The fast-food restaurant business is growing g in the UK. The market has grown from 9% in the year 2021 from $18.9 billion to $20.61 billion in the year 2022 (Aviko, 2022).
Figure 1: Market size of the fast food and takeaway industry in the United Kingdom from 2012 to 2021, with a forecast for 2022
Building up digital presence to take orders
In today's dynamic and fast-changing world technology is becoming excessively handy and almost all business are increasing their presence among consumers by setting up their websites. As the current model is highly traditional that requires more employees involved in the business thus increasing the labor cost of the business. Therefore it is suggested that mobile applications can be exploited on smartphones or direct ordering through the website the restaurant will minimize the hassle of customers having to call the employees for placing orders.
However, in this system, Peng will be required to place a robust system of delivery of the food to the consumers. There will be no rush on the counters of the restaurants yet Peng needs to employ resources like cars and delivery vehicles.
The other risk in the method is that the company needs to make an expenditure on the maintenance of the website, application of smartphones, and also the office-based vehicles that are employed for delivery purposes. Apart from the risks, there are probable chances of exponential growth of the business if Peng continues to provide excellent quality of good and timely delivery of food.
Virtual Counters
One of the new technologies in fast food restaurants are the virtual counters that reduce the need for employees to take orders from customers. It is like a self-service in which the consumers make and change the orders of their own choices. It is done with the help of Smart Automated Ordering Service which is simply a depiction of Artificial intelligence in fast food restaurants. Many the restaurants like Mcdonald's have already implemented the mechanism which has further reduced the reliance on labor.
Figure 1: Virtual Counters at fast food restaurants
Automated technology has further minimized the level of mistakes in taking orders. As the orders are automated and then with the help of a computerized POS system the orders are automatically recorded in the system which makes the whole procedure so smooth that there are minimal chances of mistakes.
Drone Food delivery
The delivery of food with third-party delivery services is costly as it requires smooth software that will assure timely delivery of the food to the consumers ordering the food. Therefore Peng can introduce drone services for the delivery of goods. In recent times, it is one of the most innovative ways of replacing delivery vehicles and providing food to customers at the theory doorstep of the customers. In drone services, customers place orders on online platforms. The fast food restaurant will be packaging the food in the box and will fix it on the carriers on the drone. After the fixing speed, location and time the drone will be delivering the food parcel at the specified location.
Figure 2: Figure showing rapid delivery of food without packaging
The drone services of food eliminate the costs of hiring restaurant staff and riders for the delivery of food. Moreover, it is an environmentally friendly idea as there will be a reduced impact of carbon footprints in society eventually creating sustainability in the business. It will also get rid of the business from the expensive third-party associations of the business. Many the businesses like Uber Eats and Amazon have already introduced drone services in their businesses which are being executed effectively and contributing well to the business.
The introduction of new technologies will be costly for the business but there are evident prospects in the future. It will be investment in the business as investing money in the revolutionizing the system will enhance productivity and profitability in the business.
