Black Box Intelligence, the Dallas-based restaurant analytics firm, predicted the off-premises sales mix will remain elevated as consumers stick with their new dining habits.

“There has been little change in the share of all restaurant sales that went through off-premises channels in Q2 and Q3 of 2021,” the firm reported. “Even though restrictions were mostly lifted and consumers were much more comfortable going out, both limited-service and full-service restaurants continue to see a much larger share of off-premises sales than they did pre-COVID.”

Consumers can expect to access their favorite eateries online, according to BentoBox. A big change, however, is when they do it. The online ordering business that serves 7,500 restaurants globally said it has seen the percentage increase but, most interestingly, shift to weekdays.

“Weekends have long been the main days for online ordering,” the company said in its annual predictions. “That’s still the case, but the gap between weekends and weekdays shrunk considerably in 2021. Online ordering has become a routine part of peoples’ lives rather than a ‘treat’ saved for weekends.”

Marketing intelligence agency Mintel reported that consumers crave a sense of control over their lives, particularly in times of uncertainty — and restaurants can support that need so that guests “feel like they’re in the driver’s seat.”

Dana Macke, Mintel’s director of trends for the Americas, said consumers near clarity, transparency, flexibility and options to make decisions that suit their individual needs and circumstances. “Brands will need to work harder to deliver reliable information and balance censorship and authenticity,” she said. “The race for the fastest delivery will evolve to focus on being more flexible, giving consumers more control over when products arrive to fit around their schedules or to match their other specific needs. Consumers’ desire to know potential outcomes will manifest in the development of predictive technologies that can anticipate adverse events. … Technology will evolve to grant consumers the power to plan with peace of mind.”

Christine Barone, CEO of the 39-unit True Food Kitchen, said that casual-dining brand expects to meet the consumer where they want to be met, be it a menu in the restaurant, a quick-response or QR code that allows them to access the menu on their smartphone or online.

Mintel’s research found consumers want “enjoyment everywhere” after the anxiety and stress of pandemic lockdowns. Macke said brands are “recognizing the importance of uplifting people by giving them permission to feel happiness once again.”

Texas Roadhouse Inc., for example, found a way to maintain its barrels of peanuts experience during the pandemic by offering pre-packaged nuts. Those were also included in to-go off-premises orders to complete the experience in the home or wherever the food was consumed. That sense of playfulness and creativity will continue to be appreciated by customers, Macke said.

While many brands have made their voices heard on controversial topics, consumers want to see measurable progress against their goals, Mintel said in its annual look at the year ahead. For example, major brands have made commitments to sustainability in the face of global warming and to diversity amid the race-based protests of the past two years.

“Consumer demand for, and expectations of, brands’ ethical commitments are evolving,” Macke said. “They have moved beyond simply wanting brands to ‘be ethical’ and are demanding to see measurable, transparent and consistent actions from those they choose to support. Consumers will look beyond a brand’s achievements and strengths; businesses will need to be transparent about their weaknesses, too, where and why they fail and how they plan to address these issues in future.”

Real estate that accommodates a drive-thru, already golden during the pandemic, will become even more lucrative, according to senior editor Ron Ruggless. Already, brands from Burger King to Taco Bell to Portillo’s are designing prototypes with three and four drive-thru lanes, accommodating both wheeled customers as well as the boom in third-party delivery couriers. That is spreading into fast casual with Chipotle and others. Even Applebee’s, a casual-dining brand, has tested a drive-thru lane. Expect to see more.

While experts say the coronavirus doesn’t spread well through surfaces, consumers have adjusted to touching as few surfaces as possible. Ruggless said to expect restroom faucets with no handles, doors that open automatically and fewer dispensing stations. Even Coke Freestyle, which early on laid claim to its touchy-feely interface, has gone to a smartphone-based website dispenser that allows customers to operate the machines from their own — probably germ laden — smartphone.

European restaurants have been years ahead of their U.S. counterparts in allowing pay-at-the-table, with the chipped credit card never leaving the sight of the owner. BJ’s Restaurants and other brands already are sampling pay-on-the-phone technologies that will expand in casual dining, Ruggless said, giving patrons the flexibility to customize their experiences and not be dependent on a waiter.

Patios are with us for a long time, according to Ruggless. While the pandemic sent many customers and operators to use their outdoor spaces, that trend will remain as customers cautiously go back to dining at restaurants. It’s a breath of fresh air, really.