Free flow what. How to open a free float restaurant

• an open kitchen where chefs prepare dishes in front of guests;
• a self-service area where guests walk freely and choose a dish to their liking, after which they either take it from the counter themselves, or ask the chef to put a portion on a plate;
• area where you can actually eat it all.
  

OBEDBUFET restaurateurs have been among the headliners of Moscow free-flow establishments for several years now. Numbers speak best of all about the level and scale: 16 cuisines of the world, 600 dishes, no more than 10 minutes to prepare an order. It can be difficult to navigate in such a variety, therefore, for those who came to OBEDBUFET for the first time, they conduct a mini-tour of the halls and specific gastro stations.

The selection is really impressive. Huge salad bars stock cold appetizers, salads, vegetables and fruits; next to them are ready-made hot dishes and side dishes. For those who want gastronomy “from under the knife”, certified chefs create culinary magic every minute in open kitchens. The variety of pizzas at the "Pizza and Pasta" station will be envied by other osteria, at the "Grill" station, veal and salmon steaks, chop chicken breast, shish kebabs, lamb lula and grilled vegetables. Station Japanese cuisine beckons with rolls with eel and salmon, avocado and crab, and at the Wok station you will be offered the wok itself with a choice of four types of noodles and filling to taste, whether it be seafood, veal, vegetables or chicken.

Of course, free flow is impossible without drinks and desserts. All OBEDBUFET restomarkets have their own confectionery, where all desserts are prepared, which go well with hot tea or coffee, and in the bar from an assortment of alcoholic and soft drinks eyes just pop up.

The interior of all OBEDBUFETs was thought out so that any guest could find a cozy place for himself: bright wooden sofas with soft pillows, colorful chairs of various colors, a panoramic veranda with romantic lanterns; in the restomarket in Moscow City there are even secluded booths for negotiations or lunch. The interior has a lot of bright, but not acidic colors, entertaining decor items, beautiful furniture, lighting is well thought out and unobtrusively.

The founders of OBEDBUFET are especially proud of the idea of ​​bringing third-party projects to the table, called "Gastroenthusiasts". Its essence is simple: the OBEDBUFET team is looking for congenial cafes, restaurants, farmers' markets that have their own unique product - and this product appears on the menu for a while. Thus, the assortment of restomarkets includes dishes from world cuisines that have not been presented there before, or dishes that symbolize a new gastrotrend.

Finally, one of the main trends within the OBEDBUFETs themselves is the emphasis on eco-consumption. In particular, if you come with your own reusable glass or mug, you will receive a 15% discount on any drink. If you didn’t have a glass with you, you will be offered special eco-ware suitable for recycling.

Free-flow restaurants (free flow - English "free flow") - a relatively new concept for the enterprise in Russia Catering.

Free flow establishments are both restaurants and self-service fast food establishments. They differ from ordinary canteens in a more refined interior and a varied menu, but the average check in them is several times lower than in classic restaurants!

The first restaurants were created as places where businessmen and office workers could combine eating with business meetings. Guests here move freely around the restaurant hall, choosing the dishes they like, and independently pay the bill at the checkout. A restaurant can have both self-service areas and "islands" served by waiters. Quite often, such restaurants have.

free flow concept international classification refers to the fast casual format, which emerged relatively recently, although the first institution saw the light back in 1948, thanks to the efforts of the Swiss Ueli Prager.

Wide distribution occurred much later - at the end of the 20th - beginning of the 21st centuries.

Russia can also boast of successful examples of the implementation of this concept: "Mu-Mu", "Yolki-Palki", "Prime", "Teaspoon", "Rake", "Eater". The network of establishments covers not only Russian capitals, but also provincial cities.

Interest from domestic restaurateurs to free-flo is quite distinct.

Below typical restaurant project clearly shows the layout and organization of space in the establishments of this concept.

Free flow restaurant dining room

Equipment required to open a free flow restaurant:

Food warmers;

Thermal showcases;

Refrigerated showcases;

Built-in refrigeration and heating elements;

Combi steamers;

Grills for chickens;

Vegetable cutters;

Fryers;

Contact grills;

coffee machines;

Juicers;

Mixers and blenders;

Juice coolers and apparatus for hot chocolate;

Dishwasher;

Refrigerators and freezers;

Stainless steel furniture (washing tubs, work tables, etc.).

Paying tolls on the roads is a completely natural and useful necessity, experts say. But for this, there must be a convenient and imperceptible technology for the user, so that driving on a toll road does not cause stress. The service should just work, and the driver should go where he needs without delay. What technologies are applicable in this case, and how they should ensure the collection of tolls, were discussed by the participants of the profile round table at the third conference “The role and place of intelligent transport systems in the toll road network of the Russian Federation. Modern tendencies development” (ITSONROAD) in St. Petersburg on September 9.

Modern intelligent road transport systems must include user-friendly tolling technologies. But there is still no consensus on what such technologies should look like, and what common standards should be. For decades there have been barrier payment collection points equipped with barriers. Similar points M-4 "Don" and sections M-11 Moscow - St. Petersburg in Russia. Payment at stationary points is made both with the help of a transponder in the car, and directly to the toll plaza operator. Alas, these payment methods are not always convenient. Many kilometers of traffic jams form on busy sections of the routes, which causes indignation of drivers, because the idea of ​​​​toll roads is to make travel on them as comfortable as possible.

To this end, technologies for barrier-free fares began to be created, the so-called Free Flow (free flow - English). In fact, technologies that differ in the principles of operation are designed to do one thing - to identify a vehicle on the go in order to then send a receipt for payment to the car owner. To date, several domestic companies offer their technologies to achieve this goal.

Free flow technology

The Kapsch TrafficCom Russia company, for example, uses mounted toll collection systems based on the ASUDD system (automatic traffic control system). On farms that are located above the road, special optical sensors and lasers are added to read license plates in addition to the ATCS traffic monitoring equipment. Special mathematical models and algorithms are used. This technology is already on the M-1 "Belarus" route - on the northern bypass of the city of Odintsovo in the Moscow region - from Moscow to the region. The system uses data from transponders, cameras and laser scanners to determine the dimensions of the vehicle, the number of axles and the state registration plate, both in front and behind the vehicle. The maximum recorded recognition speed was 221 km per hour. However, video license plate recognition is not always possible due to weather conditions (snow, fog, rain, dirt on the number plate). For the correct operation of the system, it is necessary to additionally use transponders inside cars. But not always drivers have such devices ready on the dashboard. The representative of the company, systems engineer Maxim Molokanov, said that some drivers take out a transponder directly in front of the barrier-free payment point - because of this, it is not always possible to receive a signal. Sometimes they just forget to turn them on. The company complains about the poor awareness of the population on this issue. But testing at the site will continue in the autumn-winter period of 2016-2017. Since recognition is not 100%, a solution is proposed to handle unidentified license plates. It is planned to create a special information center where license plates will be determined manually or with special equipment.

Another manufacturer, Atlas International, is developing license plates with built-in passive RFID tags (a compact antenna with information "wired" into the state number). This technology does not require a transponder in the usual sense of the word. The tag is compact and completely self-contained, unlike the bulky transponder on the dashboard. In this regard, the system is more intuitive, because it does not require the driver to take care of the technical support of his car. The only condition is the replacement of the old registration number with a number with an embedded RFID tag, which is “sewn” into the license plate at the production stage. The issue of saving the user's personal data is solved simply - the label does not contain any personal data. Only a unique number is written to the non-editable memory section, which is then correlated with the alphanumeric combination of the registration plate that enters the unified traffic police network.

On the road, it works like this: a special antenna near the road reads the RFID tag signal (reception area 15 meters). Then the received signal is checked against a common database, where the information received during reading is compared with the data of the owner of the number. The next step is to debit the travel expenses. The advantages of the technology are that the radio signal does not depend on weather conditions, and no power source is required for the tag. Recognition can be carried out at high speed (the maximum recorded tag reading speed was 260 km per hour). Forgery is almost impossible - 128-bit data encryption is used. In 2014, pilot tests of this technology were carried out in Tatarstan. The pilot project used public transport and had a recognition rate of 97.4%. Yury Zhilin, a representative of the company, said that today a decision is being made to place an infrastructure for reading RFID tags at the Central Ring Road in Moscow. There is still a vulnerable link in the technology - it is the antenna infrastructure. They can freeze, break from the wind, or be damaged for other reasons. And without antennas, reading is impossible. But the already described optical license plate recognition system can be supplemented with this technology, which will further increase the accuracy and efficiency of toll collection.

The technology of using RFID tags in registration numbers will also help fight theft. Since it is almost impossible to forge an encrypted number, the identification of stolen vehicles will become much easier if the appropriate infrastructure is in place.

VZGLYAD LLC is developing another technology in this direction. There are two main links in the company's project: a composite number with an induction tag-transmitter and a receiver, which is located in the body of the road under asphalt layers. The technology is similar to the Atlas idea, however, the antennas for reading the signal are not located outside, but inside the road. The advantage of the technology is that it brings the reading accuracy as close as possible to 100%. In addition, there is no dependence on the weather and everything that may be on the road (ice, water, mud). What does it look like? On the section of the road under the layers of pavement there is a special heavy-duty capsule, which contains an induction reader that responds to a signal "from above". The reader creates a magnetic field around itself, into which a car with a state registration plate of a special design enters. In general, it does not differ much from the usual aluminum number. It's just that instead of aluminum, a special composite is used with a chip sewn inside that contains simple data. Despite the fact that the receiver is under layers of hard coating, the system receives accurate data on the place, time and all identification data. Thanks to this, it is possible to determine exactly who and when drove on the road by sending a payment receipt directly to the driver's account. The system is easy to scale and operate. Capsules with receivers can be located at exits, ramps and other paid sections of roads. The technology does not require the deployment of outdoor antennas and complex suspended infrastructure. It is only required to “roll up” a capsule under the asphalt, bring the cable out of the road and connect it to a single system. The advantage of this technology, as well as similar ones, is the use of a special registration number. The registration plate is the property of the state, and, accordingly, the issuance of modified numbers depends entirely on its will. This will greatly facilitate the transition to a new technology, because the state has the resources that can move the barriers to implementation. In a sense, this may be like exchanging Soviet passports for personal documents of a new type.

Implementation difficulties

The described technologies have a number of pros and cons, but their development is impossible without solving the key problems that the participants of the round table have repeatedly named.

First, continuous improvement of optical systems is necessary, because they fail more often than others.

Secondly, it is necessary to improve the legislative base, which would ensure the unhindered exchange of information, installation and launch of such systems. Indeed, for the functioning of barrier-free fare payment, the integration of many existing systems, databases and much more is necessary. It is worth noting that the recently adopted laws within the framework of the Yarovaya package create noticeable problems along the way. The government is working to soften the provisions of the laws. This was announced at the plenary session of the ITSONROAD conference by the Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building, Chairman of the Interim Commission of the Federation Council on the Development of the Information Society Lyudmila Bokova. Together with the laws, it is also necessary to solve the problem of information security of roads - to build cellular communication masts, lay fiber optic cables and much more.

An amazing thing is that a new, beautiful child has appeared at the canteens of the times of the scoop, which were infested with flies. Or, rather, one of the relatives - the roots are foreign. And the reputation is completely different - free fl catering is very popular and profitable on a global scale. In fact, this is again a conveyor - the same tray, the same portioned plates, chosen independently. But - there is almost no queue, the tables are rubbed to a shine, decorated with napkins, and the choice of dishes is worthy buffet in an upscale restaurant.

Perhaps, a free-float catering establishment embodies all the dreams of a visitor - tasty, varied, traditionally inexpensive. Self service is not boring. And most importantly - freedom, free flow is translated - free movement, swimming. Are you interested in what format free float can be? A fast food restaurant, a fast food cafe, a free flow pub or even a corporate canteen.

In Russia, as in many countries, institutions of this type are practically doomed to success, because it is known that the crisis and other problems whet the appetite. Affordable prices and well-established free-flo methods allow you to do business with a big profit. If time is precious to you, there is start-up capital, and you agree to adhere to network standards, you can take a ready-made free flow franchise. For example, the Rake network, with an initial contribution of about 2 million rubles, with an area of ​​500 sq. m. and a payback of 2.5 years.

Advantages of free-flo

Useful, tasty, affordable, fast. Characterized by fresh quality food, cooking in front of visitors, and mainly from natural products. Well-established free-flow technologies allow you not to lose the pace of service even during peak hours. The prices are democratic, the average check is no more than 200-300 rubles.

Everything is moving. Everything is mobile - food, plates, menus, and most importantly - visitors. This is achieved due to the fact that the distribution line is not made by one thread, as it was, for example, in the canteen of Soviet times. It is divided into thematic sections - confectionery, meat, salad and others. To introduce new dishes to the menu, it is enough to order the production of TTK for free-flo dishes. The menu for free-flow is updated as needed.

Nothing extra. Firstly, there are no queues that bother everyone, several lines of distribution are formed in the form of “separate islands” - this is the main difference. Secondly - there are no waiters and tips. A confectionery shop and a kitchen factory can provide up to a dozen establishments with processed raw materials and semi-finished products at the same time.

At ease. There is no pathos and elitism. For example, visitors to the free flow canteen come in casual clothes and ideally for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They feel at home, and they choose a comfortable place for themselves, where to stay and relax over a meal in a pleasant company. Spacious, as the area of ​​​​the premises is from 100 to 500 square meters. m for one level and up to 2000 sq. m for a multi-level institution.

Everything is transparent. Most of the dishes are prepared in the same hall where the distribution takes place - the so-called "open kitchen" principle. Free flow products and semi-finished products are pre-prepared by the establishment's kitchen or a centralized chain kitchen.

Abundance. A visitor to the free flow catering can choose what he wants even at the stage of preparation from a large assortment of all kinds of dishes and drinks. The list of dishes is designed for anyone, even refined taste, including dishes suitable for vegetarians and children. It is enough to buy a collection of recipes for dishes for free fl o to quickly create a menu, technological maps you will receive a bonus. A fast food restaurant usually has a variety of national cuisines. The number of seats depends on the concept of the institution, the area and design of the premises, from 50 to 300.

Original. Inexpensive decorations and talented artists allow you to make any design and interior - in country style, thematic or even historical. If the street where the free flow cafe is located is picturesque and rich in sights, panoramic windows are good.

Anywhere. You can open free flo catering everywhere. In a shopping complex, office and business center, in a separate building, in the attic or basement of a residential building. The location along traffic flows is promising - free-flo cafes by the road, at railway stations.

Free flo in Russian - McDonald's is resting!

So, free flow catering is a promising type of new business that is deservedly popular. In it, innovative methods of organizing the work of a public catering establishment are harmoniously combined with a reduction in the cost of servicing the trading floor, due to the minimum presence of service personnel and many other chips.

Therefore, if you decide to start your own business, open your own fast food cafe, or a canteen, or even a free-float restaurant. Approach your finest hour! And let competitors envy your profit in a year, because in order to achieve a return, you will have to invest a lot of money and use various methods to attract customers at first. However, do not relax, because social responsibility is ahead of you! You simply have an obligation to ensure that the entire population of the areas close to you is fast, but healthy and delicious food, pushing aside McDonald's and other irrelevant foreign fast food. And of course, in the coming years, expand your business by opening several more similar establishments, because the basis of the project is simply doomed to success!