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Wingstop’s innovative ‘Smart Kitchen’ is propelling the restaurant chain to unprecedented levels of success.
The introduction of the new AI-driven kitchen has enabled numerous outlets to cut their typical wait times by fifty percent—from approximately 20 minutes down to about 10.
The technology has significantly surpassed paper-ticket methods, with an average waiting period of just 16 minutes.
during the Super Bowl
, one of Wingstop’s busiest weekends of the year.
The business now anticipates that reduced waiting periods might encourage Americans to select it as a go-to choice for midday meals, with the hope that this could position them prominently among fast-service options available through food-delivery platforms.
‘Being able to deliver on the speed expectation of the consumer of 10 minutes at lunch, and do it consistently, we think that’s a powerful unlock,’ Wingstop CEO Michael Skipworth told
Restaurant Business
.
The trial period for The Smart Kitchen commenced more than a year past once it was installed in roughly 30 eateries.
Currently, it’s available in over 400 Wingstop locations, with the company planning to roll out system-wide expansion by the end of this year.
The Buffalo-style chicken wing restaurant franchise was founded in Garland, Texas, in 1994, and currently boasts more than 2,000 outlets globally.
Previously, the queue length on third-party delivery applications was typically between 30 to 40 minutes, according toSkipworth.
This resulted in Wingstop being absent from platform searches where customers can limit their options to deliveries under thirty minutes.
“But thanks to Smart Kitchens, Wingstop is now being recognized as ‘the fastest option nearby’ or is appearing in the ‘within 30 minutes’ category,” he explained to Restaurant Business.
Every device utilizes gathered information to forecast the production time for a product.
Factors such as time, weather conditions, and athletic competitions influence data.
Once the orders arrive, they display on the ‘bombardier station’ screen, showing visuals that indicate the quantity and variety of chicken needed for preparation.
Employees can then swipe the images when an order is completed, which will automatically show up on another screen at the ‘wingman station,’ the machine where chicken is sauced and tossed.
Employees can subsequently accept orders at the ‘command post,’ prepare them as instructed by the ‘co-pilot desk,’ and affix a label containing all necessary information onto the pouch once the device has printed it out.
During the early stages, Skipworth told analysts the system would help ensure its service speed met customer expectations.
Employees have been getting antsy while waiting for their days of squinting at paper tickets to be over.
“I receive daily calls from our partners (franchisees) requesting to advance their position on the rollout list,” stated Marisa Carona, who serves as the senior vice president and chief U.S. franchise operations and development officer.
Employees can learn how to use Smart Kitchens in one shift, and installation costs are expected to be offset by sale increases.
While Smart Kitchens have worked wonders for Wingstop, other chains are also turning to AI in the hope of better efficiency and customer satisfaction, but also
potential job losses for fast food workers
.
Yum Brands, the owner of Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut, is planning to use
AI for every drive-thru order
by this summer.
McDonald’s is also set to introduce AI technology across all its global outlets.
the next few years
.
Other fast food restaurants that are experimenting with AI include Wendy’s, Chipotle, and Chick-fil-A.
Newsinpotsite has contacted Wingstop for their input regarding the Smart Kitchens.
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