A unique collaboration between 4Service and tech company Izy has resulted in mAIfood, a smart, efficient and sustainable solution for the canteens of tomorrow. The digital checkout system is already in use, and the newest location is BI Foodcourt.

At BI in Nydalen in Oslo, lunch is approaching, and the Foodcourt is popular among students. It sells hot dishes, salads, baguettes and other kiosk products. Two new devices attract curious students. The mAIfood checkout solution will serve hungry and busy students who do not want to spend unnecessary time in the cafeteria queue.

– We are constantly working to improve the customer journey, and I am concerned with as little pressure as possible for guests who are going to buy food and drinks, says Øivind Westerby, success manager at 4Service, which operates BI Foodcourt.

Smart collaboration for more efficient operation of canteens

Testing Izy mAIfood is a collaborative project with 4Service , now part of Compass Group. While Izy develops smart digital solutions, 4Service knows most of what there is to know about operating canteens and kiosks in commercial buildings. Together they find solutions for efficient and sustainable operation of canteens.

– I love new technology, and mAIfood is an exciting AI solution with a self-service machine that scans the products for you, says Øivind Westerby.

Feedback from canteen operators

Now that mAIfood has been launched in BI Foodcourt, Izy is working closely with 4Service, who have provided useful input. The feedback is being used for improvements to meet the needs of canteen operators.

“It can take some time to scan images, but once it’s in place, the device is easy to use,” says Øivind from 4Service. He has a background as a chef and has worked in sales to the canteen and restaurant industry for a number of years, the last three years at 4Service. He sees the needs from several angles.

– Different canteens have different challenges and need different solutions. With mAIfood we can work with the customer journey, says Øivind.  

Easy to use mAIfood

“mAIfood solves problems for both customers who want their lunch quickly. It frees up time for canteen employees and simplifies the operation of the canteen,” says Saurav Pandey from Izy. He is a senior backend developer and has spent a lot of his time on mAIfood and prediction. 

– mAIfood is a point of sales, a cash register that can register the goods you buy. The device is semi-automated and does not require staffing. The effort is put into machine learning of products where weight and appearance are registered, he explains

Instead of having to drag each product through the checkout to scan a barcode, the customer can take all the products and place them on the plate of the mAIfood device. Everything is registered in a flash and ready for payment.

– In the backend, employees have a full overview of which products have been trained and which are pending. Their customers can also access the menu or scan the QR code on the product. If necessary, a receipt can be printed, says Saurav. 

mAIfood can be delivered with a dual screen. This means that both the customer and employees can see the screen during use, which can be good for control and overview.

Trying mAIfood at different locations

Until now, mAIfood has been tested in the Økern Portal commercial building complex. mAIfood has been operating there since November, and has been used extensively in salads, drinks and kiosk products. With BI Foodcourt comes new and useful experiences.

– It is good to try out mAIfood in a small restaurant and see how it works in the different locations. There are also differences in the users. Økern Portal houses many companies with adult employees, while BI has young students who may be more eager to try new technology, says Øivind. 

– What challenges do you see so far? 

– Much is focused on food and drinks that are sold pre-packaged in kiosks and can be easily picked up, but many canteens have buffets, and this is what Izy and I are working on, says Øivind.

– In the next round, more discount management may be appropriate, he says.

– With mAIfood, there are the fewest possible clicks for purchasing food and drinks in the canteen and kiosk – simple, fast and sustainable! says Saurav Pandey from Izy.

Prediction leads to better profitability

mAIfood can be used as a cash register system, but in combination with prediction , canteen operators can really streamline their canteen operations.

– All input in mAIfood can be used for prediction, which in turn makes operating canteens and kiosks easier and more profitable, says Saurav and explains:

mAIfood records everything that is ordered, in stock, purchased and at what time. Combined with historical data, information about building use, holidays, exam days, etc., the canteen operator can plan both purchasing and staffing several weeks in advance, which really makes operations more efficient. Prediction also makes it easier to operate more sustainably. You order more accurately and get less food waste = more profitable canteen and less CO2 emissions.

– With mAIfood, you as a canteen operator will also get a quick overview of the most popular products, which can vary between canteens and kiosks and from one location to another, says Saurav from Izy. And the more data, the better mAIfood!