Casual Dining Food Safety and Technology—Return on Investment (ROI) Documentation

This case study is based upon the actual experience of the owner and operator of three casual dining restaurant franchises. The documented success using the HACCP Professional II system for more than 12 months is summarized below.

The Challenge
The goal was to identify an electronic alternative to the manual paper-based food safety and management compliance systems in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operations within the restaurants. After a comprehensive competitive assessment, the restaurant chain selected the HACCP Professional II system.

The System
The HACCP Professional II handheld application was tailored to match the restaurant’s individual sanitation checklists. It guided users through specific procedures and provided real-time corrective actions, while automatically capturing and validating each process step and temperature measurement. The mobile system automatically synchronizes with the handheld, updating the main program with the newly entered data and then updating the handheld with any new information from the main program.

The main program provides immediate documentation and customizable reporting, assuring that the procedures and products meet corporate guidelines for sanitation, cleanliness, temperature, safety, and quality.

The HACCP Professional II system was delivered with database templates, which contained user-specific operational checklists, which incorporated in-house standards for HACCP, sanitation, maintenance, safety, Standard Operating Procedures, manager’s walk-through, audits, etc. In addition, the HACCP Professional II meets the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s electronic data requirements.

The Results
The HACCP Professional II installation was a proven success with both management and staff. Training was done in a matter of hours. The mobile solution was judged easy to use with its large, clear text, graphics, and layers of interactive help. The system demonstrably saved time because it was faster than manually entering data. Furthermore, it enabled staff to do things right the first time with immediate real-time corrective actions for any out-of-standard situations.

Analysis of the time savings was based upon a comparison of the time required to complete checklists, supervise staff, document results, and review data using the HACCP Professional II system compared to existing manual methods. Using an average hourly rate of $10.00 in a Cost/Benefit Calculation, it was confirmed by the restaurant’s chartered accounting firm that the costs of the HACCP Professional II system were recovered in the first week of each month. Additionally, the Incremental Analysis report projected an ROI of 200% based upon the restaurant’s standard operational and management procedures (checklists run 3 times per day), and an average wage cost of $13.20 /hour including benefits.

The Benefits
Beyond the tangible results, the cost/benefit analysis noted even more impressive intangible benefits related to improved quality control and consistency. The system is supporting brand protection and quality assurance with real-time data to drive improved risk management procedures. It is expected that liability and insurance costs will be reduced over time. Most importantly, it was noted that managers had more time to spend focusing on customer service and promoting the restaurants’ business growth.

During a hospitality technology interview, the corporation president noted that he implemented the system in his restaurants because he needed the assurance “that employees were recording temperature data”. He further stated, “These systems have actually given me more confidence in the restaurants’ food safety practices and provided me with greater piece of mind”.

« back to case studies