AI Inventory Management | Smarter Slices

AI-powered inventory management is creating new efficiencies and unlocking fresh outcomes for pizzerias

For many pizzerias, inventory management has long been a necessary evil – a time-consuming, mundane and often error-riddled endeavor that is nevertheless essential to the health of the business.

But artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the game.

Once the futuristic concoction of science-fiction novels, AI’s application to restaurant inventory management – still a novel, albeit fast-evolving field – is helping pizzerias achieve appropriate stock levels, reduce food waste and bring heightened efficiencies to a historically maddening process.

Adoption of AI applications for inventory management has been swift. According to Deloitte’s “How AI is Revolutionizing Restaurants” report published earlier this year, 55 percent of restaurant operators are using AI in the inventory-management process on a daily basis. In addition, another 25 percent of operators reported they were testing AI applications in inventory management.

Those numbers should accelerate as comfort with AI jumps, too. Four in five restaurant executives surveyed by Deloitte said they planned to increase investments in AI technologies over the next fiscal year – and inventory-management solutions will be a prime target for many.

AI in Inventory Management: The First Wave

AI’s arrival in the restaurant industry began with two common use cases: first, customer experience, such as in-app or kiosk recommendation engines that create personalized experiences for consumers; and second, inventory management.

According to Oliver Ostertag, general manager of Operator Cloud at PAR Technology, AI in inventory management largely started with traditional regression forecasting based on historical data. Looking at past numbers and trends, AI suggests purchasing amounts for specific goods or recommending food-prep levels for the upcoming day. In addition, the technology compiles orders for specific vendors based on inventory counts and sales data.

Early inventory-management AI functions also help in “notifying and actioning things in real time,” Ostertag says. For instance, the technology can automatically place orders if stock of particular items fall below a defined limit or alert operators about a vendor’s purchasing deadline while simultaneously sharing a proposed order.

In many cases, AI’s growing role is uplifting restaurants’ bottom lines. For example, AI warns operators when stock is nearing expiration and helps prevent restaurants from tossing food into the garbage. It also highlights vendor promotions and tracks price trends so operators can take advantage of a special offer or pursue an alternative supplier if prices jump.

AI’s multi-layered ability to align inventory levels with sales, deliver thoughtful forecasts, improve kitchen operations and elevate performance has sparked high praise from many restaurant operators. In fact, about one-third of respondents to the Deloitte survey reported their AI investments in inventory management were generating “high impact.” Meanwhile, 65 percent of restaurant operators surveyed by Popmenu last year said AI was increasing their margins and profitability.

AI Inventory: 10 Times Faster Than Manual Inventory

AI is continuing to push further into the restaurant inventory management arena with new capabilities aimed at improving operations and driving results.

Particularly compelling to many restaurants – especially staff members who have been tasked to regularly count inventory items by hand – is a solution like NomadGo’s Inventory AI, which combines 3-D spatial intelligence with augmented reality. Using a smartphone or tablet, staff scan inventory from shelves, walk-ins, thaw racks and more, and NomadGo’s technology provides near-instant counts with 99 percent accuracy.

“It solves the manual inventory counting problem and turns one of the most hated jobs in the restaurant into something far more manageable,” NomadGo CEO David Greschler says, adding that the AI-powered process is 10 times faster than manual inventory counting and produces about 15 hours of labor savings each month.

NomadGo then sends an inventory report to the operator. Through its partnership with PAR Technology, NomadGo also can shoot the data right into PAR’s Data Central back-office platform. There, it feeds PAR’s AI engine and enables better predictions for purchasing.

“AI needs data – and with highly accurate data around counts, AI’s predictions can be that much better,” Greschler says.

Indeed, AI is producing more robust forecasting models that factor in a range of variables, such as weather, holidays or even local events. The functionality is helping restaurants bring a more strategic, data-driven approach to purchasing, which can then fuel results.

“Insights are getting smarter and better utilizing real-time data,” Ostertag confirms, adding that AI also can benchmark inventory-management data, thereby allowing operators to see “what good is and what great is.”

Increasingly, too, AI applications across the restaurant operation are working in tandem with other technologies and creating new use cases. For instance, inventory management is seamlessly working with point-of-sale data and loyalty programs to push out profit-driving promotions.
So-called smart promotions offer deals at the time people are most likely to be interested in expiring inventory, thereby helping operators generate cash, not waste.

“The real umbrella function here is optimizing inventory, and AI is helping operators do just that,” Ostertag says.

Where Will Restaurants Use AI Next?

Artificial intelligence continues capturing the attention of restaurant leaders who see the technology as a way to improve operations and bolster profitability.

While customer experience and inventory management were the first frontiers, restaurant operators are far from done looking for ways to leverage AI in their establishments. Pizzerias and other restaurants currently are investigating ways to deploy AI to increase customer touchpoints, advance consumer loyalty and develop new products.

For many restaurant technology providers, the overriding mission is to push frictionless technology and make it as easy as possible for operators to succeed.

“We want to help restaurants use the newest solutions in ways that drive more benefits,” PAR Technology’s Oliver Ostertag says.

When operators understand AI applications and are trained on the full usage of products, the technology can be “incredibly powerful,” he adds. It will be up to operators, however, to determine how many decisions they want driven by AI.

“AI can certainly help contribute to a smarter, more efficient operation, but operators still need to have their hands on the wheel,” Ostertag says.

DANIEL P. SMITH is a Chicago-based writer who has covered business issues and best practices for a variety of trade publications, newspapers and magazines.