link
Restaurant Technology News. “Research: 69% of Restaurants Are Adopting AI While 81% Increase Digital Marketing Investment.” Popmenu research, published February 20, 2026. Link
