Nine High-Tech Trends Reshaping Restaurant Kitchens

Summary

     Lisa Terry, Contributing Editor for Hospitality Technology discusses nine areas where technology trends are changing how restaurant kitchens operate.  Integration of data to and from the kitchen display system and other applications is something Radiant Systems is working on with the eventual hope of being able to condense all data from inventory tracking to a customer’s history to provide better service.  This would then provide increased visibility for accurate and real-time reports of every level of operation in the restaurant.  Innovations in KDS will allow for a better view of what prep time is needed as well as for the bar.  As for web connectivity, “In tomorrow’s kitchen lots of info will come from corporate systems or the cloud, from cook time updates to Web orders to HD prep videos”.(Terry, 2011)  KDS to deal with the need, and potential requirement, to provide nutritional and allergy information of food served at restaurants is something Digital Dining has started testing.  Customers both for seated service and take-out need to have this information available to them and this one day may be via guest devices of a sort.  Increasing the communication with the front of the house will be through technological devices rather than human contact.  Table devices, texting, and integrated application will all be used for this.  Technology needs to converge with the food equipment so that if something is not at the correct temperature there are others aware of it via integrated systems.  For sustainability, the trends head toward no more paper use and vigilant energy savings.  The last high-tech trend Lisa Terry discusses is the inventory part of running a restaurant.  If we have the information on each dish’s ingredients and what dishes were produced there should be an accurate inventory of each item and ordering will then be accurate.

Reflection

     The high-tech changes and enhancements being made for the restaurant kitchens are so exciting.  The biggest factor is the integration of information for all of the various facets of a restaurant.  From a customer’s point of view, integration of applications and increased visibility would help to rectify any past unpleasant experiences and increase the likely-hood that things will go smoother and more accurately this time.  Customers will also be able to access nutrition and allergy information which can help people to make better choices and also avoid any potentially harmful dishes.  It will probably be required in the near future, and people should be aware of exactly what they are consuming, including mixed drinks.  I am impressed with the advances that will allow restaurants to track the ingredients used in a dish, time to prepare the dish, and temperature each station is at.  To me this means more consistency, accuracy, and safer food products.  By the time I have my own establishment I can track and manage my inventory, prep time, and employees as efficiently as possible.  With the integration and web connectivity of the systems, reports will be up-to-date and as accurate as possible.  This means less waste so more profit over-all.

    Terry, Lisa. (2011, April 8). Nine High-Tech Trends Reshaping Restaurant Kitchens.  Retrieved April 8, 2011, from Hospitality Technology http://hospitalitytechnology.edgl.com/top-stories/Nine-High-Tech-Trends-Reshaping-Restaurant-Kitchens72036