Starbucks uses AI and IOT to remotely monitor and fine-tune its espresso machines for a consistent coffee experience. Chick-Fil-A is using AI to enhance food safety. Chipotle is piloting radio-frequency identification (RFID) label systems to optimize operations and trace ingredients. These brands are demonstrating that tech solutions are no longer “nice to have” luxury items. They’re necessities for restaurant brands that prioritize consistently excellent – and safe – experiences.
As the restaurant/hospitality labor shortage is finally easing, tech will be instrumental in onboarding new employees, improving training, ensuring safety and quality protocols are carefully (and consistently) followed, maximizing compliance, and maintaining cultures of excellence.
Here are some tips to accomplish this:
- Adopt integrated digital solutions. Restaurants must adopt integrated tech solutions to boost safety, quality, accuracy, transparency, consistency, and compliance – all factors that contribute to brand excellence. Manual systems and disjointed tech stacks won’t provide holistic views of critical data across an enterprise. Savvy operators are using integrated technology to get clear, accurate insights for better decision-making and more optimized operations.
- Prioritize safety, quality, and compliance. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Jack-in-the-Box foodborne illness outbreak, where 732 customers were sickened and four died. Yet, unfortunately, foodborne illness remains a huge problem in our country. Each year, 48 million (1 in 6) Americans get sick from contaminated food or beverages. Our industry must do better! Prioritize a food safety culture, where all employees work together to maximize safety and minimize risks.