You might think Kevin Hochman, the new leader of Chili's, is anti-automation.
A few months after becoming CEO of parent company Brinker International last year, the former Pizza Hut and KFC boss quickly paused all robotics testing at Chili's, including the use of robot food runners, a pilot drone delivery program, and a yet-to-be-launched meal delivery test using autonomous robots.
The dining room robots, which sang to guests and bused tables, were fun, Hochman said. But they weren't leading to repeat visits or improving employee working conditions.
"The robotics were slower than what our servers can do," Hochman told Insider. "And they kind of get in the way."
So, he scrapped bots and drones to invest in kitchen automation that cooks food faster and more consistently. One of the most intriguing innovations: a high-tech grill that cooks and sears a medium steak to perfection in 3 minutes – or three times faster. That alone is likely to save the company millions of dollars from having to comp steaks sent back by unhappy customers.
The grills and high-tech ovens, currently being tested at 53 restaurants, are part of the chain's Kitchen of the Future program, designed to reduce cook times for popular dishes – burgers, quesadillas, steaks, pizzas, and ribs.
At test restaurants, meals are cooked more consistently, tips are higher, and kitchen training is easier.
"It's a game changer for our business," Hochman said.
In November, I met with Hochman, Wade Allen, the company's chief digital officer, and Tommy Foss, director of culinary operations, at a Chili's in Manhattan Beach, California. The three executives gave me a tour of the Kitchen of the Future and explained why ditching robots leads to financial and "operational wins" for the 1,200-unit chain.
Take a closer look.