The Mobile Kitchen and Other Restaurant Industry Trends
AUGUST 2022
CONTRIBUTING EXPERTS: EDWARD QIAN | GENERAL MANAGER (EIS ASIA-PACIFIC) AND CHRISTIE GIBSON | SALES MANAGER (EIS NORTH AMERICA)
Redefining the foodservice industry
During the onset of COVID-19, the foodservice industry sought creative ways to continue serving customers. Reduced contact, operational efficiency, and cost reduction were some of the many concerns restaurant owners endeavored to solve. In turn, they developed new trends.
Pick-up and delivery services weren’t new for restaurant chains, coffee shops, and tea houses, but it was never their primary source of revenue. Soon after the pandemic hit, 80-100% of business profits came from those services. According to GlobalData, "The foodservice delivery platform in the Asia-Pacific will be the fastest-growing delivery market."
In North America, Door Dash and UberEATS have become consumer favorites for online food and beverage orders. Starbucks and Amazon are teaming up with a combination of Starbucks Pickup and Amazon Go in the U.S., allowing customers to place mobile orders ahead of time and use Amazon Go’s Just Walk Out technology to pick up drinks and leave the store without the need to stand in line and pay. Starbucks China has a similar concept called Starbucks Now – an innovative, express retail experience seamlessly integrating Starbucks physical & digital customer touchpoints.
Pick-up and takeout cabinets became popular in many of the largest foodservice markets. These cabinets are inside the store and close to the entrance to avoid direct contact with staff. To exit the store, one must merely scan a bar code to open the doors.
Starbucks in China is one of the several big names in the restaurant industry that incorporated these contactless cabinets with scan-and-go technology. Stainless steel is a preferred option since they're simple to clean and sanitize, but laminate is a reliable alternative.
The restaurant and foodservice industries are experiencing a redefining transformation. GlobalData reports that the industry will grow with a CAGR of more than 6% by 2025.
The kitchen of the future
COVID-19 demands new and improved design concepts in commercial kitchens, and the restaurant industry wants solutions to meet new requirements. Restaurant owners want to reduce store opening costs, which doesn't exactly translate to cheaper products, but staying within budget when redesigning kitchens is key.
There's also a demand for developing new products that incorporate product consolidation in redesigned kitchens. Commercial kitchen footprints are shrinking, and restaurant owners need stainless steel furniture to integrate with functional pieces for convenience. Starbucks is redesigning their kitchens to integrate all functions into one unit, so the back of house is more hygienic, saves space, and is easier to use and train staff.
Ghost kitchens, also known as cloud kitchens, became a trend where multiple brand concepts share a kitchen. Food prep happens, then delivery is distributed to restaurants, homes, or a specific pick-up location. Mobile ordering gives customers more time to browse, increasing 15-30% in average spend. Many brands reduced cost, footprint, and food waste.
Mobility efficiency is also in big demand globally. With heavy traffic and a need for decreased contact, mobile kitchens are trending. Starbucks China developed a carriage-style coffee truck that goes anywhere drinks are needed. Due to a smaller footprint, sustainability is possible with a more compact and fully mobile food delivery innovation. In Shanghai and Beijing, getting a license plate is tricky; with a trailer or carriage concept and no internal motor, restaurant brands can get their product to the people without impediment.
A mobile kitchen is ideal for breaking from real estate constraints and expanding in an on-premises world. In North America, kitchen pods, concession trailers, and food trucks are Tectstar's mobile kitchen solutions that lead the way toward mobility. In the Middle East and South Africa, we see container restaurants as cost-effective and easy-to-build solutions.
EIS commercial kitchen solutions
With locations in Asia-Pacific, Latin America, North America, and Europe, EIS’s clients benefit from flexibility and consistency wherever their project needs may be. Our commercial kitchen solutions offer our partners commercial-grade stainless steel products to create durable and efficient workspaces for back of house or behind the counter. EIS is developing mobile kitchens, custom stainless products, and takeout cabinets for some of the restaurant industry’s leading brands.
We’re here to help implement profitable solutions for your business. Contact us to start your consultation or learn more about our products.
About Elkay Interior Systems
Elkay Interior Systems (EIS) is a tight-knit team of industry-leading designers, commercial-grade manufacturers, innovative engineers, resourceful project managers, and sourcing experts committed to every stage of your project by guaranteeing quality and reliability. We stand out from the crowd with our 40+ years of global experience in the restaurant, hospitality, retail, and education markets. We believe in simplifying the complicated.