Pizza chain Mellow Mushroom is embracing digital transformation.
Recently, the brand teamed up with QSR Automations for some major tech upgrades, starting with integrating kitchen display systems (KDS). These digital screens replace paper-based tickets in the kitchen, improving timing, accuracy, and communication.
“We’ve been around for 50 years, so how do we stay relevant for the next 50?” said Ahsan Jiva, Mellow Mushroom’s executive vice president of strategy and transformation.
Ahsan Jiva, EVP of Strategy & Transformation at Mellow Mushroom.
Working with QSR Automations, Mellow Mushroom can now track the status of its orders as they progress through the kitchen. This helps set realistic expectations, particularly for off-premises orders, which now account for nearly half of the brand’s business.
“We’re making it easier for our team to handle large off-premise orders,” said Jiva. “Better kitchen displays, label printers, and integrations with third-party delivery services like DoorDash all work together to create a smoother experience for both customers and our team members.”
The brand also recognizes that customer expectations have evolved in the age of digital convenience.
“You expect your food to be perfect because you expect whatever you’re getting from Amazon to be perfect, right? And those things kind of have tangential relationships,” said Jiva. “So, in order to deliver on those experiences that our guests want, we had to update our technology. We had to look at the entire tech stack.”
That’s why tech upgrades don’t stop in the kitchen.
The back-office system is now equipped with predictive inventory management, employee scheduling and reporting. The mobile app has also been updated to give customers real-time status updates of their food orders.
Grant Park prototype
Mellow Mushroom also recently unveiled a new prototype in Grant Park, Atlanta.
It’s the latest Mellow Mushroom restaurant to open in partnership with The Culinary Edge.
This new “Fast-Fine” concept is the first-of-its-kind for the chain and features self-ordering kiosks, digital menu boards, a table locator system, and counter service.
This new store aligns with a broader trend in the fast-casual sector, where brands are focusing on smaller, tech-forward prototypes designed to optimize for delivery and pickup orders.
Currently, Mellow Mushroom has 160 locations across 16 states.
