How to propose innovative culinary offers in collective catering?
Adapting, innovating, improving the guest experience and controlling costs are at the heart of the strategy of all the big names in the French catering industry.
This is particularly true in the corporate world, where telecommuting has taken on unprecedented importance as a result of Covid, and has become part of most employees' habits.
Catering services must therefore find offerings that appeal both to employees who come to work at the office and choose to eat lunch on site, and offerings that appeal to home office employees who may be tempted to return to the office.
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New flexible corporate culinary offerings available at any time
Innovative initiatives have multiplied in recent years, as at Elior.
His latest project: La Petite Brigade. It is a catering offer prepared in a dedicated culinary workshop and delivered directly on site or in a connected fridge.
How does a connected fridge work?
Connected fridges are revolutionizing the way diners eat on site. Accessible on a self-service basis, they offer the possibility of accessing fresh, balanced, gourmet meals at any time.
Each fridge offers a varied range of sandwiches, ready meals, salads and desserts, which are regularly renewed according to their expiration date.
The guest, via his badge, can trigger the opening of the fridge, choose his product(s) and pay in a dematerialized way. No need for a credit card or cash. The recognition of the dishes consumed is done via RFID technology integrated into the products' packaging.
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Foodservices: 6 reasons to equip yourself with connected fridges
The advantages of connected fridges are numerous
1. To offer a quality culinary service at controlled costs
2. Attract employees who do not go to the canteen or no longer do so
3. Adapt to an increasingly personalized demand (schedules, types of dishes, etc.)
4. Exploit new spaces (break room, hallway, lobby, etc.)
5. Reduce peak hour flows at traditional cafeterias or self-service facilities
6. Limit food waste
Today, several players exist on the market.
At Innovorder, we have chosen to partner with Pop Chef.
Pop Chef is rethinking the canteen as we knew it before, offering flexible, modular living spaces and connected fridges replenished daily with good food!
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A more fluid management, adapted to the constraints of the catering industry
In order for this system to be as efficient as possible, both for the site manager and for the guests, it is fundamental that the way of paying for the order and reloading the guest account be as fluid as possible.
To answer this problem, there are for example 100% dematerialized solutions, such as the electronic wallet (or e-wallet), which can be reloaded online via one's account.
In this context, we allow sites equipped with connected fridges to offer this option to their guests, which always takes into account the subsidies and admissions characteristic of each structure.
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How to improve the guest experience?
A connected fridge alone will not be enough to revolutionize a restaurant offer. Especially since there are many innovations, modelled on commercial catering and consumer habits.
For example, a Click & Collect pre-order system or a tray scanner will enhance the attractiveness of your offer to diners. These innovations allow to diversify the use cases in depth while improving the customer experience.
Would you like to know more about our latest innovations for the foodservice industry? Contact an Innovorder consultant who will be able to answer all your questions!
