October 2022 Digtial Issue

THE EQUIPMENT ISSUE
If the
Tech Fits
A little technology innovation can
go a long way for bar operations
BY DENISE DEVEAU
BAR
operations are facing a climate
of razor-thin margins as costs
of doing business continue to
rise “Margin is top of mind
for restaurants,” says Granett
Douglas, VP Foodservice, GBS
Foodservice Equipment Inc. in Oakville, Ont. “But bars were probably
hit the hardest during the lockdowns. Operators have to think about
everything — even how much ice to put in a glass.”
Neil Baker, Hospitality Operations manager for Kensington
Brewing Company in Toronto agrees. “Margins are shaved right
down. If you’re doing 10 per cent these days that’s amazing, and if
it’s five per cent you’re doing something right. Now we’re looking at
slightly under five per cent if you don’t want to raise pricing and start
gouging customers.”
Operators must look at every possible area to maintain their
profitability, says Baker. “Previously a per cent here or there didn’t
matter. Now we’re having to look at a half of a quarter per cent to
maintain our effectiveness and profitability.”
There are a number of innovations that can help operators
maintain those margins, from automating routine tasks and
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
integrating back-of-house systems to labour-saving equipment and
self-service technologies. Here are few examples.
TAKING THE LABOUR OUT OF THE EQUATION
David McCullough, managing director and founder of Freepour
Beverage Management in Mississauga, Ont. says its wireless
ScanChecker device can scan and weigh 20 bottles per minute and can
interface with 15 food-and-beverage solutions and 100 POS solutions.
“Labour is as thin as it can be. The beverage category is low-hanging
fruit. You can get three to four-per-cent savings with systems like this.”
People used to buy the scale because they thought bartenders might
be stealing, he adds. “Now they are doing it to save labour costs. This
takes a function that used to require two people down to one person
who can complete it in a quarter of the time with more accuracy.”
PourMyBeer, an intelligent self-service beverage system, allows
consumers to dispense their own drinks, including beer, wine or
pre-mixed cocktails that are charged by the ounce. The combined
hardware/software concept has made its way into Canada in provinces
where self-service options are allowed.
Because the unit integrates with POS and other backend systems,
everything is processed in real time, says Tana Rulkova, VP of
OCTOBER 2022 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 35