1851

You have two major &#8220;cost centers&#8221; at your restaurant. One is food and beverage. The other is labor. Which one do you think is most problematic? For most restaurants, the answer is labor. Between higher wages and new labor regulations, restaurants are facing a labor crisis&#8212;and their existing, outdated processes are only making the problem worse. Fortunately, a restaurant can increase productivity through better training, better kitchen and dining layouts, and, most importantly, better technology. Here are three ways to make your kitchen work smarter&#8212;not harder. Make Your Kitchen Appliances Smarter It&#8217;s important to make formerly &#8220;dumb&#8221; objects &#8220;smart.&#8221; This is usually accomplished by placing a sensor on the object to collect and transmit data. These days, a lot of new kitchen technology already comes equipped with such technology&#8212;such as refrigeration, lighting, HVAC, fryers. As more devices come online, restaurants can monitor the kitchen via a command center platform to keep track of more in depth information on the status of their equipment, their inventory and their cooking process. Yum! Brands, for example, uses Kitchen Brains&#8217; Quality Production Management application to automate and streamline food production in its KFC restaurants. The system wirelessly networks the company&#8217;s cooking appliances, automates food production and provides real-time remote monitoring and administration. This has improved labor productivity and food availability and quality, while also increasing sales and lowering costs. Many are predicting that by 2020, the connected kitchen will contribute to at least 15 percent savings in the food and beverage industry. Many of these wins will come from the ability to leverage big data analytics to perform tasks such as real-time inventory management of menu items. Find appliances that do the cooking for you Many cooking procedures can be reduced to touch-panel presses. Combining steam and convection cooking, &#8220;combi-ovens,&#8221; for example, can duplicate just about any cooking procedure while shaving off up to half the time. For example, many fried chicken chains have adopted combi-ovens to replace deep frying. First seen in European commercial kitchens, which tend to be smaller, they&#8217;re now found in most new restaurant construction and most culinary schools. Fryers are also working faster through quicker recovery times, allowing cooks to throw in one frozen batch after another. Other kinds of rapid-cook ovens have also found their way into more American restaurant kitchens. They have made it possible for rushed customers to enjoy customized pizzas, and other items like pastries are now able to be completed in minutes. In one Seattle property owned by James Beard Award-winning <a href="http://nrn.com/menu/chef-insights?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=this-technology-can-make-your-kitchen-work-smarter-not-harder-5284" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">chef</a> and restaurateur Tom Douglas, famous for its pot pies, a ventless fast-baking oven browns the pie through convection and is then warmed via the microwave. Automate the Ordering Process In 2015, McDonald&#8217;s was among the first to roll out self-service kiosks in restaurants across the U.S. This allowed customers to order and pay for their food without ever having to interact with a human. The touch-screen technology is meant to speed up the ordering process and give people more control over customizing their food, while reducing opportunities for human error. Panera Bread did something similar. In 2014, the chain <a href="http://www.fastcasual.com/articles/review-what-operators-can-learn-from-panera-20/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=this-technology-can-make-your-kitchen-work-smarter-not-harder-5284" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">launched Panera 2.0</a>, which was designed to implement mobile ordering and self-ordering kiosks. The company has since reported an increase in sales by 6.2 percent. While kiosks will never truly replace the need for employees, they could, however allow operators to move some workers away from the cash register and into the kitchen to help speed up customer service and better handle traffic during busy times of the day.

1851 Franchise

By implementing better technology into the kitchen, restaurants can cut back on labor costs and increase their bottom line. 


This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

This Technology Can Make Your Kitchen Work Smarter, Not Harder

this-technology-can-make-your-kitchen-work-smarter-not-harder

TruBlue Home Service Ally

TruBlue’s Home Maintenance Plans: Peace of Mind for Homeowners

trublues-home-maintenance-plans-peace-of-mind-for-homeowners

Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions Targets Peoria, Illinois, for Franchise Growth

caring-transitions-targets-peoria-illinois-for-franchise-growth

Caring Transitions Celebrates a Strong Start to 2025 With 19 New Franchise Sales and Momentum-Building Training Events

caring-transitions-celebrates-a-strong-start-to-2025-with-19-new-franchise-sales-and-momentum-building-training-events

Right at Home

Right at Home 30th Anniversary in Home Care with Right at Home Logo

Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence and Future Innovations in Home Care

celebrating-30-years-of-excellence-and-future-innovations-in-home-care

Why TruBlue is the Ideal Franchise for Multi-Unit Owners: Scalable Growth With a Purpose

why-trublue-is-the-ideal-franchise-for-multi-unit-owners-scalable-growth-with-a-purpose

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands - 1851 Franchise

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands

doordash-acquistions-deliveroo-sevenrooms

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell

yum-brands-reports-strong-q1-results-with-big-boost-from-taco-bell

QSR: McDonald’s Gains Momentum With Chicken Innovation, Value Deals and Franchisee Support

mcdonalds-franchise-recovery-chicken-strategy-value-deals-2025

The Future of Franchising: Trends and Predictions for 2025 and Beyond

the-future-of-franchising-trends-and-predictions-for-2025-and-beyond

Layoffs Surge to Pandemic-Era Highs, Opening Doors for Franchise Growth

layoffs-surge-to-pandemic-era-highs-opening-doors-for-franchise-growth

Franchisee spotlight image with Randy and Sandy Craft, Children's Lighthouse logo on blue background

The Crafts’ Successful Journey from New Parents to Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees

the-crafts-successful-journey-from-new-parents-to-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Amy Lepke and family and Papa Murphy's logo

After 14 Years as a Stay-At-Home Mom, Amy Lepke Returned to Papa Murphy’s — This Time as an Owner

papa-murphys-franchise-amy-lepke

Franchisee Spotlight with Micki Waters and Papa Murphy's Logo

Work Mom: How Micki Waters Became a Mother Figure to Her Entire Papa Murphy’s Team

work-mom-how-micki-waters-became-a-mother-figure-to-her-entire-papa-murphys-team

District Taco Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-district-tacos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Franchisee spotlight image with photo of Robert Trujillo and UWRG logo on blue background

How Robert Trujillo Expanded His Construction Business With UWRG

how-robert-trujillo-expanded-his-construction-business-with-uwrg

This Technology Can Make Your Kitchen Work Smarter, Not Harder

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS