Global Franchise 9.1

world of pizza-making too with the Picnic pizza-assembly robot. While it’s yet to find any big takers in major pizza chains, the relative difficulty in making consistent pizzas means that Picnic robots may become a more attractive proposition in the coming years. Robotics is inevitable As labor supply continues to exert pressure on franchise owners, franchisors will be forced to explore either more costly and elaborate recruitment programs or consider integrating a new technology to create a more long-term solution. “Every repetitive task can be automated over time. It’s the integration of these capabilities with all the other technology platforms we employ that will begin to yield exponential returns,” said David Bloom. Without significant rises in pay, food service workers will continue leaving the industry. While non-compensation factors are the primary retainers of employees in more high-value roles, that wisdom should not be extended to food service workers. QSR brands will greatly benefit from the increased consistency in orders, and automating repetitive tasks is also a reasonable form of progress in an industry hamstrung by the lack of labor. “Our job is to put great food on a plate that creates a reaction,” pondered Jon Taffer, “and how we get there is going to change. “We are in an industry that is evolving and at some point, there will be no human in the kitchen. We need to understand that is the ultimate extreme and all of us are going to be forced to move in that direction, with introducing robotics and different types of cooking systems and technologies. Digital menu boards One of the most common forms of automation, digital menu boards are dynamic, customizable and can be updated in real time. Self-ordering kiosks They offermultiple ordering and payment points, additional advertising and upselling avenues, reducewait times andminimize human contact, which lessens the threat of illness. It alsominimizes the employeeworkload so that they can focus on high-value tasks. Automated table reservations When things get hectic, it’s easy tomake errors. However, using table reservation software allows for themaximization of front-of-house to be as efficient and error-free as possible. Automated cooking process While the best chefs can be considered artists creating great-tasting food, when the idea is conceptualized, cooking is a highly standardized, repetitive task that strives for consistency. And while the technology is notmainstreamyet, brands are experimentingwith robotics as they are highly customizable, standardized, hygienic and efficient. Automated deliveries Big-name logistics and delivery companies are already experimenting with delivery drones. Since food delivery follows in similar footsteps, automated deliveries are set to revolutionize the food delivery industry. Digital loyalty programs While paper coupons, cards, and discount passes have been the norm, they aren’t the most efficient, often getting crumpled, lost or forgotten. A digital loyalty program not only solves this, but also provides round-the-clock tracking and the ability to personalized offers based on the customer’s preferences. Those who don’t are going to get left behind. “Anybody building a casual dining concept based on a traditional kitchen today is going to be economically destroyed, not to mention hitting consistency and supply side issues too.” As long as food service appears to be “undesirable”, combined with an increasingly employee-friendly labor market, franchisors will have to bet on the increased development and implementation of kitchen robotics to match their ambitions. GLOBAL-FRANCHISE.COM 41