By Tom Nightingale
The need to pivot and progress within foodservice has never been clearer than it is during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Much has already changed.
Takeout, already a prominent trend, has exploded in popularity and prominence; more operators have embraced online and mobile ordering and operational technology; and the concept of virtual or ghost kitchens has spread like wildfire.
Now, it looks as though the next major development may be food lockers, which are booming in popularity during the pandemic as a contactless way for customers to collect food.
The concept and the method are straightforward, explains Business Insider.
Patrons can order food in advance online or via the restaurant’s app and then pick it up from the locker. Drivers can also use them to pick up orders. The lockers can vary in security: some have a pin pad or a touch screen and are unlocked by code, while others require scanning a QR code or replying to a text message.
The lockers vary in size and can be different temperatures depending on the needs of the food and the operation: some are heated, others are chilled. There are even some high-tech models already in use that employ UV light to kill bacteria.
Of course, the contactless characteristics are a huge selling point right now, removing the need for customers or delivery drivers to interact with restaurant staff unless absolutely necessary. Many restaurants also let customers select a collection time when they place their orders, reducing waiting times and gathering.
This is another trend that has been around for longer than the last 12 months of the pandemic world.
In November 2018, Dunkin’ Donuts said it was testing pickup lockers at its innovation lab with a view to introducing them in the future in busy stories in cities like New York.
Similar ideas have popped up in Canada already, too. In September 2020, Toronto’s Naan & Kabob announced the launch of Cubby Smart Kitchen, a self-serve operation that allows customers to be served seamlessly through an innovative, self-serve “cubby” system.
However, the food lockers concept is gaining prominence as restaurants look for more efficient and effective solutions. Chains including KFC and Burger King have already announced plans to bring food lockers into their North American restaurants.
These food lockers are not just being used in pure foodservice establishments, either. Retailers such as Lowe’s have implemented them, and they are also being brought to residential buildings, workplaces, and university campuses.
As foodservice takes strides to not only mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic but to drive future innovation, food lockers may be part of the way forward. Watch this space.
