Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - July/August 2021 - 9

refrigeration to sell grab and
go items, but what happens
when the cashier stations close
for the day? The solution
may be unmanned reach-in
units that use QR codes and
credit cards to unlock the
door to allow customers to
pick out their choice of meal.
These units require a wireless
connection and can operate
24/7.
Pick-up Lockers
Take-out has always been
popular, but it has gone to
a new level. Customers can
place orders online or by
phone and pay for their food
in advance. The prepared food
is then placed in a locked unit
that can be opened by using
a code issued to the customer
once they place their order.
Customers can even receive a
text alert when their food is
ready for pick up.
Ordering Apps
This is nothing new, but
the use of menu ordering
apps has skyrocketed. Many
senior living communities
and hospitals have adopted
this technology to encourage
visitors and staff to place their
food orders via an app.
EMPLOYEE
ENGAGEMENT
Training and Career
Development
The need to train and
document competencies has
never been more critical in
our operations. Leaders need
to cross-train staff not only
within their own department,
but across other departments
as well. Solutions are available
for online training tools that
are easy to use so that even
staff members who are not
tech savvy can use them.
YouTube-like training videos
have emerged as a way to make
it easier to train employees
and get them up to speed on
their duties quicker. With
high turnover rates, online
programs can easily assign and
Digital Checklists
Everyone knows that food
service runs on checklists
and mock surveys. Old
school practice is to have
paper checklists filled out
by each team member every
day that supervisors and
managers are supposed to be
inspecting against. That is
a lot of paperwork to keep
track of and document!
Digital checklists are
emerging in the form of
apps and touch pads. Each
function in an operation
to increase engagement and
personal responsibility on the
job.
MORE
INNOVATIONS TO
COME
Each year we see improvements
and new ideas coming to
market to help solve problems
and assist us in managing our
operations easier and more
efficiently. The key is to ask
lots of questions of your peers
and your suppliers for ways to
handle labor shortages, smarter
DIGITAL CHECKLISTS
ARE EMERGING in the
form of apps and touch
pads. Each function in
an operation has online
assignments that are
preloaded and assigned
to scheduled staff.
track training programs. So,
the next time an inspector asks
to see your training program
and tracking, all that's needed
is to run a report from the
system and hand it over. We
also must respond to younger
workers who are looking for a
career path. We all know that
this is a major issue and that
online training can help.
has online assignments that
are preloaded and assigned
to scheduled staff. Even
regulatory or preventive
maintenance tasks can be
loaded into the system.
These checklists can be easily
tracked, and side checked.
The tasks are documented
and can be used for roll-up
reports to management.
These tools are designed
ways to track information, and
strategies to reduce the amount
of manual labor required to
perform tasks.
Commercial kitchens will never
be an easy place to work, but
they can be more efficient, safe,
and enjoyable for all involved.
It's time we all " think outside
the box " and use technology
and innovation to improve our
workplace culture. E
NUTRITION & FOODSERVICE EDGE | July-August 2021
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Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - July/August 2021

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