Restaurant Development & Design

March-April 2015

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M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 1 5 • R E S T A U R A N T D E V E L O P M E N T + D E S I G N • 6 3 to improve thru-put effciency. "We did a prototype design for a fast-casual concept that was holistic in nature in both the front and back of house," Gemmel says. "We found that by disintegrating the production line into two lines, one for core menu items and one for specialty items, we could increase thru-put by 26 percent over the baseline measurements." Restaurant operators should also consider effcient replenishing of the food that service lines display. Containers for cold and hot foods must remain at the exact temperature they are held on the line and must be positioned out of sight of the main line until needed. At Chipo- tle, an early architect of the fast-casual service line, workers called "linebackers" patrol coun- tertops, replace servingware and refll bins of food so other staff members and cashiers can keep a clear focus on customers. On some service lines, staff members not only assemble foods but also cook. In such cases, induction-based cooktops continue to grow in popularity. "These allow operations to feature food theater while using less space than a traditional grill or range on the front line," Welty says. Induction elements in stone surfaces also allow operators to display chafng pans that can replace traditional steam wells. "Frost tops are another visually attractive way to display cold items," Jacobs says. Balancing what Welty calls "the romance of food" and the industrial nature of equip- ment remains a challenge. "For example, at a concept on the West Coast, a high-speed panini grill behind the front line heats sand- wiches in a few seconds, and large soup vats hold industrial-like thermometers," he says. "While the equipment brings effciency to the operation, the concept doesn't romance food to its full potential." Branding, Ease of Use are Front-of- Line Factors Romancing the food and establishing brand positioning constitute critical components of the front side of service-line design. "The service line is usually close to the frst impres- sion and delivers the brand positioning," Welty says. "Are the differentiating aspects of the brand communicated at customer touch points? Are food-theater opportunities used to promote fresh, seasonal ingedients or talk about what's unique to the brand? Is it easy to make a decision? Is interaction pleasant? Is the food being romanced?" While each represents an important de- sign goal, these must balance against creating bottlenecks that slow thru-put. The frst bottle- neck can be at the decision-making point. Promotional boards and menu boards must be simple and clear to enable custom- ers to make quick decisions and keep the line moving. One such strategy is to install preview menu boards along the queue area walls in addition to menu boards behind the service line. Another is to utilize rotating digital menu boards that enable displaying a single daypart to minimize the number of items shown at one time. Chains includ- ing McDonald's and Taco Bell now use such menu boards. Which Wich gives customers a bag printed with the menu, and customers mark their orders with a marker. Service-line displays and access to ancil- lary items are also important aspects of the design. Welty calls these "line-busters." At Starbucks, for example, customers are offered self-service menu choices displayed in refrig- erated cases with multitiered display shelves. Ambient shelving and containers allow them to select music, mints, cups, cooking items, packaged coffee and other branded items before they reach the order station. "Shelv- ing, baskets and other systems that display merchandise are good ways to defer custom- ers' wait sensation while they interact with products that support the brand," Welty says. Other front-of-line elements also contrib- ute to customers' experiences. "We design serving lines so ingredients are highlighted and the foodservice components, such as rims on pans, are minimized," Jacobs says. "We prefer ceramic inserts versus stainless steel. In the best of all scenarios we use air pans lined with smooth, decorative materials that can be wiped clean." The fast-casual platform, which offers the perfect blend of convenience, transparen- cy and customization, is continuing to evolve as new players enter the segment. For every one of them, however, whether pizza, Medi- terranean, Indian or Mexican, smart service- line design is a prerequisite for success. +

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