The Evolution of Fast-Food Productivity

SOURCE www.npr.org
White Castle, a pioneer in the fast-food industry, created many of the industry's hallmarks, including standardizing practices and bringing an assembly-line mindset to food production. While fast-food restaurants initially focused on productivity, a new study shows a surge in productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic, attributed to innovative ways of serving customers faster, particularly through takeout and delivery services.

Key Points

  • White Castle pioneered many fast-food industry practices
  • Fast-food restaurants struggled with productivity growth until the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Innovative ways of serving customers faster, like takeout and delivery services, led to increased productivity
  • Restaurants may continue to experiment with AI and robots to further enhance productivity

Pros

  • White Castle is credited with creating the modern fast-food industry
  • Fast-food restaurants saw a surge in productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic

Cons

  • Fast-food and other restaurants stopped seeing productivity gains between 1992 and 2019