2023’s hottest restaurant technology

Restaurant technology is constantly evolving to allow operators to become more efficient and to help customers get their best experience. This year has been no exception, with innovation from automation to robotics hitting the scene to improve operations. Are you taking advantage of the technology in your restaurant? This year’s National Restaurant Association Show offered […]

Tech talk: the future of restaurants

By Jessica Brill How is today’s technology helping to shape and improve the foodservice industry? As inflation and labour shortages continue to challenge businesses, innovation can play an important role in helping to alleviate some of the stresses that come with managing those persistent challenges. We consulted five industry experts from various leading foodservice sectors, […]

The future of supply chain management

The effects of the pandemic are still plaguing the industry, but what’s in store for the future of supply chain management? With restaurants continuing to struggle with delays, many have taken the opportunity to assess their operations, improve inventory management, predict needs with increased accuracy, and add technology for better efficiency. With the surge in […]

Finding ways to raise your restaurant’s profit margin

As inflation continues, it may be tempting to raise menu prices to offset costs and maximize your margins, but there’s another way. Rather than increasing what you charge, get creative with cutting costs to raise your profit margin.   Improving your profit margin means you need to know your current numbers. While your gross profit […]

Canadians are making reservations further in advance amid higher indoor dining demand

The restaurant industry has seen so many changes over the last few years and is in recovery mode, but even with the continuing surge in delivery and takeout, more Canadians are making reservations and visiting restaurants now than ever. In fact, the rebound in indoor dining has been so strong that Canada and the US […]

Compass Group Canada, SJW Robotics introduce 24-hour automated kitchen

Robotics have a prominent place in the present and the future of foodservice, whether it is automated data collection or a burger-flipping robot. Now, Compass Group Canada and SJW Robotics are introducing a 24-hour automated kitchen, which the latter company calls “the world’s first fully autonomous robotic restaurant that cooks made-to-order meals”. The two companies […]

The all-areas future of restaurant automation

By Megan Prevost Recent years have seen a real insurgence of automated technology throughout the restaurant industry. In both quick-service and full-service restaurants, business owners have replaced cashiers with tablet-like ordering devices. In 2022, restaurant automation is all around us. While McDonald’s and Panera Bread are two quick-service establishments known for these devices, more and […]

Mitigating labour shortages with automation could drastically impact workers

By Geraint Harvey Last month, unemployment in Canada reached a record low of 5.2 per cent. Alongside low unemployment, many industries saw — and are still seeing — a worker shortage, with the number of job vacancies in Canada reaching 900,000 in January. Both of these things are good for workers, right? Prospective employers, desperate […]

One-third of diners are turned off by seeing robot chefs

The increased use of technology in the restaurant has been well-documented, ranging from automated servers to robot chefs. For example, numerous quick-service restaurants are employing robotics in their kitchens. U.S. burger chain White Castle is introducing Flippy, an aptly-named burger-grilling machine, while Hyundai Robotics is partnering with KFC to develop chicken-cooking robots. Meanwhile, Buffalo Wild Wings […]

Automation can make the restaurant experience better for everyone — not just robots

By Laurent May In spite of the challenges of the past two years, there is a future for the restaurant business. Automation has a big role to play, but that doesn’t mean good old-fashioned human hospitality is out of style, or ever will be. We need one just as much as we need the other. […]