The pandemic ushered in the days of elbow bumps and air high-fives — and even with vaccinations well underway, there’s still a pretty large “keep your hands to yourself” consensus. We’ve moved into a new era where handmade, homemade and made-by-hand aren’t words or products that sit well with most consumers (at least when it comes to how food is made). The thought on automation’s role in food safety has evolved, making it an even more desirable aspect of not only the food-making process, but also the way consumers access their food. We’ll dive into some innovative ways the restaurant industry uses technology to keep hands-off in the production and service of food.
Robots in the kitchen
The tech implemented in some eateries isn’t reserved to only online menus and contactless delivery apps (as wonderful as they are) — we’re talking about what most of us imagine in sci-fi flicks. For example, a fully automated kitchen in Shanghai uses a large robot to work all aspects of meal prep for school children. And White Castle uses a robotic arm to work the grill flipping burgers and bagging french fries. White Castle's robot, Flippy, is up there at a $30,000 price tag (plus an added monthly service fee), but those costs are starting to go down. More establishments are seeing robots somewhere in the mix of foodservice’s future to create less hand contact and increased efficiency.
Smart vending and kiosks
Smart vending machines and automated food kiosks have found their way to more non-traditional locations. They’re popping up in places like parking garages, grocery stores, and shopping centers to appease the demand for convenient, contactless food. But it’s not the usual vending variety available like candy bars, chips and soda. Instead, healthy items like salads, smoothies, coffee, bread, and rice bowls are ready with the push of a button. Some of the machines incorporate Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Using artificial intelligence (AI), this system tracks the movement, gestures, gender, and purchasing behavior of consumers and connects their facial recognition to other IoT devices. This allows companies to gather customer analytics that help them with sales and marketing. Some automated food kiosks allow consumers to simply pay by looking at a screen. There’s a whole brave new world of contactless foodservice technology that is helpful — and fascinating.
Delivery drones
Airports, restaurants and campuses all over are employing robots to deliver food for completely contactless delivery. Customers place an online order and enter their location. Once the robot arrives, they punch in a pin and grab the food. Hospitals are also utilizing handy robots. Robotic TUGs deliver food, nursing supplies and other necessities to patients and staff. They navigate hallways, elevators, fire alarms and automatic doors through a Wi-Fi connection. The convenience a robot brings with around-the-clock delivery, and no face-to-face contact helps with health, safety and convenience.
Other amazing automation
While foodservice robots and advancements like facial recognition are becoming more attainable for many operations, 100% hands-free isn’t always realistic or optimal for every establishment. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to bring automation to your kitchen without going no-holds-bar robotics. Online and QR ordering and touchless payment options are ways to incorporate contactless technology into your operation. Programmable equipment with preset temperatures, cook-times and blower speeds provide convenient automation. Intuitive food-sensing, pan-sensing, and automatic shut-off technology make room for busy kitchens to move at a faster pace and multitask while still creating perfectly cooked dishes. And in our largely grab-n-go society, heating display units that incorporate self-regulating temperature and humidity controls are a helpful tool. Whatever type of tech you choose to limit hand-to-food contact and increase efficiency is a win for your operation.
Innovative ideas.
Inviting a robot into your establishment might not happen tomorrow, but automation in some capacity will continue to integrate into many different establishments in the coming years. Smart technology is bringing exciting capabilities to commercial kitchen equipment, enhancing foodservice operations’ ability to provide safe, quality food. Looking for other innovative ways to add a little boost to your contactless offering? Take a look at our blog, How To Create Contactless Meals.
