The restaurant and hospitality industry has always been an ideal platform for consumer testing and technological advancement. During the pandemic, this was especially true as restaurants scrambled to accommodate social distancing and other restrictions, finding ways to continue to serve customers using technology. And while restaurants were already testing ghost kitchens and mobile kitchen concepts, the pandemic perhaps increased these efforts as well.
But while these go forward and exciting ideas gained traction during the pandemic, they are not just pandemic-era advancements. Recently noted organizations like United Kitchen are proving that these technological adjustments and platforms are here to stay—and should be utilized and invested in.
Kitchen United has plans to unify these restaurant industry adjacent technologies, developing the ultimate convenience app for consumers, according to Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN). “in the coming months and years, consumers will soon be able to order pickup from a ghost kitchen at the mall while they’re shopping, or get toiletries, snacks and other convenience store goods delivered to their home, all under the Kitchen United platform.” The company recently completed rounds of fundraising, acquiring $100 million from across multiple industries.
“We’re looking at areas not only adjacent to our industry and while some people might say they would want to disrupt these industries, our vision has always been to enable these partners to adapt to changing consumer preferences,” said Kitchen United CEO Michael Montagano in an interview with NRN.
While Kitchen United plans to test in Midwestern markets and in Miami, partnering with existing chains like Kroger, these technological integrations bear weight in all corners of the restaurant industry, even independently-owned restaurants. Consumers will continue to expect digital ordering, delivery capability, and other technological conveniences that match the experiences they are getting elsewhere.
Richard Weil, CEO of National Restaurant Consultants (NRC) notes, “While Kitchen United may not become the technology solution for many food service operators, it bears noting that NRN has acknowledged their innovation. Our restaurant consultants will continue to monitor these trends.”
Part of a restaurant’s success is the ability to pivot to consumer expectations. Our restaurant consultants are experts are forecasting for menus and technological integrations. Consider working with National Restaurant Consultants to streamline your restaurant experience for your guests.