Blog

Sell more stuff Pancakes for breakfast The robot will make them for you

Paul Schlossberg Popcake machine at theNovotel Cairns Oasis Resort Popcake machine at theParis Marriott Rive Gauche hotel Popcake pancake from theParis Marriott Rive Gauche hotel About six months ago we posted a blog The Robots Are Coming! It focused on the increasing presence of robotics in the preparation and service of food and beverages in foodservice operations including vending, onsite foodservice and micromarkets. When addressing breakfast we said: “What ...

June 20, 2019

Paul Schlossberg

Popcake machine at the Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort Popcake machine at the Paris Marriott Rive Gauche hotel  Popcake pancake from the Paris Marriott Rive Gauche hotel

About six months ago we posted a blog – The Robots Are Coming!  It focused on the increasing presence of robotics in the preparation and service of food and beverages in foodservice operations – including vending, onsite foodservice and micromarkets.

When addressing breakfast we said: "What about "real" pancakes and waffles? Right now everyone is thinking "impossible." It is impossible because no one has figured out how to do it – YET! Breakfast all day is a big deal in fast food and at many other restaurants. We already sell breakfast foods all day, every day. What if we could upgrade our breakfast menu?"

Guess what? Not long after writing those words, we came upon a robotic pancake maker at the Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort – in Cairns (Queensland), Australia. It was manufactured by Popcake® International.  On their website they describe it this way: "The POPCAKE^® machine is the world's first fully- automatic counter-top pancake making machine. This patented machine cooks fresh, piping-hot pancakes that are 97% fat free at the single press of a button." The company is based in Hong Kong.

In May we encountered another Popcake® machine. This one was at the Paris Marriott Rive Gauche hotel. (Photos are posted nearby.)

(Full disclosure: There is absolutely NO relationship between my company and Popcake® International. Call me a fan – that's as far as it goes.)

On both occasions when we first approached the Popcake® machine, it was out-of-stock. That is not necessarily a bad thing. The breakfast service was crowded with lots of people enjoying the buffet – including the Popcake® machine. The queue for pancakes included kids and adults too.

The hotel service staff needed only a few minutes to replenish pancake mix with a new bag. If you want to see how it works and how it is serviced, there are videos posted on the Training tab on their website. And, if you wish, you can access their User Manual to learn more.

You can get two 5-inch pancakes in about a minute. (Photos are posted nearby.) Given the interaction with the robotic machine and the speed of delivery, the pancakes were good.

At each hotel we inquired about whether the staff liked the equipment and what they observed as guests interacted with the machine. We were told it was easy to work with the machine. And hotel guests, especially children, really enjoyed watching their pancakes being made – and eating them too.

Maybe it's time to give your breakfast business a robotic boost. This idea will not work everywhere. In fact, you'll need to do it at an attended site. Even if robotic breakfast service is not right for your business, you should be thinking about what you can do to improve your breakfast offering.

A good breakfast gets the day off to a good start. Perhaps getting breakfast off to a good start at your locations will be another step on the path to selling more stuff.

Paul Schlossberg is president of D/FW Consulting, working with clients to merchandise and market products in impulse-intense selling environments, such as vending, onsite foodservice and convenience stores. Based in the Austin, TX, area, he can be reached by emailing to Paul@DFWConsulting.net, calling him at (972) 877-2972. The company is online at www.DFWConsulting.net.