This New Software Could Change The Future Of Fast Food Work
Your order could be taken by someone thousands of miles away, but you'll get your food just as fast as before.
The pandemic taught us many lessons. One of those lessons being that some jobs can be done while wearing pajamas and sitting on your couch and others just aren't structured for remote work. However, a new technology called Bite Ninja may transform drive-thru fast food work from an in-person-only to a partially remote gig, reports TODAY.
How does Bite Ninja work?
The video software, Bite Ninja, was invented by Will Clem, the owner of Baby Jack's restaurant near Memphis, Tennessee. Clem said one night, during the height of the pandemic, his restaurant was so short-staffed that he started taking orders from his laptop at home via Zoom. Since then, Clem has developed this software and implemented it in 12 restaurant chains across six states with interest in the product continuing to grow nationwide.
The software allows remote workers to take drive-thru customer orders virtually and communicate that order to the employees in the kitchen at the restaurant to prepare the order. From the customer end, everything about the process is the same as a usual drive-thru order. The customer places their order and then pulls up to the window to pay and receive their food. The remote workers, or Ninjas as the company refers to them, are paid $10 to $20 an hour depending on demand for the position. They must study and pass a test regarding the restaurant's menu before they can officially begin as an employee.
Pros of remote drive-thru work
Though the program has not hit any major fast chain food chains nationwide, everything about it sounds promising. If nothing about the process changes the customer experience in a negative way and allows for remote work, this could be a great opportunity to boost the part-time worker industry. Older professionals who just need a little extra income but can't commute could all benefit from a work structure like this. This software could allow college students, who often don't have a vehicle to get them to a job off-campus, to work from their dorm and still make it to class on time. For working parents, a job like this would allow them to earn some money without having to pay for extra child care.
In addition to being an opportunity for people looking for flexible part-time work, this software could help with the staffing shortages many restaurants have continued to experience since the start of the pandemic. Though the program probably wouldn't suit dine-in focused establishments, those with a drive-thru options should consider testing it out.