Tableside Mobility and Disciples d’Escoffier Inductees

MRM’s Daily Bite TGIF version features news from Zebra Technologies, Revention, IDS Next Business Solutions, Escoffier School of Culinary Arts and Hotel Wailea

Send news items to Barbara Castiglia at bcastiglia@modernrestaurantmanagement.com. 

Zebra Technologies Introduces TC20

 Zebra Technologies Corporation introduced the TC20, a  mobile computer designed to meet the specific needs of small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).The TC20 is a light, durable and long-lasting mobile device developed for indoor use for SMBs in sectors such as retail and hospitality.

• The TC20 comes in affordable models designed for 1D and 2D barcode scanning, and pairing it with the Zebra® RFD2000 UHF RFID sled easily adds UHF RFID tag reading, writing and locationing capabilities, making it ideal for retail store environments. Small businesses can now benefit from integrated enterprise quality barcode and RFID tag reading, eliminating the need for unreliable, slower and power-intensive smartphone cameras.
• The TC20 is designed to withstand dusty environments and accidental drops, reducing costly repairs while ensuring longer and more productive use.
• With Zebra OneCare™, LifeGuard™ for Android™ solution provides extended security updates over a longer lifespan of the TC20, ensuring the security of the operating system at all times.
• Easy to deploy without time-intensive staff training, the TC20’s bright 4.3-inch screen and Android interface provides a familiar, intuitive experience that’s easy to use out of the box. Available in all-touch or “touch and keyboard” form factors, the TC20 allows staff more time to focus on customers.
• Designed as an enterprise line of business smartphone, the TC20 is powered by Mobility DNA™ and its unique ecosystem of software such as Datawedge, StageNow, PowerPrecisions, Mobility Extensions which helps streamline deployment management and troubleshooting.
• Using Zebra’s Workforce Connect Push-To-Talk Express, staff can perform voice communications over wireless LAN to communicate one-on-one or in groups, allowing them to coordinate and react to changing needs in real time and improve customer service.
• A wide range of accessories, such as a snap-on power pack to support continuous use, hand straps, holsters and a snap-on trigger handle, allows staff to use the TC20 for a wide range of tasks with reduced strain and improved efficiency.

“Zebra offers the industry’s largest range of Android mobile computers and the introduction of the TC20 enterprise smartphone reinforces our position as a leader in the enterprise Android space,” said Joe White, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Mobile Computing, Zebra Technologies. “Until now, small- and medium-sized businesses had limited options: either struggling with the risk and frustration of using consumer devices or running their operations manually with pen and paper. The cost-effective TC20 gives SMBs a better choice while delivering a powerful customer experience.”

Revention Releases Advanced Delivery Module

Revention released its new Advanced Delivery module which includes integrated Google Enterprise Mapping to provide a seamless transition of the delivery geofence shared between the point of sale, the HungerRush online ordering site and the mobile ordering applications.

Revention’s new Delivery Dispatch module includes easily accessible metrics such as Google calculated estimated drive time based on current traffic conditions, as compared to driver’s actual drive time.  Managers can quickly determine performance and customer service problems based on late return indications on the dispatch screen.  A store’s delivery area and delivery zones can quickly be modified and updated to all ordering channels within minutes.

Revention is also tracking the mileage for each driver run based on Google’s recommend route for the delivery.  Detailed reports are available to track mileage by driver, driver performance, and variance between estimated drive time and actual drive time for individual orders.

“Our customers are really excited about this release,” stated Laura J. Gaudin, Revention’s Director of Product Management.  “The synchronization of delivery area between all ordering channels is key to creating the best customer experience when ordering delivery.  The metrics we can now provide is an added bonus, but the result is an exceptional return of actionable data.”

IDS Next launches FX Dine

IDS Next Business Solutions Pvt. Ltd launched FX Dine, a mobile based steward order taking app for restaurants. 

FX Dine will enable restaurants to take and process guest orders in less time. The POS machine’s menu group, menu item along with price is displayed in FX Dine. The app makes it easier for stewards to send the KOT directly to the kitchen display system and to POS. With FX Dine, servers do not have to run back and forth to the kitchen or POS terminal to key-in and process guest orders; they can now spend more time attending to their diners’ needs.

Using this app, stewards can browse through the list of servers to assign them to tables occupied by guests. They can even view real-time status of tables – occupied, vacant, and available. Servers can help diners glance through the menu in the app.

“Diners today need faster service. They would not like to wait longer either to place or to get their food on table. Plus, it adds to their woes when they order something and get something else. This is bad for a restaurant’s image, too. But with FX Dine, these operational bottlenecks can be eliminated. While FX Dine helps users process guest orders in less time, it also helps them eliminate order mistakes, reduce customer waiting time. Most importantly, with lots of time saved, users can ensure increased table turnaround time which is good for their business,” said Binu Mathews, Chief Executive Officer at IDS Next.

FX Dine allows restaurant staff to select from a set of pre-defined modifiers or add new modifiers on the fly. They can even open a new table in the app to accommodate guest demand. Additionally, if a guest wants an item that is not in the menu, the staff can instantly create a new food item and set the price in app to take and process the order.

Restaurant staff can continue to take orders from the guest when the device is not connected to internet. The app also lets the user generate non-chargeable KOT when the management decides to not to charge a guest for the meal.

FX Dine assists restaurants run their happy hour campaigns effectively. Stewards can view discounts offered on food and beverages tagged under happy hours. In FX Dine app, users can open a customizable feedback form. Diners can rate the restaurant’s food and service quality in the app and enter comments. FX Dine app is available on Android store.

Disciples d’Escoffier

Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, a premier provider of culinary education, today announced this year’s inductees to the Disciples d’Escoffier, a prestigious global society focused on the promotion and preservation of excellence in cuisine, culinary education, wine culture and hospitality. 

The night’s inductees were recognized through a private ceremony at Monteverde followed by a dinner featuring a menu specially curated for the event by executive chef and owner, Sarah Grueneberg. Guests included fellow Disciples d’Escoffier inductees Michael Pythoud, culinary director of Walt Disney World Resorts and Michel Escoffier, greatgrandson of culinary icon Auguste Escoffierand President of the Musée Escoffier de l’Art Culinaire and Auguste Escoffier Foundation, who attended from France.

Amongst the newest disciples are some of the Midwest’s most influential culinary leaders– Chef Sarah Grueneberg, chef and owner of the critically acclaimed Monteverde Restaurant and Pastificio and James Beard Award winner; prominent agriculture sustainability figure and owner of Chef’s Garden, Farmer Lee Jones; and Bernard Mirlycourtois, French chef, restauranteur and culinary educator.

Additionally, the following members of Escoffier School of Culinary Arts’ executive team, faculty and board of directors were also inducted for their significant contributions to culinary education: Jeff Larson, chief admissions and development officer; president of Crossover Advisory Services and Escoffier Schools Board of Directors member, Chas Edelstein; and Cesar Herrera, chef educator and restauranteur.

The partnership between the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts and the Disciples d’Escoffier International was established on the collective initiative of honoring the memory of French chef, restaurateur and culinary writer Auguste Escoffier, preserving his legacy and sustaining the culinary traditions in which he started.

In recent years, they have inducted a number of prominent American culinary figures whose careers reminisce the late chef’s legacy and commitment to excellence and artistry. Other notable American members include chefsThomas Keller, Jeremiah Tower and Elizabeth Falkner.

Ondine at Hotel Wailea