Today I went to that very restaurant where we set up ventilation. Two weeks until the restaurant opens. We’re responsible for the kitchen equipment. Ice cream machines, smoothies, fryers, press grills, carbonated drinks — all of that. A world of stainless steel. Even the cable boxes are made of stainless steel. Everything is still covered in white film with blue letters. The same chaotic anthill of dozens of different contractors. The same orchestrated coordination. It’s just a matter of timing. I connected the sewage to the Coca-Cola dispenser, and right after that, an electrician from another company stepped in and started laying cables to it. I measured, cut, and installed a stainless steel cable box to bring the wires to the outlet block for “our” equipment. Immediately, other people put their cables into that box. I approached to set up the ice cream machine with a three-phase cable and socket, and people were leaving the ice cream machine after just doing something in that corner. Someone couldn’t find common ground with someone else — contractors from different parts of the country. They chose a third language and spoke in it. Both in broken form. But they understood each other.
A very new and very high-tech restaurant. Self-service kiosks with large 40-inch vertical touch screens allow customers to easily place their orders and pay without needing assistance from staff. This also eliminates the need for queues. I think that in about 20 years, there will be no one in the kitchen except for maintenance workers. There’s special consideration for mothers with children—a communal microwave for warming baby bottles. Additionally, there’s a separate area for those who want to keep their kids occupied—a glass-walled maze for children to play in. You can still see the cable management, electrical panels, low-voltage systems, video surveillance, sensors, computer interfaces, and spaces for monitors—monitors instead of a menu display overhead, monitors for staff, and monitors for cash registers. The project is completely new—there’s a dedicated space for students who come to work part-time, allowing them to study at the same time. The space above the freezer is well utilized, housing equipment for detecting carbon dioxide leaks, with sensors located in every corner of the building. The kitchen is well planned—it’s larger and more spacious. The new equipment is very thoughtfully designed and ergonomic. If this trend continues, other restaurants may simply disappear.
Comparing this restaurant to others is like comparing a 21st-century farmer to a subsistence farm. The former will simply win on the cost of the food produced. As for the menu… the menu is not an issue. The only question is ensuring a regular and reasonably predictable order of these dishes. Over the past 20 years, the menus of these restaurants have expanded fivefold—and they manage just fine.