TRENDS
RLC 2024: 7 lessons we learned at this year’s event Kiosks’ benefits aren’t on the labor line, casual dining does some soul searching and you can’t eat ice cream while on the phone. T he Restaurant Leadership Conference (RLC) con- cluded last month and, as always, the four-day has had kiosks for years, “you need more people to handle your larger business.” Jonathan Maze Editor-in-Chief Restaurant Business Joe Guszkowski Senior Editor Restaurant Business Patricia Cobe Senior Editor Restaurant Business
Lisa Jennings Executive Editor Restaurant Business
to transform their tech stacks into cleaner, more flexible systems. Benefits of integration include a more centralized view of data, a more consistent experience for the cus- tomer and the ability to more easily add new technology in the future. It was this philosophy more than any single tech product that stood out at the event. “Technology integration is gon- na be a key driver of business suc- cess,” said Rich Shank, VP of innova- tion at Technomic. That demand was reflected on the trade show floor, where many vendors were hawking “unified” tech solutions for restaurants. But maybe not at the ice cream shop
event in Scottsdale, Arizona was a good temperature check on the state of the industry, its opportuni- ties and challenges. The editorial staff of Restaurant Business, a sister company of RLC, was everywhere at the conference, talking with operators and moder- ating or attending sessions. Here is what we all learned. Oh so you think that kiosks will save your labor line from the per- ils of a $20 wage? Think again. The self-ordering devices have generally not replaced actual people, at least among the companies that have im- plemented them to date. Dave’s Hot Chicken fast-tracked kiosks when the company learned about the California fast-food wage last year. But, said president Jim Bitticks, it didn’t cut the need for people. “We didn’t pull labor out,” he said. The benefits were elsewhere. “Average check went up by 15% when people use the kiosk,” he said. “It’s an indirect price increase.” Said Kerri Harper-Howie, a 21- unit McDonald’s operator that Kiosks are no money-saver
Casual dining does some soul-searching It was a tough few days for casual dining. During a presentation Mon- day on the state of the restaurant industry, leaders from Technomic shared data showing that the seg- ment’s growth is lagging behind oth- ers, and that consumers are seeing less value in casual-dining chains. Menu prices have risen by dou- ble-digits over the past three years, and consumers are shifting their spending to lower-priced quick-ser- vice brands and limiting their visits to sit-down places. It led to a lot of soul-searching among full-service operators at the event, who grap- pled with how to offer customers a bang for their buck while still pro- tecting their margins. As if to underscore those chal- lenges, it was reported during the event that casual-dining stalwart Red Lobster is considering a bank- ruptcy filing. Integration is the hottest thing in tech Integrate or die. That was essential- ly the message from RLC attend- ees, who are increasingly looking
“You can’t eat ice cream while talking on your phone,” said Jenni- fer Schuler, CEO of Handel’s Home- made Ice Cream. Handel’s is the antidote to the world of tech and AI and she aims to keep it as a place to get away from it all and celebrate. Waiting in line is part of the experience, so whipping “ How people feel ab has evolved.” - Kelly C
4
Restaurant Leadership Conference 2024
PHOTO CREDIT: W. SCOTT MITCHELL PHOTOGRAPHY
Powered by FlippingBook