Pizza Today - June 2022 - 46

The robots aren't
coming. They're
already here.
FEATURE
Automation is changing the way restaurants do business
By Daniel P. Smith
A
look into the dining room at East
Coast Pizza in Pueblo, Colorado,
might seem like a scene pulled
directly from Th e Jetsons, the futuristic
1980s' era cartoon imagining a world of
fl ying cars and space colonization.
At the New York-style pizzeria, a
robot named Bella seats customers,
delivers food to the table, and clears
dirty dishes. Someday, East Coast Pizza
46 / PIZZATODAY.COM / JUNE 2022
founder Dominic Mannino hopes Bella
will interact with guests, sharing jokes
and discussing the weather.
East Coast Pizza's science fi ctionlike
turn isn't quite the outlier it might
immediately seem. In fact, automation
is already commonplace in mainstream
restaurant operations, albeit in more
subtle ways compared to a front-of-thehouse
force like Bella.
Consider digital ordering, which sees
customer-entered orders roll directly
into the kitchen, or QR code menus, a
pandemic-era hero eliminating the need
for staff members to deliver a menu or
take an order. Both solutions leverage
readily available technology to automate
daily tasks. It's automation " lite, " though
heartier solutions sit on the horizon.
Behind the automation uprising
While an innovative spirit is driving
restaurant automation, the greatest tech
doesn't mean much if the marketplace
isn't interested. Count restaurant leaders
interested. According to Lightspeed's
Global State of the Hospitality Industry
report, half of U.S. restaurant operators
Illustration via stock.adobe/ Vectorwonderland

http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM

Pizza Today - June 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today - June 2022

Commentary
Digital
Conversation
Mike's Monthly Tip
Man on the Street
Building Blocks
On Deck
Knead to Know
Destinations
A Look at Loyalty
Third-party Conversion
Digital Marketing in 2022
Seasonal Salads
Seasonal Salads
Low Prep Wow Apps
Summer-Inspired Pizzas
The Outdoor Experience
Automation Nation
Exterior Maintenance
Product Showcase
Pizza Today Yellow Pages
The Marketplace
Expo Spotlight
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Ctip1
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Ctip2
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Cover1
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Cover2
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Commentary
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 4
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 5
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 6
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 7
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Digital
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 9
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Conversation
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 11
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Mike's Monthly Tip
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 13
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Man on the Street
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 15
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Building Blocks
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 17
Pizza Today - June 2022 - On Deck
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 19
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Knead to Know
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 21
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 22
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 23
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Destinations
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 25
Pizza Today - June 2022 - A Look at Loyalty
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 27
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 28
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 29
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Third-party Conversion
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 31
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 32
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 33
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Digital Marketing in 2022
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 35
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Seasonal Salads
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 37
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Low Prep Wow Apps
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 39
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Summer-Inspired Pizzas
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 41
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 42
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 43
Pizza Today - June 2022 - The Outdoor Experience
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 45
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Automation Nation
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 47
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Exterior Maintenance
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 49
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Product Showcase
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 51
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Pizza Today Yellow Pages
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 53
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 54
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 55
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 56
Pizza Today - June 2022 - The Marketplace
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 58
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 59
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 60
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 61
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 62
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 63
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 64
Pizza Today - June 2022 - 65
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Expo Spotlight
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Cover3
Pizza Today - June 2022 - Cover4
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