The Kitchen’s Engine Room: Fueling Restaurant Innovation | Season 11, Vol. 13

In this episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg, “The Restaurant Guy,” and Jimmy Frischling, “The Finance Guy,” are joined by Angela Leet, CEO of QSR Automations. Angela discusses the company’s innovative kitchen automation solutions and their recent recognition of being named as a finalist for the prestigious Ring of Fire award. She shares insights into their new product, ConnectSmart Recipes Plus, which aims to extend the capabilities of kitchen screen investments and address labor challenges through digital transformation. She delves into QSR Automations’ philosophy of treating the kitchen as the “engine room” of a restaurant, creating a calmer environment with real-time information and predictive data for kitchen staff. Key Takeaways:(01:38) QSR Automations has pioneered restaurant tech since 1996 with its ConnectSmart platform used by major chains.(03:05) New product ConnectSmart Recipes Plus aims to extend kitchen screen capabilities and address labor challenges.(10:19) The kitchen is the engine room.(16:35) QSR leans toward the build-or-buy approach.(21:23) Solutions extend beyond restaurants to venues like stadiums, airports, and cruise ships.(31:31) QSR continues innovating after 25+ years and has been named a finalist for most innovative companies.(33:41) Angela prioritizes people and creating memorable experiences, starting in the kitchen.(39:28) Restaurants want to meet evolving consumer needs, like on-demand dining and customization.(41:25) QSR seeks true tech partnerships beyond just integration to provide a single customer solution.Resources Mentioned:QSR AutomationsMoneyball