Did COVID-19 really transform the restaurant industry—or did it just hasten an evolution that was already inevitable?

Many of the changes and trends operators are facing were already taking place within the industry before the pandemic, only they are now being adopted more quickly. Establishments have restructured their businesses to include app-based ordering, delivery and pickup options as convenient solutions for customers, while dining room changes have included social distancing, contactless payment, outdoor dining and reduced capacity. Several of these changes are now being considered long-term business tactics because of the additional safety benefits they offer.

As guests are more frequently demanding alternate ways to help them safely dine in or take out their favorite meals, operators are embracing new and innovative systems and technologies. Staff are now trained to follow additional safety protocols such as temperature checks, mandatory wearing of masks, new cleaning procedures and other revised policies. With these changes introduced, here are three new technological advances designed to save time and resources in the back of the house:

Digital Checklists

One such change that operators should consider is the automation of paper checklists that are used to track the completion of daily tasks. Tools such as the Task Management application, available exclusively through DayMark’s MenuCommand® Kitchen Automation Platform, give managers the ability to track and oversee employee tasks and scheduling while still relying on staff to document the progress of ongoing restaurant operations.

The app can also store training material for additional cleaning and sanitization procedures that are vital to maintaining a safe and healthy working environment.

Automated Receiving

Receiving can be a disruptive and time-consuming procedure. Incorrect shipments, cumbersome hand-written logs and ill-timed arrivals can cause headaches for managers.

The Receiving Module, also from DayMark, provides managers with the ability to digitally track shipments of goods and supplies. This application can record non-conformances, short-ships, vendor performances and other factors with an easy-to-use interface and a variety of intuitive features that reduce the amount of time users spend dealing with receiving-related tasks.

Health Monitoring

Both the Task Management application and the Receiving Module feature unique added utilities that record daily health details, including temperature levels taken with an infrared thermometer. When staff members are designated as ‘sick’ in Task Management, they cannot be assigned tasks until they are determined to be healthy; when delivery drivers do not pass the Receiving Module’s health assessment, their shipment can be refused.

Because new technology can be intimidating, DayMark offers live online demos that allow users to learn more about these and other unique features, and includes a question and answer session on how the applications can improve the bottom line and boost efficiency of restaurant operations.

As COVID-19 cases ebb and flow across the country, employing new technologies is one way to ensure your facility will remain viable. Operators who embrace emerging technologies to increase and enhance efficiencies, oversight of multiple tasks and shipments, as well as cost-effective ways to monitor the health and safety of both staff and customers, will remain successful well beyond the pandemic. To learn more, visit daymarksafety.com/apps-demo.

Article originally appeared on the Restaurant Business website.