Technology Innovations in Fast Food Chains

The term "technology" as defined by the Wikipedia is the making, modification, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems, methods of organization, in order to solve a problem, improve preexisting solution to a problem, achieve a goal or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, modifications, arrangements and procedures. Technologies significantly affect human as well as other animal species' ability to control and adapt to their natural environments. 

As what the golden rules says, “Time is Gold”. And so, people nowadays always find a better solution on how to minimize the time of work by inventing equipments that would help them do their task easily.  It is also true that the uncontrollable growth of machinery these days made a great impact in the lives and works of many people especially on the advanced countries. As the clock continues to strike, more and more creations start to develop. 

We had our Technopreneurship class last Monday and we were asked to make a documentation based on our observation of the facilities and the occurring system of some of the well-known fast food chains. And by looking around and observing, we were committed to make a documentation of the technology innovation that we could suggest to improve their service.

Fast food chains are the establishment where you can order food at minimal time. There were lots of fast food chains here in Davao City. Some of the recognized are McDonalds, Greenwich, and KFC that is usually found along downtown and some were inside shopping malls.

Whenever I and my sister would go to some fast food chains especially during break hours, it is always a tiring task to stand and fall in line just to order the food that we want to eat. There were also times when we were so hungry but we had to endure it for us to order and so our stomach will be filled. After ordering, we would wait for a couple of minutes for the food to be processed and sometimes we were given a number because our order will be available after 10-20 minutes. Isn’t it tiring to fall in line and wait again? Of course, it is! It would also be so boring if you don’t have something to view or to read while waiting for your order. This kind of system would waste so much of your time.  

Another scenario also was when I find it hard to order the meal that I really want. And because the line was long, I would just order what I usually eat instead of looking for something new because I don’t want to make the others wait for me to finished ordering knowing also that waiting was really a very strenuous task.

As I was meditating and thought about how can I improve the system of those fast food chains, I came up to the idea of having a dual-purpose digital menu attached on the table.

This dual-purpose digital menu is a kind of a touch screen galaxy tab-like structure built inside the tables of all these fast food chains. This device would be very useful for a fast food chain like the McDonalds that is being visited by most of the students and workers. Instead of falling in line along the counter section, a certain buyer would just go to his desired table and an attached digital menu system will be the one he would communicate to buy a certain food or to order a meal. This dual-purpose digital menu will have its unique number or certain address wherein the crew would know what table did that order came from.

 In using the digital menu device, the user would just touch the image of his meal and the quantity of it. By doing so, he can select what he wants to eat without bothering other people.  Also he can think thoroughly on what he really wants to have. He could not waste his time as well as the time of other people. When he is finish ordering, the total amount of the food will be seen so that he can prepare the money beforehand and then he would touch the OK afterwards. Upon clicking the button, the kitchen people will then prepare his order as soon as possible. And when the order is ready to be served, the customer would also pay immediately the costs of his meal to the crew.

This will aid the people as well as the staff of the establishment because it would lessen their work and would also minimize the waiting moment of the customer that was allotted before whenever they will be on the line.

            Another thing about the fast food chain system is the scenario wherein we have to look for the available seats. This problem occurs mostly in Greenwich at Gaisano Mall because that branch was always loaded with people thus making it hard for you to look for vacant chairs during break hours. Having that kind of experience, I came up to the idea of having a seat availability and digital directory monitor. This type of device aims to inform the customer how many tables were available and the seating capacity for it. Also it has a digital directory wherein you can click the vacant tables and a graphical location of it will be shown. This will actually help every individual by saving their time and efforts looking for a table and aside from that, you can easily find the vacant chairs and table inside by using the directory feature of it. This system could also minimize the crowd inside the establishment.

            Another scenario that I and my friends experienced is when we were eating at the McDonalds near Victoria Plaza Mall. Most of the time, we would order French fries and we love to dip it with lots of ketchup. But there were instances when the attendant would just give us a piece of it for every order. And we find it so tiring to call for a crew to have more. So I thought of a machine that would generate a ketchup, tissue and straws. When we want to have more ketchup, we would just click the ketchup button and then it goes out. When we want to have straws, we would just press its button as well as with the tissue and they would just pop up. This way, we can enjoy our foods and would less the hassle and time going to the crew to get some.

            Having new technologies nowadays is beneficial most of the time to every individual. It saves time, effort as well as money.  But discovering and inventing new technologies also affects greatly the way people live their lives. It affects the way they communicate, share, work and go on with their day to day habits. Nevertheless, it would always be our choice how we live up our own.