IoT has emerged as one of the pillars of an efficient, economical, and, above all, intelligent operation in the restaurant sector.
In 2020, the year in which the pandemic put technology at the center of discussions, this expectation was confirmed (and even amplified).
Devices connected to the internet have gained even greater relevance in the business context, ensuring agile processes and reinforcing security measures, such as social distancing. With this, technology in the kitchen is already a reality.
Technology In The Kitchen: How To Increase The Efficiency Of The Operation
A list developed by the consultancy Gartner in 2018 brought together technologies and concepts capable of collaborating for the evolution of the business. There was a prediction for companies: IoT (IoT) would be an essential factor for business innovation.
According to the organization, solutions based on this concept automate processes and enable more assertive decision-making. The IoT gained prominence in the projection due to its possibilities for companies. It is a concept from which several other trends, techniques, tools and solutions emerge.
In bars and restaurants, for example, it can ensure an essential combination of factors: agility, efficiency and strategy. Think about the devices needed for an operation to work. It is necessary to have computers, cash registers, cell phones, monitors and tablets, among others. And everyone must be connected to the internet.
And this is precisely the basis of the use of the Internet of Things in the segment. Regardless of their size, restaurants need to have a robust connectivity infrastructure. It is like a common thread, responsible for streamlining communication between teams and ensuring the performance of the usual processes.
Automation
An automated system, in turn, needs a good connection to operate, collect and forward orders in record time. The same goes for payment machines, sensors, cameras and even home appliances, which can be controlled remotely.
How To Optimize Processes
IoT – based resources have been strategic for business, contributing to reducing expenses, monitoring compliance with social distancing and, above all, data collection (which become essential indicators).
In this way, it is possible to implement the concept at different chain stages, both in bars and restaurants. We show the main ones below:
Queue Reduction
Many restaurants have bet on apps and platforms that allow online ordering and local pick-up to avoid crowds in the salons. The process is carried out remotely from connected devices. The apps even will enable the search for establishments using GPS. And they even show the step-by-step preparation.
Several chains, such as McDonald’s, opted for this path to reduce queues and ensure excellent safety for customers and employees.
Digitized Menus
Choosing dishes without touching the menu is one of the premises of the pandemic scenario. Some systems even allow orders to be placed directly from consumers’ mobile devices. Then the system forwards the requests to the kitchens, equipped with monitors that display them.
In this way, this feature offers a panoramic view to chefs and their teams. Thus, it is possible to check, in real-time, the number of dishes and the waiting time for each one.
Monitoring
With the pandemic, the need for social distancing has put monitoring devices in the spotlight, such as cameras and sensors. In addition, to ensure the safety and health of the population.
Technology In The Kitchen: Automation
Additionally, systems managed by machine intelligence allow for optimizing resources and streamlining service, production and delivery processes, increasing teams’ productivity. Technology in the kitchen ensures that professionals connect more effectively. That is, gadgets facilitate communication and provide an overview of the tasks that must be done.
In addition, automation still allows employees to have more strategic functions within an establishment. So, if a restaurant automates the orders, the waiters can dedicate themselves more intensively to the service.
Data Capture
More people using virtual means to consume, place orders and the like imply the growth of generated and captured data. In addition, as the restrictive measures made customers change their habits, understanding these new attitudes is essential for companies that want to reach the public with greater assertiveness.
But What About Information Security?
The use of technology in the kitchen implies the generation of data, which is beneficial for business but can drive cyberattacks. Securing traffic and all IoT devices, therefore, is a real challenge that must be addressed.
And there must be a strategic approach to it. The establishment must study and adopt solutions capable of shielding information, ensuring the necessary security layers for each gadget and the network infrastructure as a whole.
