Restaurant operators will continue to prioritize design efficiencies and equipment configurations that minimize both their labor costs and their building footprints in the year ahead, according to industry experts interviewed by NRN.
“On a lot of the projects that we do as a consultancy, the first questions clients ask are, ‘How do I reduce the footprint, and how do I reduce capital expenditures?’” said Danny Bendas, managing partner at Synergy Restaurant Consultants. “And if you are a franchisor, ‘How do I make the build-out costs and the return on investment as attractive as possible to a franchisee?’”
In the kitchen, that translates into equipment that can perform multiple tasks or streamline labor processes, including both cooking and cleaning.
In addition to minimizing their labor requirements, operators are also focused on energy efficiency and sustainability. This includes rethinking packaging choices, both in response to consumer demands and local legislation.
Here are six trends in kitchen operations, equipment and sustainability that operators can expect to see in 2024.
