Break times are often tight in companies: Just going to the company restaurant to order food and find a table can take up a lot of the actual recovery time. Long lines also cost nerves - not only for customers, but also for the kitchen staff, who have to work at full capacity.

One factor that should not be underestimated in terms of time and stress is the payment process. With our plate scanner in cooperation with our partner Dishtracker, we can significantly advance digitalization in company catering - with a win-win situation for guests and operators.

Time savings of up to 90

The main advantage for customers and guests in company restaurants is undoubtedly the high speed of the system: within a very short time, the plate scanner recognizes goods such as main courses, desserts or drinks, assigns them correctly and displays them on the checkout screen. While conventional data capture takes up to 30 seconds, the checkout process can be completed in as little as three seconds with the plate scanner. A time saving of 90%!
However, it is not only the customers who benefit from this: for the employees, the time saved also means an enormous reduction in workload. Since the checkout process is no longer necessary, they can focus more on preparing or serving food.

Easy teach-in thanks to high targeting accuracy

The database of the software is already comprehensively filled with images of dishes and beverages. This means that only a few images per product are required to teach the dishes: simply photograph the dish with the plate scanner and assign it to the dish stored in BackEnd. The plate scanner thus achieves a recognition rate of 99 percent, with detection taking place within fractions of a second.
The plate scanner is currently available in two versions: as a camera with a stand at the existing checkout or almost invisible as an installation in the ceiling.

Presentation of the plate scanner at Intergastra 2021

Sustainable quality management and merchandise management

The camera recording of all dishes is also an important factor for quality management: The recordings can be used, for example, to check whether dishes have been served correctly and whether too many or too few side dishes have been served. In addition, the quantity served allows conclusions to be drawn about stock levels. Operators now have an even easier overview of which goods need to be reordered. The plate scanner is also increasingly becoming an important tool for detecting food waste and preventing it in the future: If plates are also scanned when they are returned, food returns can be identified and portion sizes adjusted accordingly. The plate scanner can thus save costs in the long term.

Various payment systems possible

Implementation of the plate scanner in the existing IT landscape is straightforward and fast. It is possible to adapt the hardware to the specific conditions of the location and to integrate it into existing checkout systems. This allows a wide range of payment systems: Both internal (e.g. employee ID card) and external (e.g. ec / credit card) means of payment are available. The entire checkout process can thus be carried out completely contactless.

Application example: Plate scanner from kamasys in a company restaurant

Conclusion: Enormous time savings meet sustainable merchandise management

With the plate scanner, you close an important gap in the digitization process in communal catering. The fast recognition of food by camera significantly increases the checkout process. Among other things, this allows for higher checkout throughput, more satisfied customers, and at the same time provides relief for the staff in the company restaurant.