How Technology Affects What And Where We Eat [Infographic]

Technology affects almost every aspect of our lives. It even influences the most mundane decisions like what and where we eat. A decade ago, technology didn’t have much affect on those things; however, these days it’s very different. Whether we are influenced by the gorgeous food pictures and recipes on Pinterest, downloading coupons or reading local restaurant reviews online, technology plays a big part in the food choices we make each day.

This infographic called Adding Technology To The Menu (created by the National Restaurant Association for Mashable) goes into more detail about how technology affects the decisions we make when we get hungry. Some restaurants on the cutting edge of technology are aware of these stats, and they are of course trying to capitalize on it to get ahead of their competition.

For example, just last month McDonald’s announced that they were going to start testing their mobile ordering app. In the areas where it is available, customers are able to place their McDonald’s order online and pay for it right from their phones. Then they simply pick up their order at the designated time. I don’t really understand the value in ordering that way, but it will still be interesting to see if it’s a success.

Other restaurants offer discounts to people who check in on Foursquare upon arriving, or they offer better tables to customers who make their reservations online. I could go on and on, and when you think about it, technology affects what you eat and where you eat more than you probably realize. Just the fact that 61% of customers have visited a restaurant website is reason enough for every restaurant to have a website, even if it’s just a small coffee shop. It’s a sign of the times for sure.