The Future of Fast Food: A Perspective from the Grocerant Guru®

 

Steven Johnson the Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®, has been observing the evolution of the food industry for years. One of the most exciting developments in recent times is the rise of technology-driven concepts like Speedy Eats, a trailblazer in the quick-service food industry. This innovative company is setting a new standard for fast food consumption, leaving traditional chain restaurants struggling to keep up. 

The Speedy Eats Revolution 

Established in 2019 as a pizza kitchen, Speedy Eats has evolved into a technological powerhouse, leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver fresh, healthy meals on-the-go. The company's mission is to redefine the culinary experience, one speedy delivery at a time. 

Speedy Eats recently announced the launch of its groundbreaking unmanned drive-through concept, a testament to its commitment to innovation and convenience. This concept is set to revolutionize the fast-food industry, offering a streamlined ordering process through cashless payment options and a QR code verification system. 

The Technological Edge 

What sets Speedy Eats apart is its integration with third-party delivery services like GrubHub and collaborations with top companies like Valqari and Indro Robotics for drone and automated ground delivery. The company also uses image recognition technology for verifying customers' identities or ages for age-restricted items. 

Moreover, Speedy Eats optimizes delivery routes using machine learning, ensuring efficient and timely deliveries. It also features a customizable inventory management system with interactive shelves and a real-time dashboard for operators. 

The Challenge for Chain Restaurants 

The rise of Speedy Eats poses a significant challenge for traditional chain restaurants. These establishments must now grapple with the reality of a new competitor that operates 24/7, caters to the needs of busy consumers around the clock, and leverages technology to enhance the convenience and efficiency of food delivery. 

Traditional chain restaurants must adapt quickly or risk being left behind. They need to embrace technology and innovation, just as Speedy Eats has done, to meet the evolving demands of today's consumers. 

The Future of Fast Food 

With 12 locations in Baton Rouge and plans for expansion, Speedy Eats is poised to transform the fast food industry, one parking lot at a time. As the Grocerant Guru, I'm excited to see how this will shape the future of fast food. The integration of automation and efficiency into food service, as exemplified by Speedy Eats, is a trend that resonates with me and, undoubtedly, with consumers as well. 

Think about this, the future of fast food is here, and it's called Speedy Eats. Traditional chain restaurants must rise to the challenge or risk becoming obsolete. The race is on, and Speedy Eats is leading the pack. Do you agree? Let me know.

Do your food marketing ideas look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how our Grocerant Guru® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation, and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit: us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

Fast Food with Very Few Employees Speedy Eats

 

Grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food continues to define the growth within every sector of food retail today.  At the intersection of the consumer, technology, and fresh food with flavor are two companies that together have developed a business model that looks more like tomorrow than yesterday.

According to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® “Speedy Eats is positioned to redefine fresh fast food while elevating a business model that will prove to be disruptive.”

In case you had not hear Picnic Works,  another new Seattle based innovator of food automation technology, announced last week that it's closed a deal with Speedy Eats for the first wave of Picnic Pizza Station orders. The initial Picnic stations will be placed in the inaugural Speedy Eats automated kitchens with a projected volume of 5,000 U.S. locations in the next five years. Think about that pace of growth for just a minute.  How many employees would you have to hire to open 5, 000 unit and just how much whould that cost you?

Clayton Wood, CEO of Picnic, stated, "Speedy Eats is rethinking food production and delivery and we're thrilled that they chose Picnic to provide the automated pizza equipment that will help them scale, delight customers, and increase profitability," ... "We will begin production of their stations in the next few months and look forward to being in all 5,000 Speedy Eats locations in the coming years."

Think about your company today, then consider this, Speedy Eats is a new dining and pickup concept that places fully contained drive-thru operations in locations where customers can purchase hot and cold food items at any time of day or night.

The company is eyeing over 40,000 potential parking lot locations in the U.S. and plans to incorporate a patent-pending design that allows takeout customers and third-party delivery platforms to roll up and access orders from the convenience of their vehicle. Speedy Eats also plans to open regional kitchen production centers that craft the food to supply the stations.

F. Speed Bancroft, CEO and President of BARS Inc, stated, "Our goal is to bring fresh food to people whenever and wherever they want it and we're ambitious in our plans to open 5,000 locations in the next five years. The Picnic Pizza Station is the must-have piece of equipment to produce the consistent quality pizza that our customers desire," ... "We're partnering with Picnic for their expertise in automation and proven market success."

So, this agreement allows Speedy Eats to integrate the award-winning Picnic Pizza Station technology into its standalone and commissary locations to enhance production, improve customer experience, and offer fresh-made custom pizzas. With projected volumes of 5,000 locations in the next five years, the value of the deal is over $800M to Picnic. Picnic will begin manufacturing for Speedy Eats in line with location openings starting in 2022, with increased roll out over the next several years.

Yes, The Picnic Pizza Station is autonomous and completely customizable for each order – after loading the dough, the Picnic station takes care of applying the sauce, cheese, fresh-cut pepperoni, and additional toppings. The finished pizzas are then loaded into the kitchen's ovens for cooking. Each hour, the Picnic station can assemble up to 100 pizzas. For information on Picnic Pizza Stations, see hellopicnic.com and for Speedy Eats automated kitchens, visit speedy-eats.net.

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®.  Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869