Author Archives: Michele Clemmens

For many foodservice operators, maintenance is one of the least transparent parts of the business. Service vendors are called when equipment fails, invoices are reviewed, and operations move on—often without a clear understanding of whether the root cause was truly resolved. Without equipment-level visibility, operators are left relying on service notes and repeat visits to […]

Growth is a good problem to have—but only if operations can keep up. As restaurant and foodservice brands add locations, expand into new markets, or increase production volume, operational complexity rises quickly. What worked for a handful of stores often breaks down at scale. Without centralized visibility into equipment performance and usage, growth can amplify […]

Equipment failures rarely happen at a convenient time. When a fryer, oven, or holding unit goes down during peak service, the impact is immediate. Orders slow, staff scramble to adjust workflows, and guest experience suffers. In these moments, every minute matters—and the difference between a minor disruption and a major operational issue often comes down […]

For many foodservice operators, investing in new technology raises an important question: what is the return? When margins are tight and capital budgets are under scrutiny, leadership teams need more than promises of efficiency—they need measurable outcomes. Kitchen technology delivers its true value when it connects day-to-day operations with financial performance. Open Kitchen helps operators […]

For multi-location foodservice brands, consistency is one of the hardest operational challenges to solve. Even when menus, training materials, and procedures are standardized, execution still varies from location to location. Over time, those small differences add up—affecting food quality, equipment reliability, and brand trust. The root of the problem is not usually effort or intent. […]

Menu innovation is one of the most effective ways for foodservice brands to drive traffic and stay competitive. Limited-time offers, seasonal items, and new product launches keep menus fresh and customers engaged. But while developing new items in a test kitchen is relatively straightforward, executing those items consistently across multiple locations is where many brands […]

For many foodservice operators, equipment downtime feels unavoidable. A unit fails, a service call is placed, and operations wait—sometimes days or weeks—for a replacement part to arrive. In the current supply chain environment, long lead times have become normalized, and downtime is often treated as an inevitable cost of doing business. But most downtime caused […]

For many foodservice operators, energy costs feel like an unavoidable expense—something to budget for, monitor loosely, and accept as the cost of doing business. But in reality, utility bills often hide deeper operational problems that go unnoticed until margins tighten or equipment fails. Your equipment is constantly generating signals about how it is being used, […]

The Core Challenge: Equipment Inconsistency Most multi-unit restaurant brands want the same procedures at every location. Reality looks different: Some locations have newer equipment. Others are running older units. Settings drift over time. Maintenance schedules vary based on staffing and workload. New employees learn from whoever is available—not necessarily the person who knows the correct […]