Today, it is common to witness diners placing orders using touch-screen devices or have a robot serve food at a restaurant. This phenomenon of minimal human interaction and having processes controlled through integrated technology is known as automation. Over the years, various forms of automated technology have been implemented to service both customers and help with the kitchen and back-end of the food and beverage (F&B) industry.
Automation in the F&B industry began in 1888, Berlin, when a German engineer, Max Sielaff, obtained a patent for his newly automated restaurant called Automat1. His restaurant had patrons inserting coins into shelves and a small door would open for diners to collect their meals2. There were no waiters present to serve diners. A typical setting had no human interaction while the kitchen crew was on the other side of the wall preparing meals for the diners3.
Automats disappeared in the 1970s as the fast-food restaurant industry grew. Customers were served food over-the-counter to adapt to the fast-paced lifestyles4. However, experts predicted the comeback of automats in recent times5. Eatsa, a restaurant in San Francisco, opened its doors in 2015 with a similar concept as automat6. It is fully automated, where the customer orders using a tablet and meals are collected from a wall of cubbies, which resemble a cupboard. Diners can choose to order standard concoctions such as the “burrito bowl” or customize to their own preferences7.
In Singapore, the first vending machine café opened in August 2016. VendCafe has six vending machines to dispense fresh hot meals that contain no preservatives such as chicken bolognese and curry chicken8. To place an order, customers need to pay through the machine and wait for their meals to be ready9.
Popular eateries are replacing staff with machines to take orders. McDonald’s has placed self-service kiosk for ordering across Australia and Asia10. The kiosk has a “Create Your Taste” option for customers to customize their burgers easily. It accepts mobile payment options as well as both debit and credit cards11. Another popular eatery, Popeyes, has completely replaced cashiers at one of their Singapore outlets with kiosks12. This has resulted in more efficient service and a slight increase in sales13.
Roost, a chicken rice specialty shop in Singapore, serves chicken using the world’s first patented automated poultry cooking machine; the Singapore-made iKook14. This machine is able to prepare the chicken either poached or braised and can sous vide other meats15. Toyako Robot Ramen in Shanghai uses machines to prepare its ramen as well16. The robots, Koya and Kona, help to boil, serve, and pour precise amounts of soup in each bowl all in 90 seconds17.
Automation is becoming more innovative in the F&B industry. For example, Aitech Robotics and Automation (R&A) is developing robots to make deliveries for F&B outlets18. These robots are able to sense the different levels in an elevator and deliver to the right floors19. Another local start-up, Eunoia, has developed Ordr, a cloud-based tech platform that allows F&B customers to place orders and pay at the table using their own mobile device20. Ordr can help eateries to save on operational costs, since implementing Ordr is cheaper than hiring service staff21.
Automation is crucial in the F&B industry to boost efficiency in daily operations. Restaurateurs should consider implementing this integrated technology, especially those facing shortage of manpower. Restrictions in Singapore on foreign labor since 2011 is causing 90 per cent of F&B businesses to face shortage of workers and automation might just be the solution22.
Diners can order through an iPad at a Japanese restaurant in Asia
References:
1 Collectors Weekly. (2015). Coin-Op Cuisine: When the Future Tasted Like a Five-Cent Slice of Pie. [online] Available at: http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/coin-op-cuisine/
2 Uproxx. (2016). Are Wendy’s And McDonald’s Automated Kiosks The Wrong Response To A Minimum Wage Hike? [online] Available at: http://uproxx.com/life/wendys-mcdonalds-automated-kiosks-cause-anger-fair-minimum-wage/
3 Uproxx. (2016). Are Wendy’s And McDonald’s Automated Kiosks The Wrong Response To A Minimum Wage Hike? [online] Available at: http://uproxx.com/life/wendys-mcdonalds-automated-kiosks-cause-anger-fair-minimum-wage/
4 Mukunda Foods. (2016). The comeback of Food Vending Machines: Pizza, Burrito, Sushi and Dosamatic Machines Are Set To Change The Fast Food World. [online] Available at: http://www.dosamatic.com/the-comeback-of-food-vending-machines-pizza-burrito-sushi-and-dosamatic-machines-are-set-to-change-the-fast-food-world/
5 Lavu. (2016). Is the Automat Making a Futuristic Comeback? [online] Available at: https://www.lavu.com/blog/post.php?s=2016-08-22-is-the-automat-making-a-futuristic-comeback
6 The Alantic. (2016). Server-less Restaurants Might Be the Future of Dining.
[online] Available at: http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/09/the-restaurant-with-invisible-waiters/403297/
7 The Alantic. (2016). Server-less Restaurants Might Be the Future of Dining.
[online] Available at: http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/09/the-restaurant-with-invisible-waiters/403297/
8 Straits Times. (2016). VendCafe’s Jocelyn Chng on her recipe for success. [online] Available at: http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/food/recipe-for-success-0?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&xtor=CS1-10#link_time=1481513817
9 Straits Times. (2016). VendCafe’s Jocelyn Chng on her recipe for success. [online] Available at: http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/food/recipe-for-success-0?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&xtor=CS1-10#link_time=1481513817
10 PC. (2016). McDonald’s Pilots Mobile Ordering and Self Service Kiosks. [online] Available at: http://sea.pcmag.com/software/12700/news/mcdonalds-pilots-mobile-ordering-and-self-service-kiosks
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12 Straits Times. (2016). Popeyes’ self-ordering kiosks serve up efficiency. [online] Available at: http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/popeyes-self-ordering-kiosks-serve-up-efficiency
13 Straits Times. (2016). Popeyes’ self-ordering kiosks serve up efficiency. [online] Available at: http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/popeyes-self-ordering-kiosks-serve-up-efficiency
14 DanielFoodDiary. (2016). ROOST – Chicken Rice Specialty Shop At Orchard, The Centrepoint. [online] Available at: http://danielfooddiary.com/2016/12/08/roost/
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16 Munchies. (2016). The Future Is Here and It’s Robots Who Make Ramen in 90 Seconds. [online] Available at: https://munchies.vice.com/en/articles/the-future-is-here-and-its-robots-who-make-ramen-in-90-seconds
17 Munchies. (2016). The Future Is Here and It’s Robots Who Make Ramen in 90 Seconds. [online] Available at: https://munchies.vice.com/en/articles/the-future-is-here-and-its-robots-who-make-ramen-in-90-seconds
18 Channel NewsAsia. (2016). Singapore start-up develops robot for food delivery. [online] Available at: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/singapore-start-up/2645784.html
19 Channel NewsAsia. (2016). Singapore start-up develops robot for food delivery. [online] Available at: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/singapore-start-up/2645784.html
20 Techseen. (2016). Foodtech startup Eunoia helps F&B outlets trim operational costs. [online] Available at: http://techseen.com/2016/06/16/foodtech-startup-eunoia-trim-operational-costs/
21 Techseen. (2016). Foodtech startup Eunoia helps F&B outlets trim operational costs. [online] Available at: http://techseen.com/2016/06/16/foodtech-startup-eunoia-trim-operational-costs/
22 Reuters. (2016). Can Singapore’s labor crunch spark a robot revolution? [online] Available at: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-singapore-robots-idUSKCN10P0YU