Picnic Works™ and Chartwells Higher Education Expand Effort to Revolutionize Campus Dining Experiences

Texas A&M and the University of Chicago food automation pilot creates labor and product efficiencies to drive innovative multi-university campus agreement

SEATTLE, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Picnic Works, Seattle-based innovator of food automation technology, today announces an expanded university partnership with leading contract food service management company Chartwells Higher Education. Following a successful pilot program at Texas A&M and the University of Chicago, Chartwells continues to revolutionize the campus dining experience, with cutting-edge kitchen equipment from Picnic.

"Our team realized an unexpected benefit during the pilot," says Christopher Burr, VP of Digital Strategy for Chartwells Higher Education. "Due to the speed in which we were able to produce pizzas, we reduced waste at the end of the day by moving to a "just in time" production model."

Efficiencies realized from the pilot program are leading Chartwells to deploy the Picnic Pizza Station to more campuses across the U.S. Beginning at the start of the upcoming school year, the Picnic Pizza Station will be implemented across an initial five university campuses to streamline dining operations and promote timely service and consistent food quality for students and guests. The first five universities will include Texas A&M, the University of Chicago, Missouri State University, Carroll University, and Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis.

"The success we saw in Texas and Chicago proves that great things are bound to happen when two innovative organizations collaborate," says Clayton Wood, Picnic CEO. "Picnic is thrilled to continue partnering with Chartwells to improve the business of university kitchens around the country. We're also exceeding diner expectations, with 80% of A&M students surveyed saying they believe robotic technology helps make tastier, more consistent pizzas."

The Picnic Pizza Station provides kitchens an immediate return on investment through automation, helping restaurants reduce labor by 66%. The station also aids in reducing food waste to around 2%, a significant reduction from the average 10% most kitchens experience today.

The Picnic Pizza Station will be on display next at The College & University Food Services National Conference, July 13-16, in Spokane, Washington. As Picnic continues growing to meet customer demand, the Picnic Pizza Station will continue advancing automation in the food service industry. Customers can visit hellopicnic.com to get more information, see demo videos, and reserve a system, as well as input their own numbers into a cost savings estimator. To read more about how Chartwells is bringing innovative dining options to millions of students nationwide, visit chartwellshighered.com

Founded in 2016, Picnic Works (hellopicnic.com) has collected an experienced team of food and technology industry veterans to develop and provide specialized intelligent technology and exclusive solutions for the food service and hospitality industries. Restaurants, convenient and grocery stores, university and corporate campuses, casinos, hotels, cruise lines, sports venues, catering groups, healthcare cafeterias, small kiosks, ghost kitchen operators, mobile food operations, food trucks, delivery, and military sites are among the many segments poised to benefit from the company's automated food assembly platform integrating RaaS, software, cloud, and deep learning technology.

Find Picnic online at hellopicnic.com or on social media at facebook.com/picnicworks, linkedin.com/company/picnicworks, twitter.com/picnicnews, and instagram.com/picnicnews.

Chartwells is the recognized leader in contract food service management, hospitality, and award-winning guest service within over 300 college and university dining environments throughout academic institutions across the U.S. Chartwells' nutritious cuisine not only satisfies the unique appetites, lifestyles, and dietary needs of every guest dining on campus, but it also brings people together to promote the high-intensity relationships that will prepare students for the future. For more information, visit www.ChartwellsHigherEd.com, www.ChartwellsMonthly.com, www.DineonCampus.com. 

Business Inquiries for Picnic:
Andrew Lambert
[email protected]

Media Inquiries for Picnic: 
Julie Fogerson or Bailie Pelletier, Fearey
[email protected]
(206) 343-1543

SOURCE Picnic Works™