AI is taking the food and beverage industry in the UAE by storm, helping implement management solutions that were unthinkable just a few years ago. Moreover, in 2024, almost half of restaurants (41 percent) used AI in one way or another, whether for sales forecasting, real-time data analytics, or to minimize food waste. By 2028, AI is projected to make 15 percent of these daily decisions independently.
In other words, AI is intertwined in restaurant operations, where the path to profitability and competitiveness lies in using the new tech smartly and effectively. Therefore, here’s how.
AI-driven procurement automation
When supplier cooperation and stock monitoring are done manually, some minor (or major) errors may arise. For example, underordering results in shortages and missed sales, while overstocking incurs costs and frequently leads to spoilage.
However, AI procurement technologies automatically place replenishment orders via supplier APIs and continuously observe consumption trends. Consequently, when AI handles procurement, chefs can concentrate on creativity and service rather than spreadsheets.
Demand forecasting that preps for every scenario
Beyond minimizing waste and cost, AI bridges the gap between guessing and assurance. Despite the traditionally unpredictable nature of restaurant traffic, advanced models achieve 95–99 percent forecast accuracy by analyzing local events, weather forecasts, and historical sales data from previous years.
As a result, restaurants can prepare raw ingredients, staff shifts, and customize menus to satisfy demand in real time.
Coordinating front and back of kitchen workflows
In the kitchen, AI-powered task management, recipe controls, and kitchen display systems (KDS) ensure consistency and speed. Moreover, orders tracked in real time, minimizing errors and reducing preparation times.
Instinctively adjusting production to demand, enabled by AI, allows restaurants to automate repetitive tasks and run smaller teams without compromising guest experience.
The recipe for the future
AI will continue to evolve to optimize supply chains and cost management, recommending precise supplier orders that cut costs and waste without manual input. Additionally, it will help determine optimal staffing levels and identify suspicious activity to prevent theft, providing managers with greater insight and control.
Ultimately, what once took weeks of analysis, such as menu engineering or in-depth performance reviews, will now be achievable in hours through AI, thereby empowering SMEs to make smarter, data-driven decisions quickly.
https://ae.syrve.com/
https://www.instagram.com/syrve.mena
How AI cuts costs and predicts demand
Alexander Ponomarev, CEO of Syrve MENA, shares his perspective on how technology is revolutionizing the way eateries operate, optimize resources, and anticipate customer needs across the UAE.
AI is taking the food and beverage industry in the UAE by storm, helping implement management solutions that were unthinkable just a few years ago. Moreover, in 2024, almost half of restaurants (41 percent) used AI in one way or another, whether for sales forecasting, real-time data analytics, or to minimize food waste. By 2028, AI is projected to make 15 percent of these daily decisions independently.
In other words, AI is intertwined in restaurant operations, where the path to profitability and competitiveness lies in using the new tech smartly and effectively. Therefore, here’s how.
AI-driven procurement automation
When supplier cooperation and stock monitoring are done manually, some minor (or major) errors may arise. For example, underordering results in shortages and missed sales, while overstocking incurs costs and frequently leads to spoilage.
However, AI procurement technologies automatically place replenishment orders via supplier APIs and continuously observe consumption trends. Consequently, when AI handles procurement, chefs can concentrate on creativity and service rather than spreadsheets.
Demand forecasting that preps for every scenario
Beyond minimizing waste and cost, AI bridges the gap between guessing and assurance. Despite the traditionally unpredictable nature of restaurant traffic, advanced models achieve 95–99 percent forecast accuracy by analyzing local events, weather forecasts, and historical sales data from previous years.
As a result, restaurants can prepare raw ingredients, staff shifts, and customize menus to satisfy demand in real time.
Coordinating front and back of kitchen workflows
In the kitchen, AI-powered task management, recipe controls, and kitchen display systems (KDS) ensure consistency and speed. Moreover, orders tracked in real time, minimizing errors and reducing preparation times.
Instinctively adjusting production to demand, enabled by AI, allows restaurants to automate repetitive tasks and run smaller teams without compromising guest experience.
The recipe for the future
AI will continue to evolve to optimize supply chains and cost management, recommending precise supplier orders that cut costs and waste without manual input. Additionally, it will help determine optimal staffing levels and identify suspicious activity to prevent theft, providing managers with greater insight and control.
Ultimately, what once took weeks of analysis, such as menu engineering or in-depth performance reviews, will now be achievable in hours through AI, thereby empowering SMEs to make smarter, data-driven decisions quickly.
https://ae.syrve.com/
https://www.instagram.com/syrve.mena
Alexander Ponomarev,
CEO of Syrve MENA
ae.syrve.com
@syrve.mena
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Rita Ghantous
Rita Ghantous is a hospitality aficionado and a passionate writer with over 9 years’ experience in journalism and 5 years experience in the hospitality sector. Her passion for the performance arts and writing, started early. At 10 years old she was praised for her solo performance of the Beatles song “All My Love” accompanied by a guitarist, and was approached by a French talent scout during her school play. However, her love for writing was stronger. Fresh out of school, she became a freelance journalist for Noun Magazine and was awarded the Silver Award Cup for Outstanding Poetry, by The International Library of Poetry (Washington DC). She studied Business Management and earned a Masters degree from Saint Joseph University (USJ), her thesis was published in the Proche-Orient, Études en Management book. She then pursued a career in the hospitality industry but didn’t give up writing, that is why she launched the Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun Newsletter. Her love for the industry and journalism led her to Hospitality Services - the organizers of the HORECA trade show in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, as well as Salon Du Chocolat, Beirut Cooking Festival, Whisky Live and other regional shows. She is currently the Publications Executive of Hospitality News Middle East, Taste & Flavors and Lebanon Traveler. It is with ultimate devotion for her magazines that she demonstrates her hospitality savoir-faire.