Using tech to manage labor challenges and beyond

Are you considering adopting new tech to better manage labor costs? Looking to California might provide some examples of how it can be done. The state’s recent decision to raise the minimum wage for quick-service restaurant workers to $20 has reopened discussions about how technology might be used to automate or streamline restaurant tasks, according to a recent report from Restaurant Technology News. It said the California Restaurant Association has confirmed that some restaurant operators are either deciding against expansion or are closing stores as a result of the decision. Even if you’re not dealing with a mandated wage increase in your state, you’ve likely been considering how to weave new technology into your business to operate more efficiently. Research from the National Restaurant Association found that nearly half of the restaurants they surveyed plan to use technology and automation to manage labor shortages. One-quarter of respondents said they plan to use self-ordering and payment kiosks specifically. Beyond labor, the National Restaurant Association’s survey found that operators’ top priorities for technology spending this year include digital and location-based marketing; loyalty and reward systems; back-office technologies that help operators manage food safety compliance, tax compliance and finance; inventory control and management; and point-of-sale systems.