Consistency in food quality can directly influence the guest experience. Food quality is a key point that has a direct impact on the customer experience and whether they will return. So, maintaining consistent food quality is not only important at a single restaurant but essential for multi-location restaurants.

Food quality consistency is a result of three variables: product quality, staff training, and recipe execution. Understanding how these factors influence operations and leveraging technology can not only ensure consistent food quality but also provide a significant return on investment, giving you the confidence that your operations are in good hands.

Quality Over Quantity

When it comes to food, quality always trumps quantity. The source of your ingredients is the first step in ensuring the best food quality. Opting for the cheapest products and suppliers might seem like a cost-effective choice, but it could be the reason why customers are not returning to your establishment. Investing in quality ingredients for your menu items is a commitment to your customers. If you operate multiple restaurants, choosing a fresh ingredient that is easily sourced at one location but difficult to obtain at another will lead to different customer experiences. When a customer gets your signature chicken sandwich, they want it to taste the same whether it’s from your downtown, westside, or California location.

Recipe Management

Gone are the days of recipe cards with notes scribbled on the borders. An easier way to manage recipes for a multi-location operation is to use an oven with a built-in recipe catalog. Each Ovention oven features a programmable touch screen. Menu and recipe updates can be created at one central location and shared to different locations. The USB port allows each restaurant to upload the pre-programmed items from a USB drive. It is also password-protected to ensure an employee won’t accidentally change a setting for a preset menu item. This will also alleviate the need to individually train employees every time a new menu item is introduced.

Staff Training

No matter the size of your operation, your restaurant staff plays a vital role in the food quality and consistency. When new employees start, whether they have 2 or 10 years of experience, they will still be entirely new to your operation and need consistent training on your menu and preparation processes. Providing them with tools like standardized training manuals, ongoing refresher training, and consistent recipes across different locations will make the onboarding process more manageable and allow staff to help at your other locations.

Investing in a commercial oven with the right technology is essential to consistently cooking menu items. The Matchbox, for instance, is a great option for busy kitchens needing help with multitasking. Each oven utilizes impingement technology, a high-velocity hot air system, and programmable recipe controls to cook food items the same way every time. The slider assembly, consisting of two separate cooking surfaces that move in and out of the cooking chamber, ensures that menu items will be cooked perfectly, even if an employee isn’t standing in front of the oven. This means that customers can be guaranteed that when they bite into their chicken wings, burger, or pizza, it will taste just as great as the last time they visited one of your restaurant locations!

The Bottom Line

Maintaining consistent food quality across multiple restaurant locations can feel daunting, but equipping your kitchen with the right equipment, like an Ovention oven, can make things easier. It will ensure that no matter which location a customer visits you, they will be delivered the same delicious meal every time. Find a Rep near you today to learn more about how an Ovention oven could be suitable for your multi-location operation.