SITUATION: | An American regional fast food restaurant chain with more than 700 locations uses toasters to toast buns and Texas toast for a variety of items on its menu. With significant maintenance costs for their existing toasters, the corporate offices wanted to develop a new toasting solution with better reliability. |
EXECUTION: | Antunes was tasked with developing a custom toaster to meet the chain’s toasting specifications, which included the ability to toast buns, as well as both sides of Texas toast, in a single pass. Understanding this requirement, as well as the chain’s emphasis on improving reliability, Antunes began experimenting with toaster solutions to find the best option. After successful internal and customer lab testing, the custom toaster went through field testing and an extensive internal review and ultimately, went into production. |
RESULT: | Antunes completed a chain-wide rollout of the custom Gold Standard Toaster with a butter wheel and bun feeder. In addition to its reliable performance, the toaster also features dual-belt technology that automatically breaks up any buildup on the belts — allowing the unit to provide a high-quality toast even with extended time between regular cleanings. “This custom toaster lowers the overall cost of ownership for operations by performing reliably with little to no downtime. Since our toasters have been in use, warranty expenses have been reduced significantly — addressing the chain’s chief reason for seeking new equipment,” said Tony Vassos, Director of Product Management & Marketing for Antunes. Additionally, Antunes was presented with a supplier award from the chain for its efficient and effective work on this project. “The chain’s operations team worked closely with the Antunes sales, product development and technical support teams to develop the toaster, and we are proud that this partnership was recognized with this award,” said Vassos. |
ABOUT: | Antunes is a leading custom solutions provider of countertop cooking equipment and water filtration systems for the global market. Headquartered in Carol Stream, Illinois, Antunes is driven by a commitment to offer innovative products, premium quality and personal service rooted in lasting partnerships—to ultimately deliver on its unifying promise: to drive success for every customer. |