The Margherita Pizza is one of the Uno De-Lites menu choices, with a calorie count under 600. Photo by Uno Pizzeria and Grill.
“At Boston’s we meet our guests’ needs by offering a variety of ways they can enjoy a meal,” says Jeff Melnick, Boston’s Pizza International president. “We offer take-out, pick up, thirdparty delivery, some their own delivery, catering and late-night (service).” By providing greater choice, pizza chains can take a greater share of consumer dining occasions.
Embracing technology There are ways to increase efficiency and maintain margins through increased use of technology. According to the Restaurant Industry 2030 report, larger restaurant chains are seeking economies of scale through the use of robotics. Pizza manufacturers in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) arena already tap much automation to produce frozen pizzas that
maintain their freshness throughout the product life cycle. Now, restaurant chains will look to tap those same advancements. In the subject area of delivery, pizza operators have an advantage: This category was one of the earliest to offer the convenience of delivery to customers. As automation gains popularity, this category will embrace drone delivery, increased investment in keeping product warm, and robot delivery. Also, third-party app provider DoorDash is testing self-driving vehicle delivery with Cruise. Pilot programs like this one can be emulated by large pizza chains. At Boston’s, management is looking at technology to drive improved service and execution, says Melnick. Server tablets and pay-at-the-table technology are additional ways
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