Eating outside of the box
Entrepreneur devises fully automated restaurant for post-lockdown world
Mohamad Fakih would like to clarify a few things about his latest venture, Box’d, Toronto’s first fully-automated restaurant designed for life during a global pandemic.
Firstly, the food will not be made by robots, he says.
“We have actual people working in the kitchen, actually making your food. In fact, we’ll have more people working in the kitchen than normal,” he says.
Secondly — and this one he’s vehement about — the restaurant, which opens on Thursday, will still maintain good customer service, despite the lack of servers.
“Why make a restaurant if we can’t make you happy?” he asks.
The unconventional concept for a restaurant is Fakih’s latest addition to Toronto’s food scene, opening at a time when people are itching for a chance to dine out after months of strict lockdown orders.
At Box’d, customers will order their food in advance using a mobile app or through a digital kiosk at the location. The customers are notified when their food is ready and pick up their meals from a wall of digital cubbies and shelves that divide the dining area from the kitchen.
The concept removes the need for servers — connecting customers directly with the kitchen and allowing the company to put more money toward hiring kitchen staff.
Most importantly, it facilitates an environment for socially distant dining — an increasingly familiar sight among restaurants as lockdown orders lift.
“I know people are still a bit wary of eating in public places. That’s why we’ve created a dining option that is fast, efficient and safe,” said Fakih.
In recent years, Fakih, a Lebanese immigrant who grew up in the midst of a civil war before coming to Canada, has become a force of nature in the GTA’s food scene. As the owner of Paramount Fine Foods, he’s opened more than 60 locations across North America and toyed publicly with the idea of growing globally. He’s cultivated a presence as both a philanthropist and community leader, developing a not-for-profit foundation for underserved communities in Canada and bailing out Soufi’s restaurant on Queen Street after its owners became the target of harassment and death threats.
The opening of Box’d reflects the entrepreneur’s eye for socially conscious business ventures that identify current consumer demands.
“I think we’re doing what’s right for the moment,” he said. “Certainly, there are restaurants that are struggling, but we also know that the places selling pizzas and hamburgers, easy and convenient meals, are becoming more resistant. I think people want more of that.”
For the menu, the company consulted with Toronto chef Tomer Markovitz to devise lunch and dinner selections that include vegan and vegetarian options and remain true to Paramount’s usual selection. The restaurant lists four options, chicken, kafta, steak or portobello mushrooms, that mix protein with a combination of grains such as couscous, rice and lentils with salad and hummus.
Prices range from $5.99 for appetizers to $10 to $16 for platters or wraps. Customers can order takeout or eat inside at one of the 20 seats available, says Fakih.
Box’d isn’t the first food company to consider automation. As a result of lockdown measures and financial constraints, restaurants and food industries globally have been forced to find efficiencies in production and reopen while adhering to food safety concerns.
Some companies have turned to robots to produce food as straightforward as pizza or coffee, noting consumers may find the lack of human interaction reassuring. On its website under the section COVID-19 Updates, Pizza Hut notes that, “Your pizza leaves our 400+ degree oven and slides hands-free into the box, so the only person who touches it after it comes out of the oven, is you.”
Fahik warns that too much automation could be a death-knell for the new venture.
“I’m a people person, and I believe human interaction is important for any business. So we’ve found ways to keep our distance, but that won’t stop us from greeting people at the door, or making their food with care,” he said.