QSR August 2022

SmartChain Kitchen Equipment

The Post-COVID Kitchen How have operators adapted back-of-house?

Panasonic

PANASONIC

T he last two years have challenged operators to do more with less. From maintaining consistent food qual ity in the face of supply chain issues and staffing shortages to getting creative about reaching customers wary of din ing rooms, operators have been forced to reinvent processes time and time again. And for those who were able to navi gate the chaos, there’s no going back. New technologies, kitchen setups, training, and revenue streams are making a big impact on the quick-service restaurant industry— DQG RQ WKH ERिRP OLQHV RI WKH EUDQGV WKDW can institute them successfully. “Nothing is protected or guaran teed in this business,” says Chef Dustin Selvaggio, director of culinary innova

“Owners and chefs are realizing that quality of life for workers matters, and using all of the food we bring in is paramount to success.”

tion at Waring Commercial . “I think this hit a lot of my brothers and sisters in the restaurant industry the hardest. For some, it was a truth they didn’t want to continue on with. For others, it was the driving force behind pivoting their busi QHVVHV WR EH PRUH VXVWDLQDEOH ौH JUHDW est outcome to me is that owners and chefs are realizing that quality of life for ZRUNHUV PDिHUV DQG XVLQJ DOO RI WKH IRRG we bring in is paramount to success.”

Brands have transformed themselves RQ WKH ਮ\ WR NHHS XS ZLWK PDUNHW FRQGL WLRQV UHWDLQ DGHTXDWH VWDਯQJ OHYHOV DQG anticipate what their guests will want in uncertain times. During the worst of the &29,' SDQGHPLF UHVWDXUDQWV GLਬHUHQ tiated themselves by keeping their doors open when so many could not—and by SLYRWLQJ WR Rਬ SUHPLVHV RSWLRQV Consumers are still ordering out in record numbers. According to Datassential,

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AUGUST 2022 | SPONSORED SECTION