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    cust-stories-beverage@4xCasual Dining

    cust-stories-store@4x2,000+ Locations

    cust-stories-location@4x International

    cust-stories-product@4xCrunchtime Kitchen (Formerly QSR Automations)

    How Brinker International Transformed Operations to Launch a 2,000-Location, $180M Brand with Crunchtime Kitchen

    Brinker International is a global casual dining leader, operating approximately 2,000 restaurants, including Chili’s Grill & Bar and Maggiano’s Little Italy. Serving nearly one million guests daily, Brinker focuses on a consistent, memorable dining experience rooted in its core values of trust, collaboration, and fun. The guest-first approach is complemented by menu simplicity, featuring iconic items like burgers, fajitas, and handcrafted margaritas.

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    Scaled virtual brand

    TO 2,000 LOCATIONS IN ONE WEEK, ACHIEVING $180M IN FIRST YEAR

    Improve efficiency

    BY GOING PAPER-FREE

    Enabled real-time

    COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TEAMS

    180 M USD

    achieved in first year

    2,000

    Stores, scaled in one week

    Real-time

      team communications and eliminate paper waste

     

     

    CHALLENGE

    Overcoming Operational Challenges with Legacy Systems

    Before adopting Crunchtime Kitchen, Brinker International faced significant operational hurdles with its legacy systems. Outdated processes created inefficiencies and limited the ability to deliver a seamless guest experience.

    Recognizing the need for innovation, Brinker sought a kitchen display system that could streamline operations without being tied to other systems, ensuring scalability for the brand.

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    “Prior to Crunchtime Kitchen, we were paper-based and struggling to deliver on accurate quote times and promises to one million guests daily.”

    Adam Dingman
    Vice President of Operations
    Brinker International

     

    SOLUTION

    Implementing Crunchtime Kitchen: A Seamless Rollout

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    “On the first day of rolling out Crunchtime Kitchen, instead of chaos, team members were excitedly showing it to peers and found it very intuitive. It’s impressive and exciting."

    Adam Dingman
    Vice President of Operations
    Brinker International

     

    The transition to Crunchtime Kitchen marked a pivotal moment for Brinker International, as the company upgraded from a 15-year-old system to a cutting-edge solution that seamlessly connected restaurant operations. Implementing Crunchtime Kitchen eliminated paper-based inefficiencies, enabling real-time communication between the dining room and kitchen.

    One of the standout features of the implementation was the introduction of all-in-one touchscreen displays designed to be intuitive and familiar. The system’s ability to display line builds and guide team members through preparation steps was a game-changer, ensuring food was prepared accurately and efficiently, enhancing both dine-in and off-premise operations.

    “Teams see line builds right on the screen, which tells them exactly what to make and how to make it. This shift has been game-changing for ease and execution.” Adam Dingman, Vice President of Operations, Brinker International.

     

     

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    Partner Brand Guidelines

    These guidelines are your go-to resource for representing the Crunchtime brand accurately across your website and marketing channels. By consistently applying our core brand elements—including our logo, solution lock-ups, and color palette—you help maintain a unified, strong brand presence that builds trust with our mutual customers.

    As a partner, you have access to ready-made visual assets designed to help you showcase Crunchtime Kitchen and Crunchtime Host. Please share this guide with your marketing team, product managers, graphic designers, and any other stakeholders to ensure all communications align with our branding policies.

    SOLUTION

    Real-time visibility and standardized operations for more compliance and efficiency in stores

    Gong cha adopted Ops Execution to standardize operations and improve communication between stores, above-store teams, and headquarters. Rolling out the platform in phases, the team ensured smooth implementation and strong adoption. Gong cha’s success with Ops Execution stemmed from:

    Store excellence guides: Gong cha created a comprehensive guide within Ops Execution to help managers prepare for third-party evaluations with visual aids and practice assessments.

    Checklists and audits: Tasks like opening/closing procedures and food safety checks were standardized across all locations to ensure consistency and make it easier to track performance data from store to store.

    National operations initiative calendar: To ensure execution against seasonal promotions, regional or market-specific projects, etc., Gong cha assigned tasks and projects in Ops Execution ahead of these initiatives so that stores could have visibility into upcoming work while also tracking how stores completed (or didn’t complete) the work.

    Franchisee engagement: Franchisee and team engagement were also integral to success. Ops Execution forms helped align franchisees with performance goals, integrating compliance metrics into bonus structures to incentivize adoption. Additionally, interactive tools like the “Gong cha Great Values” form encouraged daily team member engagement and reinforced company values.

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    “With Ops Execution, Gong cha can easily track performance metrics, gather data from individual stores, and identify specific opportunities for improvement with more accuracy.”

    Rebecca Kahn
    Sr. Director of North America
    Master Franchise Operations

     

     

     

    Why this report is different

    Industry Insights
    Unlike broad state-of-the-industry overviews, these findings offer fresh, unfiltered data and perspectives directly from 300+ of your industry peers, anonymously surveyed to reveal what's really working (and what isn't) to drive growth in today's restaurant landscape.

    Actionable Benchmarks
    Instantly see how your operations stack up and identify precise areas for improvement to drive competitive advantage.

    Collective Learning
    Gain clarity on key trends, validate your own assumptions, and learn from the collective wisdom of the industry.

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    RESULTS

    Significant improvements in operational consistency, compliance, and decision-making

    Within just the first year of rolling out Ops Execution, Gong cha improved operational performance in several key areas:

    • 49% more daily tasks completed, demonstrating consistent execution of operational priorities and enhanced team accountability

    • 20% better compliance with brand standards, ensuring a more uniform and high-quality experience across all locations

    • 25% increase in guest return rates, reflecting stronger customer loyalty and consistent positive experiences across locations

    • 20% increase in guest satisfaction, measured by Net Promoter Score (NPS), highlighting the impact of operational excellence on customer experiences

    The data-driven insights provided by Ops Execution also empowered district managers to address operational weaknesses effectively. One franchisee—initially among the lowest performers—transformed into a top-three operator within only 90 days by following a customized action plan based on the insights from Ops Execution reports. This success illustrates the platform’s ability to drive meaningful and lasting improvements.

    “Crunchtime Ops Execution was the right choice for us because it’s very easy to use, makes sense, and helps us standardize operations as we scale,” said Kahn. Gong cha’s commitment to operational excellence and brand integrity ensures that it will remain a leader in the competitive premium tea market.

    RESULTS

    Data-Driven Success with Crunchtime Kitchen

    Data-Driven Success with Crunchtime Kitchen

    Crunchtime Kitchen has empowered Brinker International with unparalleled real-time visibility into kitchen operations, enabling both immediate responsiveness and long-term planning. The system’s data capabilities allow Brinker to predict demand and optimize workflows, ensuring team members are ready for peak times.

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    Launching A New Revenue Stream: It’s Just Wings

    This was particularly critical during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic when Brinker rapidly adapted to shifting demands and launched the virtual brand, It’s Just Wings. The brand was designed to operate seamlessly alongside existing operations. Leveraging Crunchtime Kitchen, the company efficiently scaled the brand to 2,000 locations in just one week, achieving $180 million in its first year.

    This rapid deployment was enabled by the integration of Crunchtime Kitchen, which routed virtual orders directly into the kitchen and displayed them on screens as standard menu items. This ensured team members could prepare and package the orders efficiently without disrupting existing workflows. This success highlights how Crunchtime Kitchen’s data-driven insights not only streamline daily operations but also drive innovation and growth.

    "Crunchtime Kitchen provides real-time visibility into kitchen operations and helps us forecast and predict what might happen, ensuring we prepare our team members effectively. This level of operational predictability, akin to having a crystal ball, is something only possible through the data Crunchtime Kitchen provides.”

    Pankaj Bhardwaj
    Chief Information Officer
    Brinker International

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