Islands Restaurants Ensures a Taste of Paradise with Improved Capacity and Quality from Sophisticated Graphical Kitchen Solution by QSR Automations

Business Wire, April 3, 2008

QSR's ConnectSmart Software and Hardware Solution Helps Islands Reduce Ticket Times and Problem Pays by 15% as its Kitchens Thrive Even With a Constantly Evolving Menu

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- QSR Automations[R], a leading technology provider helping businesses worldwide maximize guest delight through comprehensive hospitality automation, announces that Islands Restaurants, L.P. will make a company wide implementation of QSR's sophisticated graphical kitchen solution. "Grillin' and Chillin' since 82," the Islands Fine Burger & Drinks restaurants feature gourmet hamburgers and specialty drinks within a fun, tropical theme complete with Hawaiian-style attire and a tiki-hut decor. Islands is relying on QSR's ConnectSmart[R] Hospitality Automation Solution, including the ConnectSmart Kitchen (CSK) graphical software along with eXpert[R] hospitality controllers and KP-4000[TM] keypads, to help ensure the growing sixty site restaurant company gives each guest a taste of paradise.

Often recognized for excellence in operations and guest service but never satisfied with the status quo, Islands decided to test QSR's CSK in early 2007, starting with a restaurant with extremely experienced back of house team members who found the solution made food go out faster and fresher. The test was then expanded to its highest volume location, where the restaurant succeeded in surpassing some of its highest volumes the very first weekend. Finally, a third test location with a new and less experienced crew put the CSK to task, where team members improved extremely quickly by relying on the Islands-customized CSK configuration, including specific color combinations and font formatting to denote item and order statuses as well as graphical menu cards to show how items should be prepared.

"We ran the gamut when testing the CSK, ensuring all of our team members agree that the solution brings value to our employees and our guests - and we believe the system will pay for itself within a year - which doesn't even include the greatest benefits, the intangibles," said John Townsend, vice president of corporate services for Islands Restaurants. "We look at a number of metrics including ticket times, guest satisfaction, and employee satisfaction when evaluating our restaurants, and we are seeing encouraging improvement in each category in the locations that have the CSK. Not only are we seeing happier guests, but our employees are thrilled because the solution is helping them create experiences that bring guests back."

The Islands servers have received consistent feedback from their loyal guests that the restaurant is even better because the kitchens are delivering perfect orders, despite substitutions, even faster. Using five CSK stations within the kitchen, Islands has found that the solution simplifies operations. Relying on the CSK's delay routing capabilities, each menu item is prepared based on its cook time so that all items within an order complete at the same time. Cutting down on maintenance, item cook times are automatically passed from the Profit Series point-of-sale system, provided to Islands by Hospitality Solutions International (HSI).

Islands also relies on the real-time speed of service data available within the kitchen, as well as historical reports for management and corporate level analysis. Also helping enhance efficiency and quality, the CSK offers graphical capabilities and is fully customizable, guaranteeing flexible use of the screen real estate and maximizing space. For instance, Islands was able to share one physical kitchen screen across two preparation stations. Taking advantage of the CSK's split screen functionality, Islands placed a large monitor in between the two stations, ensuring viewing ease with the use of large font sizes within each of the preparation management areas of the screen.

"We were already extremely proud of our operations and guest service, but we're never satisfied- the customized automation we were able to put in place with the CSK truly gave us a tool to take it up a notch," continued Townsend. "And because the CSK gives us more visibility into our operations, especially as we change and add menu items, we identified some inconsistencies we were able to solve with training. To top that off, we have seen a reduction in our ticket times and our problem pays to the tune of about fifteen percent each, which are dollars added right to our bottom line."

About QSR Automations[R]

QSR Automations[R] is a leading technology provider helping businesses worldwide maximize guest delight through comprehensive hospitality automation. Since 1996, QSR has helped thousands of hospitality businesses of all sizes and concepts around the world - including table service, quick service, fast casual, deli, bar, concession, pizza, delivery, and other unique environments - to effectively enhance productivity and profit. QSR's innovative software and hardware products, including the ConnectSmart[R] Hospitality Automation Solution and ePic[R] Kitchen Management Solution, focus and capture all activities around the guest to measurably increase efficiency and quality, creating positive and memorable guest experiences each and every visit. For more information, visit www.qsrautomations.com or contact QSR at qsr@qsrautomations.com or 502-297-0221.