It’s no secret that for many hospitality businesses, COVID-19 has been devastating. However, what we do know is that after every storm, the sun does eventually shine again. While it may not be blue skies every-day yet, there are signs of hope as technology proves to be a life-line for those in food based industries. 

Some of the major issues during this economic uncertainty has been the inability to serve customers at a face-to-face level. That, coupled with new health and safety measures, has seen many businesses unable to adapt quick enough to stay a-float. But this is where technology comes in. 

One major opportunity to pivot is around artificial intelligence and machine based offerings. This is where hot food vending comes in. Giving customers a new way to enjoy the favourite food they love in a safe and contact-free environment.

SMART MACHINE TECHNOLOGY

For instance, Your Food Pal machines have set the scene for traditional operators to earn back lost revenue and keep their customers satisfied with a range of hi-tech capabilities. Here are just a few features: 

• Completely automated system  
• Contactless payment system compatible for all electronic payment options
• In-built Time Control System to ensure food can only be sold within its food safe time-zone
• Software allowing food to move and be tracked across different hatch positions to increase sales potential
• Anti-bacterial coating ensuring food and customers are safe from harmful bacteria and viruses
• Internal sales management system to track products and sales figures
• No human-to-human contact

OPPORTUNITY AWAITS AUSTRALIAN OPERATORS 

While Australia has lagged behind in this advanced space, many other countries are currently enjoying the benefits of safe, fresh and contact-free vending – offering customers delicious ready-made meals and snacks at any time of the day or night. 

In-fact, some companies have established their entire business model around Your Food Pal vending machines. Look at these examples to name a few!

SMULLERS

Smullers – they’re a fast-food restaurant chain in the Netherlands located at 27 key transit locations and designed for busy commuters to grab food on the go. Smullers say the premise of their operation is to provide customers with delicious meal or snack options, contact-free and at lightning speed by using Your Food Pal machines. 

All up there’s 225 machines which are all custom branded to Smullers specifications. 

A number of locations have also been supplied with refrigerated vending machines from which customers can buy cans of soft drink and energy drinks.

GVB TRANSPORT

GVB is the public transport company of Amsterdam, getting people from A to B seamlessly. Now travellers can enjoy tasty hot snacks on the go, with a number of Your Food Pal machines situated at various transport locations. 

CITY SNACK BEVERWIJK

For delivery or grab-n-go, City Snacks have you sorted with a range of tasty food including hamburgers, fries and kids’ boxes. Your Food Pal now happily resides in City Snack Beverwijk with eight machines located in the beating heart of the thriving Beverwijk city. 

REST-O-RICUS

A fast-food chain in the Netherlands, Rest-o-Ricus in Helmond use the Your Food Pal Excellent+ model with a built-in time control system and MOVE software so food can be automatically moved and tracked across different hatch positions to increase sales potential. 

NO INDUSTRY CAN AFFORD TO PLAY IT SAFE

Food is not the only industry changing to a more technically focused approach, with the accommodation sector also scrambling to keep up with new and emerging trends. According to Mazars, “There is no doubt that the use of technology and artificial intelligence have begun to reshape accommodation as we know it”.

In fact, they say that self-sanitising doors, facial recognition check-in and computer generated smart ‘assistance’ (robots), could all be harnessed to offer outstanding service while reducing human contact in a bid to keep people safe, but most importantly, the industry alive.

FOOD BUSINESSES NEED TO ADAPT 

Along with those mentioned above, we’ve seen a range of industries flock to hot food smart vending including service stations, supermarkets, attractions and theme parks, tourism hot spots and even airports. Each, wanting to pivot and innovate in order to offer customers on-the-go satisfaction in a turbulent economy where no one truly knows what’s around the corner. 

The answer is to utilise the technology available and reinvent yourself fast in a landscape where business survival is not guaranteed. 

To find out more about how Your Food Pal hot food vending can be used to maximise your business potential, click here now.