Embracing Tech and AI to Elevate the Customer and Employee Experience
As the restaurant industry evolves, savvy operators are leveraging innovative technologies like AI to enhance the guest experience while also empowering their teams. Aaron Novashen, CEO of California-based fast casual brand Starbird, is one such visionary leading the charge.
"Technology should improve everyone's experience - whether you're the employee working in the restaurant or the customer trying to get the food they want," says Novashen. At Starbird, a remarkable 80-85% of orders come through digital channels, yet the brand thoughtfully integrates both high-tech and high-touch elements. Self-order kiosks provide an efficient ordering experience, but guests also have the option to interact with a human "guest server" who can provide a more personalized interaction.
The real power lies in how Starbird harnesses AI and data to optimize their operations. Predictive analytics continuously monitor sales patterns and instantly adjust production to ensure hot, fresh food is always available. If a large catering order comes in, the system automatically pushes out other orders slightly to account for the added volume. This type of real-time order prioritization and load balancing enables Starbird to achieve incredible throughput of $2,000 per square foot.
Beyond the kitchen, AI-powered inventory management frees up staff from the laborious task of conducting manual counts. Spatial recognition technology allows employees to simply wave a phone through the walk-in to instantly reconcile stock levels. This not only saves time, but also reduces the risk of human error in the counting process.
Perhaps most importantly, Novashen emphasizes that technology at Starbird is implemented with the goal of improving the employee experience, not replacing people. "We want to free up our teams to focus on providing genuine hospitality, not getting bogged down in repetitive tasks," he explains. This philosophy has yielded impressive results, with Starbird maintaining some of the lowest hourly turnover rates in the industry.
As the restaurant landscape continues to evolve, the brands that will thrive are those that strategically leverage technology to drive meaningful efficiencies and elevate the overall experience - for both customers and crew. Starbird's approach offers a compelling blueprint for operators seeking to future-proof their businesses.
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