Technology is constantly evolving in the restaurant world. Since the onset of COVID-19, restaurant owners are always looking for ways to make their lives easier and their businesses more efficient. Here are a few items to watch at the cutting edge this year.
Hot Fridge – This new hot refrigerator from Evereo is designed to eliminate food waste and allow your team to prepare in advance for even the largest orders. Designed to keep food hot at the temperature you intend to serve it for up to 72 hours. Also touted to save energy and labor costs, this can potentially be an excellent investment for your business.
Thermapen ONE – This new thermometer, crafted by Thermoworks, reads the food temperature in one second. Every second counts in a restaurant where many meat orders are placed, and this gadget can work to keep your customers safe and your process as efficient as possible. Over 6,000 reviews and 4.9 stars don’t lie!
Vitamix XL – This new supersized product from Vitamix allows you to blend 24 8-oz servings at once. It’s perfect for a restaurant that sells smoothies or frozen alcoholic beverages. This product is a tremendous time-saver, especially if you run a happy hour or special promotion with one of these items.
Alto-Shaam Multi-Cook Ovens – This oven has up to four different chambers that maintain their temperature, so that chefs can prepare four completely different dishes in the same oven. This equipment is a time and space saver, especially for big catering orders. It has been tested and proven to provide zero flavor transfer, so you could cook your pie and fish in the same oven.
Air Purifiers – COVID-19 is continually evolving, and one thing is here to stay: a greater emphasis on public health in restaurants. Installing air purifiers has become a trend, not just to combat COVID and give customers peace of mind, but as a proactive step against other germs as well. Club and speakeasy Forty-Deuce in Columbus, Ohio, publicly put its faith in the AiroDoctor system, explaining that it also uses UVA LED light and titanium dioxide to kill airborne disease particles beyond the typical filtration techniques.
Scooter/Robot Delivery – Many businesses had to pivot during the pandemic, bringing food to their communities in new ways. Delivery via motorized scooters has become popular, especially in downtown areas. Phat Scooters Phleet Delivery are electric bikes built with food service in mind, with a back compartment specifically designed for food delivery drivers. Similarly, Starship Robots are self-driving takeout containers that deliver food to small cities and college campuses. Customers use an app to unlock the container, grab their takeout, and send the robot on its way.
- AI-Powered Drive-Thrus – McDonald’s was just one fast food restaurant to adopt an AI-Powered drive-thru, complete with vehicle sensors and an Alexa-like assistant taking orders. Some restaurants in the Pasadena area are trying out PopPay, a service where customers can opt to pay using facial recognition technology. The future is now!
Do you have specific questions about how you can lean into cutting-edge technology to optimize your restaurant? Reach out to Synergy Restaurant Consultants to learn about how you can increase operational efficiency.