It’s uncommon for operators to find a solution comprehensive enough to effect change from employee morale and bottom lines to customer satisfaction and workers’ compensation insurance. Occasionally, a new technology can transform operations unexpectedly leading to surprising improvements. For Mike Dole, head of operations at Trinity Corporation, a Burger King franchise, Restaurant Technologies’ (RT) Total Oil Management transformed operations more than he ever expected.

Trinity Corporation restaurants average 25 percent more guests per day than the typical Burger King. “We have seven units and last year we were number two in our restaurant group nationwide,” Dole says. 

A recent case study on Burger King’s oil management system revealed Trinity Corporation increased profits by 8 percent with automated oil management. “We were able to save in key areas including optimizing oil usage,” Dole says. Adopting automation helped the franchisee reduce its cost of goods by 6 percent.

Concerns for safety plague the quick-service industry as employees are left dealing with large vats of hot oil that can lead to spills, slips, and burns. “It has also improved morale in the kitchen since staff are less worried about getting burned and more engaged in their work,” Dole recounts. 

While the case study and numbers speak for themselves, Dole’s enthusiasm for the program is evident. Dole has worked in the restaurant industry for nearly 40 years and is sporting his own fryer burns to prove it. “Changing fryers involved handling hot oil, often causing burns and slip hazards. I’ve got burns on my hands from transporting oil when I was 15,” Dole says. 

The safety improvements are seen in the confidence of employees and in the hard and fast math done by insurance companies. “We can apply for insurance discounts with the RT system, reducing our costs,” Dole says. Furthermore, according to RT, which partners with 15 of the largest insurance carriers in the country, automating oil management can save restaurants and franchises up to 15 percent on premiums. 

RTI has impacted nearly every point of operation for this Burger King franchise. According to Dole, customers can taste the difference in their orders. “Our food quality improved significantly. By ensuring clean oil, we’ve had no complaints about the taste and quality of our fried foods in the past 12 months.” 

Dole also admits to being a “numbers guy,” and raves about the data capabilities of RTI. It allows him to create a comprehensive story for his GMs on what oil processes look like from store to store and how much of the business it truly affects. “RT provides tons of data, which helps me tell a clear story to my GMs, who then communicate it to their crew,” Dole says. “This has made a huge difference for us.”

The implementation of RT at Trinity Corporation’s Burger King’s has been transformative for operations. Often one simple fix can lead to comprehensive change and in the ultra-competitive quick-service restaurant industry an edge is always needed. Dole summarizes: “RT has helped us reduce costs, improve food quality, and boost crew morale. In retrospect, it was a no-brainer.” 

To read the case study and see how it changed Burger King’s oil management system, visit the RTI website. 

By Ya’el McLoud