For generations, the McKenzie family has been at the helm of KFC operations in Indiana, a legacy that spans decades and countless successful ventures. Starting with their first KFC restaurant, the family has built an empire by staying true to Colonel Sanders’ original recipe while evolving with the times. Today, the family oversees 22 KFC locations across Indiana, each offering the same signature fried chicken and familiar comfort that has made the brand a household name.
Despite the continued success, the McKenzie family faces the complex task of keeping their operations consistent and their brand strong amidst the challenges of running a multi-location franchise. “The biggest thing for us is to always be as efficient as possible,” says Jim McKenzie, president of McKenzie Foods restaurants. “If there are ways to improve the process that makes us safer, cleaner, more efficient, or more profitable, that’s how to run your business responsibly. We’re constantly looking for ways to improve.”
This sentiment led McKenzie to partner with Restaurant Technologies’ Total Oil Management, an innovative automated cooking oil management solution that covers every stage of oil use, from delivery and disposal to ongoing monitoring and maintenance. “I had seen it on the road and wondered what it was all about, especially when I heard other KFC franchises started using it,” McKenzie says. “We tried it in one restaurant, and it didn’t take long to realize that we wanted to do it in all of our restaurants.”
Before using Restaurant Technologies’ Total Oil Management, McKenzie’s KFC’s oil management process was manual. “With the manual process came several concerns,” McKenzie says. “We are always worried about the safety of our employees, particularly when it comes to handling oil and, more importantly, disposing of used oil from the restaurant.”
Additionally, the time required to change and manage the oil with the unpredictability that often arises during the process didn’t align with the company’s core focus on efficiency. “It was one of those tasks employees sometimes liked to push off until the next shift,” McKenzie says. “The process of transporting oil to and from the dumpster outside was messy and unsafe, creating opportunities for spills, mistakes, and accidents.”
Restaurant Technologies’ oil management has not only improved employee safety but also enhanced the customer experience. With oil-disposable receptacles often located near the drive-thru, every customer passing through would inevitably see them, impacting the overall cleanliness. By eliminating the manual oil management process, the operation has become cleaner and more efficient, benefiting employees and customers, whether inside the restaurant or in the drive-thru.
Since implementing the system, McKenzie’s KFC franchises have seen a decrease in safety incidents. “There have been fewer back injuries, slips, and falls, and the number of workers’ comp claims is as low as it has ever been,” McKenzie says. Back-of-house operations have also improved, allowing employees to focus on their tasks without the distraction of managing oil manually.
Total Oil Management has had a large impact on the quality of the company’s products and controlling costs of goods sold. When it comes to the quality and consistency of both the oil and chicken, McKenzie believes it’s as crucial as any other ingredient in their process. “Next to chicken, oil is probably the most expensive product we use, which is why we need to be efficient with managing it and making sure it’s top quality,” McKenzie says.
Employees have been happy with the system, impressed by its ease of use, safety and cleanliness, and the ability to automate the less pleasant parts of the job. “The benefit of the company overall is that employees are polishing and filtering properly now,” McKenzie says. “The more efficient we can be, the better our bottom line is going to be.”
To learn more about Restaurant Technologies’ Total Oil Management, visit its website.
