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As customers' speed of service expectations grow, foodservice operations have implemented new technology and back-of-the-house procedures that help pick up the pace.
Time-pressed consumers are accustomed to speed. In recent years, quick-casual chains like Panera Bread, Chipotle and Noodles & Co. have raised the bar by offering quality food with fast service.
"Quick-casual service is almost as speedy as fast food, and the quality is incredible," says Mark Godward, founder and president of Miami-based SRE, a consulting firm specializing in optimizing foodservice operations.
For many foodservice operations with a speed of service philosophy, it is a delicate balance between serving food fast and providing a positive customer experience. When Houlihan's re-launched its "Nooner/15 Minutes or It's Free" lunch in April 2006, the Leawood, Kan.-based restaurant chain had already been offering a version of the program for five years.
With its updated 15-minute lunch guarantee, Houlihan's staffers place timers on the table as customers take their seats. Once customers place their orders, servers set the timer for 15 minutes and the race begins. If the food doesn't arrive at the table in the time allotted, it's free.
"Originally, this program was marketing-driven. We discovered that giving cus-tomers a chance to win free food is good adver-tising," says John Powell, Houlihan's manager of culinary operations. "The program really took off, because restaurant lunch service is all about speed and value."
A Service Element
Speed of service expectations differ among fast-food restaurants, some of which have 30-second ticket times, and quick-casual operations that are more food quality-driven.
Speed and quality are equally important elements of service in the quick-casual segment, says Don Fox, COO at Firehouse Subs. "We are always looking at ways to increase our speed of service without compromising food quality and the level of customer service," he says.
By incorporating automated foodservice equipment and instituting more efficient procedures, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based sandwich chain has reduced its ticket times from eight to six minutes.
Firehouse Subs' process of heating meat and cheese, instead of entire sandwiches, is evidence that food quality can circumvent speed of service. "In our business, we do everything we can to provide the quickest service possible, but not at the expense of our food," Fox says.
In many cases, speed of...