From Kitchen to Cloud: The Automated Revolution in Food Service

Marc Pochert - 24 Sep13 - 5 min read

In today's fast-paced world, convenience stores and Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) are revolutionizing food production. As customer demand for fast, reliable, and affordable meals continues to grow, automation is quickly becoming a key player in the industry. This article specifically focuses on the back of house operations and food production, leaving order channels, AI-enhanced marketing, and automated drive-thru systems for another discussion. Let’s delve into how automation is transforming food production in convenience stores and QSRs—and where it might take us next.

How Does Automation Affect the Customer Experience?

Customer reactions to automation in food production are double-sided and filled with mixed emotions. While many appreciate the speed and consistency it brings, there’s also a fear that the “human touch” will be lost. For some, the idea of robots handling food can feel impersonal, while others value the precision and efficiency that automation offers.

Despite these mixed feelings, 60% of customers still prefer some form of human interaction in their dining experience, even when automation is involved 1). Here’s a look at how automation is impacting key areas of the customer experience:

Food Quality and Safety: A study from QSR Magazine found that 43% of customers express concerns about the cleanliness and reliability of machines. They worry about technical failures or potential hygiene issues in fully automated food production. 2)

Customization: About 35% of consumers are concerned that automated systems may struggle to handle customization requests, particularly when it comes to dietary restrictions. 3)

On the flip side, automation brings certain advantages:

Consistency and Efficiency: Automated systems allow for greater consistency, with 55% of customers reporting satisfaction with the precision and uniformity of robot-prepared meals.4) Whether it's getting the burger cooked exactly right or ensuring perfect portion sizes, automation excels at standardizing food production.

Companies Leading the Automation Charge

Automation is gradually reshaping the industry, but which companies are at the forefront? Let’s take a look at a few leaders pushing the boundaries:

White Castle: One of the earliest adopters, White Castle has partnered with Miso Robotics to introduce the Flippy robot, which handles tasks like frying and grilling. This move has helped streamline their kitchens and reduce labor costs by automating repetitive tasks. 5)

McDonald’s: Known for its operational efficiency, McDonald’s is also investing heavily in AI-powered kitchen appliances. From automated fryers to predictive cooking systems, McDonald’s is setting the standard for how automation can enhance both speed and quality.6)

Sweetgreen: With their Infinite Kitchen concept, Sweetgreen is fully embracing automation by using machines to assemble salads with precision and speed. This focus on automation allows them to manage labor shortages while maintaining food consistency.7)

Wendy’s: Wendy’s has also implemented AI technology in its fryers and back-of-house operations, reducing food waste and optimizing energy use.8)

While QSR chains like McDonald’s and White Castle have been pioneers, convenience stores are also stepping up. Giants like 7-Eleven and Wawa are increasing their use of automated beverage systems, pre-programmed ovens, and intelligent self-service kiosks, allowing them to streamline their warm, ready-to-eat (RTE) offerings.

Comparing QSRs and Convenience Stores:

Automation in Action

The total number of stores operated by the five biggest convenience store chains —7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart, Circle K, and Wawa —totals over 135,000 globally. 9)

These stores are taking steps toward automation, especially in their grab-and-go food sections. While they are not as advanced as some QSRs in terms of back-of-house food production automation, they are rapidly improving.

Convenience Stores: Automation is mostly seen in heating, storing, and serving ready-to-eat (RTE) products. With self-checkout stations, automatic beverage dispensers, and pre-programmed ovens, convenience stores are making it faster for customers to grab a hot meal in 3 to 7 minutes, compared to the more hands-on, made-to-order experience in QSRs.10)

QSRs: In contrast, QSRs are using more advanced back-of-house automation in areas like grilling, frying, and customizable menu preparation. Domino’s has deployed pizza-making robots, while Taco Bell uses portion-controlled ingredient dispensers to ensure consistency.11)

In short, convenience stores are still catching up to QSRs in terms of back-end automation, but they excel in delivering pre-made hot meals with speed and convenience.

The Road Ahead:

Full Automation or Incremental Change?

A fully robot-operated kitchen may sound futuristic, but don’t expect it to be the norm in the next 3-5 years. While some companies might experiment with fully automated kitchens as part of their brand image—like Sweetgreen’s Infinite Kitchen—most industry experts agree that these innovations will remain exceptions, not the rule.12)

More realistically, automation will conquer QSRs and convenience stores in a quieter, more incremental way. Instead of fully robotic kitchens, we’ll see automation used to:

Assist with complex tasks that require precision, such as grilling and frying.

Simplify repetitive tasks, like dispensing exact portions or cooking at the perfect temperature.

This hybrid approach will allow staff to focus on tasks that matter, like customer service or higher-value food preparation, while robots handle the more routine aspects of food production. Automation in food production won’t be about replacing human workers, but rather supporting them by making kitchens more efficient and consistent.

Conclusion:

A Future of Balanced Automation

In summary, while full-scale automation may seem like the next big leap in food production, it will be an incremental transformation over the next 3 to 5 years. The most likely scenario is a gradual integration of automation technologies into QSR and convenience store operations, focusing on enhancing efficiency rather than entirely replacing human labor.

Fully robotic kitchens will remain an outlier, primarily driven by brand perception rather than operational necessity. The real story of automation lies in its ability to streamline repetitive tasks, reduce costs, and allow employees to focus on higher-value activities—ultimately improving both the customer experience and operational efficiency. As automation spreads across the industry, it will do so quietly, one task at a time, shaping the future of food service for years to come.

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- Sources -

01) [Presto](https://presto.com)

02) [Technomic](https://technomic.com)

03) [Deloitte’s 2023 Food Automation Report](https://deloitte.com)

04) [QSR Magazine](https://qsrmagazine.com)

05) [National Restaurant Association](https://restaurant.org)

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