Modern Kitchen Equipment Is Cleaning up Franchise Efficiency and Overhead

On Wednesday, Nation’s Restaurant News published a column on how Denny’s, the franchised American diner staple, is updating its kitchen equipment “to expand daypart menus.” As the landscape for cooking demand continues to change, the brand has reportedly committed more than $50 million in investment for updated kitchen models .

John C. Miller is the CEO of Denny’s, and per the article, he said the new equipment package will reduce complexity in the kitchen, improve efficiency and reduce waste. Three facets of modernized restaurant operations are fulfilled under this hefty investment for kitchen equipment — but as Denny’s continues to progress and adapt, can all restaurant brands accomplish the same?

Brick-and-mortar reliance is a thing of the past for many restaurant brands, as delivery services have instead reigned supreme now and  even before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Now that delivery service has been placed on the consumer forefront for so long, it means many restaurant brands are forced to reconsider a traditional kitchen setup and to think how new provisions can be met with efficiency. The traditional restaurant kitchen design is changing — and while a $50 million investment is bound to help any strategy, some brands are forced to strategize differently than others.

This is the very concept behind ghost kitchen models — an efficiency-focused design strategy — and the rapidly-growing wave of delivery service that has been shaping brands for years to come.

As a diner-style restaurant that isn’t exactly in a position to get clever, Denny’s is largely confined to traditional norms. The brand chooses to focus on what it can offer, however, which encourages restaurant brands across the nation to embark on a mission to highlight their strengths.

General upkeep is a necessary expense for all business owners and franchisors, which is one area where Denny’s has made an essential investment. Rather than sticking with traditional, existing equipment, the brand has set out to provide an even more thorough and innovative approach to a restaurant experience, which can inspire a new wave of customers to visit franchise locations.

The classic diner style, however, is being preserved.

If a brand like Denny’s can update its operation, any restaurant, no matter how innovative or classic, can benefit from some modernised equipment. As the restaurant landscape changes as a whole, so does the optimal employee experience of some dependable, trustworthy equipment.