To suit changing times, KFC opened what it calls a no-contact "restaurant of the future" in Russia that minimizes contact between employees and patrons. The restaurant was devised as a more sanitary way to serve food and the social distancing concept relies on technology and robotics to carry out operations. The innovative fast food location in Moscow includes robotic arms that transport buckets of food to pickup points, which customers can access with a special pin code. After ordering at a digital kiosk, consumers are able to use a card or registered biometric data to complete their contactless purchase and receive their food.
Although the concept is said to have come before the pandemic, it is especially relevant as restaurants now need to adapt their ordering and dine-in areas.
What's Driving This Trend
- No-contact Restaurants
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop robotic systems and technology to minimize contact between employees and patrons in the restaurant industry.
- Sanitary Food Service
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create new ways to serve food in a more sanitary manner using technology and robotics.
- Contactless Purchases
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Implement digital kiosks and biometric data systems to enable contactless purchases and transactions for customers.
Who This Affects Most
- Restaurant Industry
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrate robotics and technology into the restaurant industry to create more efficient and sanitary dining experiences.
- Fast Food Industry
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop automated systems and technology for fast food chains to automate food preparation, pickup, and delivery processes.
- Retail Industry
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Implement contactless payment systems and digital kiosks to enable a more seamless and efficient shopping experience for customers.
