Technology
5 restaurant innovations needed now more than ever
November 16, 2020 by Aric Nissen — Chief Marketing Officer, Restaurant Technologies
The future of the restaurant business is already here. Emerging technologies such as robotic automation, blockchain, artificial intelligence, virtual kitchens, quantum computing and IoT/smart kitchen devices are already disrupting traditional business models.
At the same time, facing down the barrel of a global pandemic has given restaurateurs something a bit more ironic to chew on – the fact that many of the most important innovations in today's dining-out paradigm were introduced years or even decades ago.
So what are these before-their-time inventions . . . and what can we learn from them?
1. The drive-thru
Yes, the good old drive-thru, and it truly is old; about 99 years, to be precise (or 73, depending on how strictly you define it). It may not have taken off for a few decades, but for more than half-a-century now, it's been a staple of life in the United States and something virtually everyone has experienced. Not only has the drive-thru demonstrated staying power, but its usage has seen a huge uptick since the beginning of quarantine measures earlier this year. For many restaurants, having a drive-thru has been crucial to survival in 2020. It's not just one of the only ways food can be served – it also serves as a signal to let passers-by see that a business is indeed open.
2. QR codes
At no point in time have QR codes not been an amazingly cool invention. For over 20 years, though, the hype remained bigger than the actual thing itself. That's understandable when you consider the fact that prior to a few years ago, most mobile phone cameras didn't come with built-in scanning, and the requisite downloading of appropriate apps took more time and effort. The QR code has definitely been revived now (if it was ever dead) and restaurants are some of the biggest adopters; codes can be used to easily create touchless menu options, for example, and much, much more.
3. Digital signage
Although now they're ubiquitous, digital signs only really took off when flatscreens became affordable. Unfortunately for many restaurant owners, a lack of vision turned an awesome technology into little more than bigger, more expensive versions of traditional menus. But now that most people prefer not to pick up a physical menu if they can help it, combined with the ability of analytics to power the customer experience of digital menus, screens have become a worthy and profitable investment in an industry that operates on razor-thin margins.
4. Automated cooking oil management
Managing the headaches of hot cooking oil and disposing of grease are two of the most dreaded tasks in any restaurant. It's dangerous. It's messy. It's hard work. Knowing all this caused McDonald's and a handful of other industry leaders to take a leap forward onto the automation bandwagon 20 years ago. Now more than ever, though, it represents a huge opportunity for others in the business. With already-low margins sinking yet lower, the value of used cooking oil rising and competition getting stiffer, things like heightened worker safety and incremental efficiency improvements make a big difference. There's also never been a more important time to care about the environment — and show it — which correlates to further benefits of automated oil management setups.
5. Hands-free door pulls
Nobody wants to open a door (especially if it's to a restroom) using a handle that has been touched by hundreds of other people since the last time it was cleaned. COVID-19 has only served to amplify the "gross" factor. StepNPull launched this back in 2007 to fill this niche need and a number of copycat products emerged as well, but the idea didn't really take off in the way that it probably deserved. Fast forward to 2020, and StepNPull is having a banner year, spawning a whole new range of competitors. In retrospect, this may be something we'll end up thanking the pandemic for down the road.
6. Pay with your face
In 2018, there was a brief, viral frenzy around facial recognition and the novelty of being able to buy a burger just by flashing a smile. The hype has now returned for a different kind of "viral" reason, and, along with other forms of touchless payment, is poised to be a real game-changer for restaurants of all kinds.
The Bottom Line
2019 was the year a major franchise operator for a major restaurant brand told me "My labor costs of making a meal are now greater than the food cost of that meal," signaling that we were on the verge of major disruption even before the pandemic began. We are definitely going to see increased automation going forward. As we weather the storm of 2020 and what is likely be the toughest year of operating a restaurant in our lifetimes, our thoughts turn to the future and how to thrive.
In a world where fast beats big, those who embrace innovation will have the edge. The six technologies described above go to show that, sometimes, the industry as a whole takes a few years to realize how amazing some of its innovations really are. Now, that's some food for thought.
About Aric Nissen
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