Efficient kitchen, happy customers: Thailand’s Lucky’s Hungry shows how it’s done

Incoming online food orders are immediately dispatched to the kitchen via the point-of-sales (POS) system which is handled by staff at the cashier. Once it is placed, a “kitchen operating system helps streamline the cooking of each order,” says Natthanon. On top of that, Lucky’s Hungry implemented human quality checks along the way: each order is reviewed before the cooking begins and confirmed by an inspector after the food is finished.

A significant share of Lucky’s Hungry’s orders come through Grab. This helps the process, “as orders placed through the Grab Food system are quite clear, and few errors are made,” Natthanon says.

Packaging, technology and feedback keeps them on track

To ensure swift delivery and to minimise waiting time for delivery-partners, a restaurant like Lucky’s Hungry must have a good understanding of how long it takes to prepare each dish. 

Following “just in time” principles, a delivery-partner will be sent to the pick-up location only when Lucky’s Hungry sends out a confirmation that the order is nearly ready. If some wait time can’t be avoided, Lucky’s Hungry provides a waiting area for delivery drivers inside the store. 

Lucky’s Hungry team “pays close attention to feedback, whether positive or negative,” explains Natthanon. “This is evident through star ratings and daily sales numbers.” Grab’s system provides the restaurant useful statistical information every day.

For instance, “We will look at the areas with the highest orders; paying power per bill; average age; gender; etc.” This data helps the team understand consumer demand and anticipate trends,” says Natthanon.

Finally, feedback received through the Grab app also helps shape Lucky’s Hungry products: “It allows us to constantly improve to create the greatest possible impression,” Natthanon explains. “For example, we learned that not all customers like having raisins in their rice.” The restaurant now makes them optional, available for an extra THB 5 per order.

Even the packaging wasn’t immune from tinkering, and they improved on it to find a solution that “won’t crush or leak,” Natthanon says.

(Also read: Is the customer always right? Merchants are reading reviews to get feedback)