Contrary to initial expectations, home office — widely adopted during the Covid-19 pandemic and still present for many professionals — did not change a habit that was already established among Brazilians: eating outside the home.
Practice has become common for many families in Brazil, according to data from the IBGE News Agency (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics). According to the latest Family Budget Survey, meals outside the home account for 32.8% of food expenses in the household budget, revealing an increasing preference for ready-made meals and the convenience offered by restaurants and delivery services.
With the growth of cities and urban mobility challenges, the habit of leaving work to have lunch at home has, in many cases, been replaced by going to a restaurant or ordering packed meals, reflecting routine adaptations and the desire for convenience.
In the home office, the individual is at home. However, the period is dedicated to professional work. There is no time to plan and prepare the day's meal. Resultado: comer pela vizinhança ou recorrer ao delivery.
Recently, iFood announced that orders increased post-pandemic, from 60 million to 70 million per month. Per client, the number of orders increased by 30%.According to a report by the ANR (National Restaurant Association), in 2024, spending on eating out in Brazil reached a new record, with consumers spending around R$ 61.4 billion in the second quarter, representing a 3% increase compared to the same period last year. The average ticket increased by 4%, indicating that customers are willing to spend more when dining out.
In this context, restaurants, in addition to focusing on their core activities such as preparing exquisite dishes and providing courteous and prompt service, have another concern: establishing efficient resource management that ensures the operation of the business. This management needs to allow the entrepreneur to have "at their fingertips" control of all the necessary indicators to prevent stock shortages or, on the other hand, food waste.
"At the tip of the pencil" is an idiom, of course. Because this meticulous and assertive management I refer to should precisely abolish manual control, to be carried out with the help of technological management solutions. It's not a matter of whim or luxury, it's a matter of necessity. Management software specialized in food service businesses represents an investment that translates into waste reduction, better-controlled operational costs, appropriately priced menus, quality in production, among thousands of other benefits.
Ultimately, automated management impacts the results across all fronts. Both in providing the service to the customer, as the offer and quality of products meet what the consumer desires and deserves, and in the sustainability of the business.
Correct pricing and properly stocked inventory—so that nothing is missing and nothing is excessive—mean customer satisfaction and financial viability of the business. Given the peculiarities and complexity of food service businesses, there is no "pencil tip" that guarantees this control. Technology is here to help us, freeing entrepreneurs from operational work to focus on the intellectual and strategic aspects, thereby expanding their businesses.
