As owner and operator of 60 Zaxby’s restaurant locations across eight states, 1788 Chicken knows an important secret that is key to the taste of the restaurant’s famous fried chicken fingers.
“Having good quality oil in our fryers at all times is imperative,” said J. Cody Neal, vice president of operations for 1788 Chicken. “Otherwise, the chicken fingers that we put out just don’t taste like our chicken fingers.”
Despite the company’s standard operating procedures, Neal and his team had trouble determining whether all employees across the 60 locations were properly filtering and changing each restaurant’s oil. On top of that, changing out the oil was a difficult process that involved manually emptying hot oil into caddies, which were then carried through the back of the restaurants to a dumpster where it was poured into a grease trap. Then, the fryers had to be manually refilled with fresh oil poured from large jugs. The entire process opened the door to the industry’s two top safety risks: slip-and-fall accidents and burns.
After searching for a solution to the problem, Neal came across Restaurant Technologies‘ automated Total Oil Management solution, which allows employees to fill fryers with oil with just the push of a button, eliminating the need for manual handling. Additionally, oil is delivered in bulk to external holding tanks, reducing costs, improving maintenance and eliminating safety risks.
“Being able to simplify operations for the back-of-house was the biggest reason I wanted to make the switch,” Neal said. “It would be a relief to no longer worry about our people hauling oil across our kitchens or the risk of a caddy spilling and creating an unsafe and unsanitary mess.”
The move has also helped 1788 Chicken reduce its oil costs by .3% which, across 60 restaurant locations, resulted in annual savings of more than $500,000.
“With all of the moving parts in restaurants, the Total Oil Management solution can offer peace of mind during meal rushes that can sometimes be chaotic,” said David Cheng, public relations manager for Restaurant Technologies.
According to OSHA and various leading food safety organizations, two of the top safety concerns for foodservice operators are slip-and-fall accidents, along with burns–oil-related or otherwise, Cheng said.
The Total Oil Management solution addresses these concerns by significantly reducing oil spills that can lead to slip-and-fall accidents, and it can also significantly reduce oil burns by automating one of the dirtiest jobs in the kitchen.
By automating cooking oil management, operators can create a safer workplace for employees who can continue to work without having to worry about managing hot cooking oil—one of the most dangerous jobs in commercial kitchens. In turn, managers are given the peace of mind that employees will be available to work and can focus on more important tasks such as customer service.
“By reducing risks that come with manual cooking oil management, foodservice operators can further protect their bottom line by potentially reducing insurance premiums,” Cheng explained. “In short, it creates a more efficient kitchen and can also reduce costs long term.”
Trinity Corporation has also employed the technology at the seven Burger King locations it operates across Southeast Kentucky. According to Trinity’s Director of Operations Mike Dole, they have had zero workers’ compensation claims since implementing the automated cooking oil management solution.
Total Oil Management’s customer portal also helps manage cooking oil to ensure efficient use of the system.
“Instead of having to set a schedule every week, the portal provides valuable insights to help operators understand when the best time to filter and replace oil is,” Cheng explained. “Then, you’re not getting rid of fresh oil in case it’s a slower week or overusing oil that could hurt food quality in case it’s busier. It’s simply more efficient.”
As a result of those insights, since switching to the solution, Trinity Corp. has increased profits by 8% and reduced its cost of goods by 6%, saving about $300 each month on oil at each location.
“With improved visibility and better adherence to the filtration schedule, we’re easily getting an extra two days out of our oil, per fryer,” Dole said. “Getting notifications for issues like oil usage and being able to review how long employees filter the oil in the fryers helps us pinpoint where we can provide more training and development.”
Recent related stories:
- Navigating the future of dining: Insights from the State of the Restaurant Industry 2025 Report
- Technology innovations that are revolutionizing grocery as we know it
- Diverse voices and viewpoints add flavor to food trend forecasts
_____________________________________
If you liked this article, sign up to receive one of SmartBrief’s Food & Beverage newsletters. They are among SmartBrief’s more than 250 industry-focused newsletters.