Move over bicycles and scooters. The streets of Tokyo have a new kind of delivery driver: a robot.
Uber Eats is rolling out a fleet of six-wheeled robots designed to act as delivery drivers. These robots transport food in a temperature-controlled compartment while traveling alongside pedestrians on the sidewalk.
The foodservice industry at large tends to focus on direct labor savings when thinking about modernizing equipment. Yes, less reliance on humans saves money. But in the context of assessing the return on investment (ROI) for modern foodservice equipment, organizations need to look closely at their priorities.
The Uber Eats robots might appear to be from the future. In reality, their existence is a strategic play on differentiation. Organizations can unlock this type of differentiation by elevating the right priorities and leveraging foodservice equipment to achieve them. The right priorities can lead to unrivaled long-term profitability.
Prioritize value over reducing prices
Any competitor can compete on price, in the short run. By appealing to bargain hunters with minimally accepted standards and lower prices, an operator can get a temporary win. However, real-world business models demonstrate time and time again that value is the key to long-lasting success. By offering exceptional convenience, experience and functionality, your operation can set itself apart with value too. After all, the highest-performing operations differentiate with value-adds that cannot be duplicated easily by competitors.
Hatco has separated itself from the pack by modernizing the buffet. Say goodbye to the days of calcified hotel-pan wells and open Sterno flames. Now you can keep food hot, and look good doing it with the heated glass shelf. Adjustable thermostatic controls allow for easy command of surface temperature with a range from 100 °F-195 °F (38 °C-90 °C). Finally, a style of buffet equipment that matches the presentation of your food.
Remember those wilted parsley garnishes and ice melting into unsightly pools around cold buffet items? Using ice to keep buffet items cold is an inefficient use of energy (to make the ice) and a suboptimal use of employees’ time (to manage the ice). Sleek frost tops are aesthetically pleasing and suitable for buffet and to-go convenience.
Your buffet can take a step into the future with the Remote Hot/Cold Built-In Flush Top Simulated Stone Shelf providing the ultimate flexibility and versatility, easily changing between a heated shelf and cold shelf (and vice versa). This type of differentiation will surely separate your business from the other guys.
Prioritize experimentation
Fast-moving experiments should be favored over developing drawn-out system-wide overhauls. Organizations are rightfully cautious with large investments in an uncertain economy. What if a large gamble doesn’t pay off? A nimble organization encourages brainstorming and tests ideas on smaller scales. This allows for quicker reaction time in an ever-changing economy. The right innovation at the right time can lead to differentiation and long-term profits.
In the foodservice sector, innovation can come in the form of new menu items. Versatile, modern foodservice equipment turns any kitchen at any of your locations into a test kitchen. What will be the next avocado toast? The multipurpose salamander could lead you to it. By automatically transitioning from cook to hold mode (to prevent burning food) your team can achieve perfection. Adjustable upper housing gives 4.4" (114 mm) of vertical movement to accommodate a variety of food items.
Salads are back in a big way. Operators can tap into an ever-increasing network of healthy food sources to bring in heirloom greens, heritage beans and far-flung super fruits. Cold wells keep food fresh and accessible as the team works to put a modern twist on the next great wellness trend. With the confidence of knowing your pre-chilled food is at an optimal temperature, you are free to set your menu apart from the competition.
What are your priorities?
Food delivery platforms are dealing with a crowded space. By turning to differentiation, instead of pricing, Uber Eats has developed a truly unique delivery system — in short, a value-add game changer. This robot experiment in a single market is a wise move for a global company. It would have been unwieldy and more costly to perform on a larger scale.
You can emulate this play on differentiation by taking a hard look at your priorities. Emphasize value over pricing and encourage experimentation.
Partner with Hatco by contacting a sales representative today. Let us help you differentiate from your competitors — and boost profitability in the process.
