Chipotle Bets Cobots for Speed and Hospitality
Chipotle tests two cobot systems in California to boost throughput while preserving hospitality, backed by the Cultivate Next fund and a plan toward 7,000 restaurants.
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Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash
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If you're planning on giving your restaurant an overhaul, here are some design ideas to make your space more inviting and efficient. Your business remodeling is bound to be a success with these tips.

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced most industries to introduce drastic measures in order to stay afloat. But among all the industries that were dealt a raw hand, the restaurant sector has turned out to be one of the worst affected. From the Covid-induced lockdowns bringing restrictions on movement and human interaction, to an economic slowdown forcing thousands of businesses to down their shutters, the miseries have been many. However, after over two years, business seems to be picking up again but the pandemic has forced many industry leaders and experts to relook at how this sector functions.
Over 110,000 food service businesses were forced to shut down in the US market alone during this period, while hundreds of thousands of workers lost their jobs. With businesses reopening and sales increasing, the restaurant industry is expected to soon achieve its pre-pandemic revenue targets. But this can only happen with a remodeled business plan, new strategies, innovations and a sense of adaptability to being able to live with the changes in customer behavior. And in order to do so, you may have to think out of the box and bring absolutely radical changes to your business. In this article, we talk about remodeling your restaurant business to give it a new look and also make provisions for the new requirements of the post-Covid world.
During repeated Covid-19 lockdowns, online ordering, ghost kitchens and food delivery services helped restaurant businesses stay afloat. As a result, now 40% of restaurant customers say they are more inclined to ordering food online using delivery services, instead of dine-in options. This came up in a Deloitte survey, which showed a major shift in customer behavior and preferences. If you want your restaurant to grow, you can no longer overlook the need for delivery and takeout services.
Create a separate space for food delivery, whether it's through your own delivery chain or a third-party service provider. Food delivery agents move rapidly from one stop to another, and their busy comings and goings should not interfere with your restaurant floor operations or come in the way of diners. It is therefore important to make separate provisions for delivery and takeout services. You may even connect the delivery outlet to the kitchen to speed up the processes and avoid conflict with the floor operations.
The scare of Covid-19 has induced an aversion to closed spaces, limited ventilation, and close contact enclosures. And restaurants, where scores of people from different parts of the country come in contact, need to be mindful of this change in human behavior. Immediately after the lockdown, as restaurants reopened their doors, they were forced to place partitions between tables and enclosed spaces to reduce contact between guests and create extra spacing.
With Covid-19, monkeypox, and other viral diseases continuing to affect public movement, you need to Design Restaurant floor plan accordingly and make provisions for ample spacing and reduced contact between guests. More space will also help your servers and managers move freely between tables and improve customer service.

One way of creating open and airy spaces is to introduce outdoor seating at your restaurant. No matter how small a corner it is, try to carve out space in your Restaurant Design for an outdoor seating arrangement where your customers are free to take in the air outdoors. Outdoor seating has always attracted more customers, and with fears of Covid-19 still lingering, this facility has become one of the most sought-after by restaurants and bars.
When planning an outdoor seating area, keep in mind the space and view. Although outdoors, your customers may not find the seating area attractive if overlooks the backside of a boring building. Also, choose your furniture wisely. They should be able to withstand natural elements like sunlight and rain, and even weather dust. Consider introducing weather-proofed, durable tableware, and furniture options in this area. Another aspect you need to Make Sure of is the flooring, which should be able to withstand different climate conditions. Use low-maintenance tiles that do not get dirty quickly and are easy to clean.
No matter how much you curse the people who make everyone at a table wait while they click Instagram-worthy pictures of the food, you need them. From leveraging the reach of your small business, to creating awareness about your restaurant, and making your services look attractive, these are the micro-influencers who can tilt the scales in your favor. So, you might as well cash in on this trend by creating more Instagram-friendly nooks and corners, along with aesthetically pleasing food presentations.
In order to do this, you may consider introducing wall art at your establishment. You may even rope in local artists, offer them an empty canvas and create a whole story around it. There have been several instances where a piece of wall art has singlehandedly brought in more customers to a restaurant, more than the menu and discounts. You may also choose a theme to do up your place, such as a forest theme or a Game of Thrones theme that people will associate with and may want to display on their social media handles.
A little self-produced oxygen and breathable air will do you no harm and may even earn you a few brownie points with environment-conscious customers. Apart from their well-known benefits -- reducing air toxins and infusing ambient air with oxygen -- greens and eye-soothing decor even act as stress-busters and can help cheer up your customers.
Infuse your restaurant with greenery by placing small plants on each table, along with bigger plants on shelves and in outdoor areas. If you have ample space outdoors, you can even consider creating a floor plan around big trees such as figs and cherry trees. Let these trees grow into the giants they are and create a natural canopy for your diners to sit below.
Just like we need to move our home furniture around, paint our walls, and install decorative elements once in a while in order to create a sense of rejuvenation, restaurants too need to gussy up their interiors every now and then. And if you are about to embark on a major business planning and remodeling project, now is the right time to do it.