Here's 5 ways automation in fast food will forever change the way you eat

The Five Ways

Your order will actually be correct

One common gripe about fast food restaurants is how often orders are taken wrong.

The average fast food chain delivers orders with 85% accuracy, meaning that 15% of all orders are wrong. This issue is so important to customers that studies have even been conducted showing which fast food restaurants mess up orders the most (it's KFC by the way).

To solve this problem, some fast food chains are turning to artificial intelligence powered order taking machines. These machines have been reported to take orders with 95% accuracy and improve labor and productivity by as much as three times.

Another way fast food restaurants are helping improve the accuracy of orders is by having customers place their own tickets through kiosks. These are becoming common in restaurants like McDonald’s and other fast food chains.

These kiosks not only ensure that the customer is placing the exact order that they would like, they also tend to raise average ticket prices and help lines move significantly faster, so you wait less.

Your order will come out faster

By implementing automated systems, food preparation and delivery can be streamlined, meaning you get your double-stacked bacon cheeseburger and fries faster.

Fast food restaurants can implement more efficient workflows by pairing automation and human labor, such as using conveyor belts to transport orders to the kitchen and automated appliances that can cook multiple orders at once.

All of these advancements in automation technology are helping to speed up the process of getting orders out to customers, resulting in faster service and a more positive customer experience.

Your food  will be consistent everywhere

If you order a Big Mac in Florida, it will taste the exact same as a Big Mac from Alaska.

This level of consistency has been vital for fast food restaurants in building a loyal fanbase.

However, with a decline in available workers, consistency has been hard to maintain.

While human fast food workers are pretty good at being consistent, nothing beats automation. 

Along with standardized recipes and proper employee training, automation technology can ensure that every meal is prepared with the correct amount of ingredients and cooked at exactly the right temperature and time. This reduces the number of inconsistencies, therefore improving the likelihood of having repeat customers.

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Your order will be more sanitary

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into focus the significance of hygiene and sanitation in the food service industry.

Fast food restaurants have had to reconsider their operations to ensure the safety of their customers and employees. 

With the use of automated systems, fast food restaurants can strategically limit human contact and ensure that food is prepared with the highest level of cleanliness and sanitation.

In addition, automated systems like DUST-E SX can be used to clean surfaces and equipment regularly, reducing the risk of contamination.

Your order will be less wasteful

According to the National Restaurant Association, an average restaurant generates 50,000 pounds of food waste annually, and up to 10% of food gets wasted during the ordering process. 

With automation systems such as inventory management and smart cooking equipment, fast food businesses can significantly minimize their food waste.

These systems can monitor ingredient levels in real-time and adjust cooking quantities accordingly, preventing overproduction and waste.

Moreover, since automated cooking equipment ensures that food is cooked optimally, it reduces the likelihood of food being thrown away due to overcooking or undercooking.

Conclusion

In summary, the fast food industry is undergoing a significant transformation with the help of automation technology, leading to enhanced efficiency, accuracy, sanitation, and reduced waste. These advancements are already benefiting fast food chains by saving time and resources, while also offering customers a better experience. As we move forward in the post-pandemic world, it is likely that automation technology will continue to play a critical role in the food service industry.