{"id":25568,"date":"2019-04-19T14:04:54","date_gmt":"2019-04-19T18:04:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev-gordon-food-service-canada.pantheonsite.io\/ideas\/the-evolution-of-foodservice-technology\/"},"modified":"2025-07-01T11:24:32","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T15:24:32","slug":"the-evolution-of-foodservice-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gfs.ca\/en-ca\/ideas\/the-evolution-of-foodservice-technology\/","title":{"rendered":"The Evolution of Foodservice Technology"},"content":{"rendered":"

A look at where technology is taking the industry and the evolution that could come with it.<\/h2>\n

Mounting profitability pressures continue to drive restaurant operators in search of new ways to make their business more efficient and more profitable. From cash registers to computers, technologies have always driven process improvements\u2014and technology-driven efficiencies remain the surest route to streamline operations, lower costs and build sales by increasing the speed and methods you conduct transactions with consumers.<\/p>\n

Doug Owens, Gordon Food Service\u00a0Commercial Segment Manager, recently explored foodservice technology issues with two experts: Adam Niemur, Director of Digital Experience for Gordon Food Service North America, and Mack Tilling, President and Chief Innovation Officer of Relish Works, a Chicago-based Gordon Food Service subsidiary tasked with researching and identifying the developing trends and biggest challenges facing the foodservice industry.<\/p>\n

Here are some highlights of their conversation.<\/p>\n

Owens: Where do you think operators are today in terms of technology?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tilling:<\/strong> I started my career in foodservice, transitioned into foodservice tech and then went away from the industry for 20 years or so. When I came back, I was shocked at how little progress had been made. This is a conservative industry that is slow to adopt technologies. Some of that is because we\u2019re busy putting out fires every day, and implementing new systems can be problematic when you\u2019re consumed with cranking out breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week.<\/p>\n

That said, there has been a phenomenal shift in the last few years. We\u2019re still lagging behind other industries, but a new generation of workers is exerting its influence. They\u2019re seeing and using tech everywhere but on the job, they\u2019re good at it and they like it, so they\u2019re pushing employers to embrace it.<\/p>\n

Owens: Niemur, you oversee everything from the Gordon Food Service corporate website and social media presence to apps and other online tools that help operators more efficiently order product, manage recipes and track inventory. What are you seeing from our customers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Niemur: <\/strong>Like Mack, I\u2019m seeing a much more rapid pace of adoption than just a few years ago. There\u2019s definitely a generational change going on. Plus, everybody uses social media now\u2014it\u2019s how they connect with customers and how they find labour\u2014and that\u2019s gotten all ages more comfortable with technology. Also, labour is such a struggle today that operators are looking for anything that can help them become more efficient.<\/p>\n

Adoption is also tied to complexity. The simpler the technology, the more likely it is to be implemented.<\/p>\n

Owens: I agree\u2014but if you\u2019re an advocate or an owner who is driving the adoption of new technologies, it makes a huge difference in cost management and success. With that in mind, where are we going? What kinds of technology will operators have to look at in the near term, say the next one to three years?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Niemur: <\/strong>Portability\u2014allowing time-strapped consumers to enjoy restaurant-quality food where they want, when they want\u2014is huge. Operators need to have some sort of digital presence that allows customers to order and pay online for takeout and delivery. This is where the real growth potential in the industry lies in the near future. Doug, you say that less than 10 percent of the independent operators you talk to have some sort of mobile ordering<\/a> and payment system, so there\u2019s work to be done.<\/p>\n

Also, consumers have exhibited a growing need for ready access to information about food attributes, such as non-GMO, local, sustainably sourced, etc., and technology solutions can provide that access. This is going to be a big thing for operators.<\/p>\n

Tilling:<\/strong> When it comes to product and food safety information, we\u2019re going to see the use of blockchain technology\u2014grocery stores use it today to track the shipment of a particular item all the way back to the original producer, in a matter of seconds.<\/p>\n

Labour is going to continue to be an issue, so any systems that can reduce non value-added labour, like inventory and time tracking, will be critical. We have to attack it from both sides\u2014reduce the need for labour and get more hires in the door. Operators are telling us they also need help training people and keeping them longer. There are some systems to help with different aspects of this but nobody\u2019s got it completely solved yet.<\/p>\n

Owens: What about a little further down the line? What kinds of tech can we expect in five years?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tilling: <\/strong>Still talking about labour, we\u2019re going to see more robotics\u2014hamburger flippers and the like in limited service restaurants. If you\u2019re a new operation, you may be looking at automated equipment in the back of the house to help reduce human labour.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s going to be incredible intelligence built into that equipment. It\u2019s not just a more efficient oven, it\u2019s an oven that will tell you what\u2019s going on with an order and where the order needs to go. It\u2019s really going to speed up processes.<\/p>\n

But all of the artificial intelligence and equipment comes with high price tag. Full-service restaurants and chains will need to consider return on investment before making a commitment. \u00a0Over time, the payoff could be technology that improves forecasting and reduces operational costs.<\/p>\n

Owens: A word I keep hearing from operators is \u201cintegration\u201d\u2014as in, we want all our systems to work together. Is that feasible?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Niemur:<\/strong> We\u2019re certainly seeing more people asking for this and more technology trying to play in this arena. It\u2019s not there yet, but in the next few years, some tech company is going to figure this out and create a one-size-fits-all turnkey package.<\/p>\n

Owens: What happens when we get to a point where virtually everything is automated? What does that mean for the concept of hospitality and personal service?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Niemur:<\/strong> It\u2019s true that everybody has less time and technology is helping restaurants account for that. I may only have 20 minutes for lunch, and there will be restaurants that can accommodate me. But many still want a leisurely dinner. Restaurants could have two service models\u2014quick and casual at lunch, full service at dinner. I don\u2019t think hospitality will ever go away.<\/p>\n

Tilling:<\/strong> We see the most success in using tech to enhance, rather than replace, the human connection. I think that will continue to be the case. While robotics will grow over time, going out for a meal with family and friends will continue to have a personal aspect, satisfying a need for social interaction.<\/p>\n

Technology Resources<\/h3>\n

Talk to your Sales Representative about the technologies<\/a> and training available to you as a Gordon Food Service customer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A look at where technology is taking the industry and the evolution that could come with it. Mounting profitability pressures continue to drive restaurant operators in search of new ways to make their business more efficient and more profitable. 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