Introduction
Restaurants and the hospitality industry, in general, have been an integral part of many people’s lives for a long time. These industries employ about 10% of the population worldwide, which is also an important contribution to the economy since people spend more money when they are paid for work. In addition, these jobs provide career growth for those who want to be a part of the restaurant and hospitality industry of their cities or states. A large number of different roles makes it possible for employees to choose from a wide range of directions for personal and professional development. From the customer’s perspective, restaurants and other segments of the hospitality industry are essential because they offer leisure and entertainment activities and help in organizing various important events. The challenges to Florida’s restaurant and hospitality industry will be presented and analyzed in this research, and the interdependence of its segments will be discussed.
Challenges to the Florida restaurant industry
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed several challenges to Florida’s restaurant industry. One of the most recent challenges was the regulations and requirements issued by the government to restrict indoor dining. As a result of those restrictions, restaurants in Florida, as well as across the whole country, had to dismiss the majority of their employees, which led to higher unemployment rates (Yost & Cheng, 2021). Another challenge was the fact that the employees have not returned when the restrictions were eased. Many restaurants in Florida are still facing a major labor shortage. Those who did return to work in restaurants face challenges as well: due to the shortage of employees, they have to work harder to make the service quicker. They have to accept customers’ complaints about the service when it is too slow. This makes servers’ jobs more stressful and can lead to job dissatisfaction among employees. Moreover, high competition in the market forces restaurants to lower their prices, which, in turn, causes them to lower their pay rates. To cut their losses, restaurants can develop strategies that would allow for reducing shrinkage and product waste.
The impact and quality of technology
Computerization can be a solution in this relation, as it eliminates paper ticketing and the need for face-to-face communication. The use of technology has already been introduced in some Florida restaurants and lodging facilities, which had a significant impact on their ability to provide high-quality service (Ghanem, 2020). Most restaurants in the state use technology to record sales transactions, provide reservation options, and manage personnel. These strategies have allowed restaurants to stay afloat when in-house dining was restricted, and now they allow maintaining social distancing measures (Yost & Cheng, 2021). Contactless payment and QR menu options are effective both in terms of reducing paper waste and maintaining recommended health and social distancing guidelines. The majority of customers in Florida have gotten accustomed to using technology infrastructure, and the degree of using these methods is high across the state.
Segments of the hospitality industry
There is a high degree of interdependence between food services, lodging, and meeting segments of the hospitality industry in Florida. Dining options are available in many hotels across the state; organizers of different meetings and events also often provide food service and accommodation. Thus, strengthening the connection between these three segments can allow the industry to increase profits. It can be recommended that managers and owners of hospitality facilities should look for ways to cooperate with companies that provide services different from theirs. For example, stand-alone restaurants in Florida can agree to market the nearest hotel’s services, and the hotel can advertise dining at the restaurant nearby. Such partnerships will make it more convenient for the visitors to use the facility’s services and will increase the profit of both the hotel and the restaurant. Another recommendation to improve the synergy between hospitality segments is by increasing the standardization of their products and services. This will make facilities in partnership more recognizable and marketable.
Gaming entertainment in Florida
Gaming has long been a part of the Florida hospitality industry. This year, Florida lawmakers have expanded the types of casino gaming, allowing sports betting (Richards, 2021). The expansion of the gaming segment has a major impact on other segments of the hospitality industry in the state. This is mainly because gaming facilities usually incorporate food service and lodging options. As a type of entertainment, gaming is arguably the segment that incorporates most hospitality facilities. This, in turn, attracts people to use certain establishments more than others, allowing those segments to make better profits, which is beneficial for the economy.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that while the hospitality industry is essential for economic growth in the country, more focus has to be placed on the interconnection of its segments. In Florida, restaurants, and lodging facilities have faced challenges, such as COVID-19 restrictions and the shortage of employees. However, computerization and the use of technology can mitigate the effects of these issues and even eliminate their negative consequences. Interdependence on the hospitality segments also has to be strengthened to increase the facilities’ revenue and promote economic growth in the state of Florida. Gaming is currently the segment of the hospitality industry that commonly incorporates food service and lodging; this allows it to be one of the most profitable hospitality segments.
References
Ghanem, M. (2020). Profiling food waste in the hospitality industry by exploring restaurant managers’ attitudes. International Journal of Heritage, Tourism and Hospitality, 14(3), 160-174. Web.
Richards, G. (2021). Gaming on: Sports betting is now available in Florida. Florida Hockey Now. Web.
Yost, E., & Cheng, Y. (2021). Customers’ risk perception and dine-out motivation during a pandemic: Insight for the restaurant industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 95, 102889. Web.