How AI is Changing The Food Industry
The transformative influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not limited to simply providing users with extensive information. It has proven to have the power to fundamentally reshape the landscape of how businesses operate. Through strategic planning, creativity, and relentless innovation, AI can be utilized to not only enhance efficiency in countless ways but also has the flexibility to attribute to any business category. This revolutionizing technology can adapt to fulfill a multitude of needs in different industries across the field, including the food service sector.
In recent years, the culinary world has taken the initiative to implement this tool to assist in various ways. These forward-thinking entities are not only streamlining their operations but also finding creative and innovative ways to reach their goals and become more strategic with their time, resources and overall business operations.
AI Helping In The Kitchen
The introduction of AI-powered technology into restaurants, mostly fast food chains, has been no surprise. The start of integrating this revolutionizing tool into food chains has been years in the making.
One of the leaders in the transition to incorporating AI in culinary operations was Chipotle. In 2022, they announced their new automated robot, Chippy. This automated robot was programmed to follow detailed instructions on the measurements and techniques to craft the restaurant’s signature homemade tortilla chips that tend to be a fan favorite from customers. Implementing Chippy has allowed for larger amounts of tortilla chips to be made in just a fraction of the time, improving Chipotle’s overall efficiency.
This news was huge in the media due to AI technology being introduced in the back-of-house whereas many other food chains have been focusing mostly on utilizing AI to assist with front-of-house duties such as interacting with the customers.
Customer Service
One of the more mainstream ways that many fast food chains across the country are starting to incorporate AI into their restaurants is by tailoring it to assist in communicating with customers and understand their needs. Popular fast food chains such as McDonald’s and White Castle have re-adjusted their system to allow for a chatbot to take orders at various of their drive-thru locations. This innovative strategy has allowed workers to more effectively allocate their time on other important duties while the chatbots are able to collect and inform the staff of each customer’s request. In the popular food chain, Chick-fil-A, we have also seen a creative way to utilize AI robots to serve customers in person by physically bringing their ready-to-eat food to them while inside the restaurant.
Conclusion
Although this is only the beginning of AI being incorporated into the food industry, it is easy to recognize the massive potential this tool, if used tactically, can have to boost business efficiencies. From back to front-of-house operations, AI’s potential to improve current functions is limitless and will soon become the new normal. We are only experiencing the tip of the iceberg in AI’s integration into the food service industry and the potential, if harnessed strategically, is staggering, promising to elevate business efficiencies across the board.
Beyond efficiency, we have seen AI redefine how quickly we can access information, even about one’s own company. By collecting analyzing and reporting immense consumer data, restaurants are equipped with invaluable insights that allow them to better understand their consumers. As a result of such information, businesses can better tailor to their customer’s needs and increase satisfaction, resulting in a maximization of potential profitability.
It is clear that through creativity, AI has the power to enhance various facets of business across diverse industries, setting the stage for the future where technological innovation are essential for restaurants’ survival.
