Transformation of hotel and restaurant services in the context of digitalization

The article is dedicated to exploring the unique aspects and primary trends in the digital transformation of hotel and restaurant services. It has been demonstrated that the increasing competition, the drive for operational efficiency, and the enhancement of customer service quality are key drivers for the adoption of digital technologies in the hotel and restaurant industry. Understanding and meeting evolving consumer expectations, such as the preference for online ordering, swift transaction processing, and personalized service, is also crucial in this digital shift. It has been established that under the influence of digitalization processes in all spheres of life, modern restaurants are actively implementing digital technologies, which allow the automation and optimization of most operational processes. Despite the growth of digital activity, domestic restaurants have yet to achieve the same pace of digitalization as other industries or similar enterprises in specific global contexts. This is evidenced by the insufficiently high share of electronic sales (about 12%) and the low implementation of BIG DATA technologies (8.9%) in the management and analytics of hotel and restaurant businesses. Research has revealed that several digitalization tools are being rapidly integrated into restaurant services, including digital marketing, the development of digital food delivery platforms (FoodTech), automated management systems, and interactive technologies. The digital transformation of business processes in food service establishments not only enables swift adaptation to market changes but also significantly enhances the competitiveness of the restaurant business. It is argued that the effectiveness of hotel and restaurant service digitalization processes depends on the choice of the most optimal balance between software tools and digital instruments and the authentic characteristics of each restaurant, the target customer base, their tastes and preferences, and the image strategy of positioning in the food service market. Keywords: digitalization, digital tools, hotel and restaurant business, automated management systems, digital transformation of hotel and restaurant services, digital marketing.