• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • 1.800.253.2991
A.J. Antunes & Co.

Antunes

Because your success is our success.

  • Cooking Products
    • Toasters
    • Food Steamers
    • Countertop Grills
    • Condiments Dispensers
    • Kitchen Timing Products
    • Hot Food Merchandising & Display Cases
    • Water Bath Cooking
    • Restaurant Automation Equipment
  • Water Products
    • Commercial Water Products
    • Residential Water Products
  • About
    • About Antunes
    • Awards
    • Customers
    • Social Responsibility
  • Contact Us
    • Technical Service
    • Customer Service
    • Equipment Registration
    • Authorized Service Agencies
    • Representatives
    • Our Distributors
  • Careers
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Residential FAQs
    • Videos
    • Technical Service Training

On the Front Lines of Addressing Back-of-House Labor Challenges

You are here: Home / Articles / On the Front Lines of Addressing Back-of-House Labor Challenges
December 17, 2019

Interested in the changing role of labor? You’re not alone.

At a recent Restaurant Finance & Development Conference, labor was once again the hot topic. According to this conference recap from Restaurant Business, the biggest concern was the impact of labor costs. “Restaurant operators’ top fear, by far, is labor. That’s assuming they can even find labor, which many operators can’t,” the article states.

At Antunes, we know labor is a top consideration for our customers and prospects. Here, our sales team shares thoughts on this topic, based on the questions they’re asked and the conversations they’re having.

Restaurants are getting smaller, and therefore the space available in the back-of-house is getting tight. Operators want to minimize the amount of space and the movement of their employees. In a small footprint, the equipment is vital and must be efficient, user-friendly and versatile.

Having equipment that is programmable and can operate with the push of a button is key to freeing up employee time. If one employee is physically waiting on food to be finished at a station, it means a second employee is needed to complete other tasks. If the operator has confidence in the foodservice equipment, they can have one employee accomplish different tasks while the product is cooking.

Furthermore, technology will allow for advances in automation. Automation will provide the ability for food to be produced consistently and in a timely manner, which has direct ties to labor. Chain customers are looking at automation to save on labor costs as wages increase to the $12+ range, as it will enable employee resources to be used in other areas. This advancement may lead to restaurants hiring fewer employees, working around the challenge of finding talent.

Operators are looking to their equipment manufacturers for solutions, and Antunes understands the labor challenges facing quick-serve restaurants. We’ve worked with chains on optimizing back-of-house operations to address specific needs. See how in these case studies:

Bringing Consistency and Efficiency to a QSR’s Popular Menu Item

Challenge: An American regional chain of fast food restaurants was creating cheese fries by melting cheese slices on a griddle and adding them to the fries. This process was labor-intensive, inefficient and inconsistent.

Solution: With the Rapid Steamer (RS-250), operators were now able to melt cheese easily and quickly, reducing the labor needed to manage the process and clean the griddle.

Read the full case study

Consistent Steamer Performance Leads to a Consistent Customer Experience

Challenge: Employees of a fast casual sandwich chain used equipment that required them to manually pump water the entire time to generate steam for their signature sandwiches.

Solution: The chain switched to the Deluxe Food Warmer (DFW). Instead of having to attend to product while it was steamed, employees were able to walk away to complete other tasks. By freeing up employees, the DFW helped reduce ticket times, cut customer wait times and speed up service.

Read the full case study

Designing a Cheese Melting Solution for a Mexican Fast Food Chain

Challenge: To ensure the quality of its menu, a Mexican fast food chain required a solution that would accommodate different sizes of tortillas and increase operational efficiency in the kitchen.

Solution: A customized Miracle Steamer was the perfect fit. Not only did it meet the chain’s culinary needs, the unit includes an audio alarm that allows operators to better manage kitchen production and is useful for drive-thru orders that require employees to complete several tasks quickly.

Read the full case study

Our team is here to discuss the impact labor has on your operation and how an equipment solution from Antunes can make a difference in your kitchen. Drop us a line to get the conversation started.

Category: Articles, CommercialTag: front-lines-labor-savings-challenges
Previous Post:Improving Water Pressure and Taste with a Quality Filtration Solution
Next Post:Season’s Greetings from Antunes

Sidebar

Subscribe

A.J. Antunes & Co.

Corporate Headquarters

180 Kehoe Blvd.
Carol Stream, IL 60188 USA

Local: +1 630.784.1000
Toll-Free: +1 800.253.2991
Fax: +1.630 784.1650

Products

  • Commercial Toasters
  • Commercial Food Steamers
  • Commercial Countertop Grills
  • Commercial Water Products
  • Commercial Condiments Dispensers
  • Hot Food Merchandising & Display Cases
  • Water Bath Cooking
  • Kitchen Timing Products
  • Kitchen Innovation

Information

  • Home Page
  • About
  • Commercial Cooking Products
  • Contact Us
  • Authorized Service Agencies
  • Careers
  • News
  • Technical Service Training
  • Terms

Subscribe for Updates

Join our mailing list and stay up to date on the latest foodservice innovations from Antunes

Copyright © 1955–2023 A.J. Antunes & Co. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Design by Flying Orange | Sitemap

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
Save & Accept