The CEOs of Din Tai Fung think robots would ruin their iconic soup dumplings
The chain's chiefs say making their iconic pork dumplings, with their precise 18 folds, is delicate work.
A machine making them would mean "sacrificing heavily on the quality," CEO Aaron Yang told BI.
Din Tai Fung thinks robots aren't good enough to make their iconic pork soup dumplings.
The Taiwanese chain's North America CEO, Aaron Yang, said Din Tai Fung's xiao long baos, which are known for being pleated at the top with exactly 18 folds, are "very, very delicate." Yang, 33, leads the company alongside his brother, Albert Yang, 32.
And they make a lot of them — Din Tai Fung sells an average of 10,000 handmade xiao long baos every day at each of its North American outlets, the chain told BI. It has over 173 outlets in 13 countries, including the US, Canada, and the UK.
"The way we make the skins, they're paper thin yet strong enough to hold the soup inside," said Yang.
"We are just very uncompromising about quality," he said. "We've seen machines make soup dumplings, and you're definitely sacrificing heavily on the quality."
Yang said their compromise with automation in the kitchen was to deploy it in areas where "it doesn't affect quality," like having a little robot helping the staff run to deliver orders.
"In New York, our kitchen is pretty far away from the takeout area. So we actually have a little robot that runs back and forth delivering the finished takeout bags from the kitchen to the front," he said.
Before the robot was deployed, one person walked back and forth in the restaurant throughout the day.
The human touch
Din Tai Fung's take on automation is in line with that of other chains like Chipotle and Shake Shack, which have both largely kept machines out of the kitchen for the time being.
"We still believe the best way to Chipotle is down the line with a team member, highly customized, great variety, big, beautiful burritos and bowls down the line," Chipotle's CEO, Scott Boatwright, said on an episode of Yahoo Finance's "Opening Bid" podcast that aired in December.
Boatwright added that human interaction is "a core equity of the Chipotle brand."
Chipotle di, tap a robot called" Autocado" in July 2023 to cut, core, and peel avocados, reducing the amount of time needed for the task by half.
Shake Shack's CEO, Danny Meyer, said in a December episode of "Opening Bid" that he did not plan to increase automation in his chain.
"I think when it comes to making the product, there's something about the human touch, smashing that burger, seasoning the burger, flipping the burger, knowing exactly when it is time to come off, where not any two burgers at Shake Shack taste exactly the same," Meyer said.
Starbucks is taking a similar approach, leaving the crafting of drinks to their baristas but rolling out an AI tool that helps baristas remember drink recipes.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Is Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) Trading at an Attractive Price?
Parnassus Investments, an investment management company, released the 'Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund' first quarter 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Russell Midcap Growth Index fell 7.12% in the first quarter, starting with a continuation of the late 2024 rally but later experiencing a sharp decline. The Fund (Investor Shares) fell -9.98% (net of fees) in the quarter, compared to the Russell Midcap Growth Index's -7.12% fall. Stock selection in Consumer Discretionary and Industrials contributed to the relative performance, while Communication Services and Health Care detracted. In addition, please check the fund's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2025. In its first-quarter 2025 investor letter, Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund highlighted stocks such as Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG). Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) owns and operates Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants. The one-month return of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) was 8.50%, and its shares lost 7.32% of their value over the last 52 weeks. On July 3, 2025, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) stock closed at $57.07 per share, with a market capitalization of $76.894 billion. Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund stated the following regarding Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) in its Q1 2025 investor letter: "We also added four competitively advantaged, highly profitable and market-share-gaining companies whose stocks had sold off due to what we view as transitory issues. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) continues to gain share in fast casual thanks to its strong value proposition. A chef plating up a wide variety of dishes for a restaurant chain. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) is not on our list of 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 78 hedge fund portfolios held Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) at the end of the first quarter, which was 83 in the previous quarter. In the first quarter of 2025, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.'s (NYSE:CMG) sales grew over 6% to reach $2.9 billion. While we acknowledge the potential of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as NVIDIA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the undervalued AI stock set for massive gains. In another article, we covered Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) and shared the list of best consumer discretionary stocks to buy. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q1 2025 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors. While we acknowledge the potential of CMG as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: The Best and Worst Dow Stocks for the Next 12 Months and 10 Unstoppable Stocks That Could Double Your Money. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
CNBC
3 hours ago
- CNBC
Fast-casual restaurants lean on loyalty programs to offset consumer pullback
As some consumers pull back on spending amid economic uncertainty, fast-casual restaurant chains are leaning on rewards programs to pull them back in. Loyalty programs, which offer discounts or added perks for returning customers, have transitioned from being a nice bonus for restaurants to a must-have. As cost-cautious diners prioritize value, brands like Chipotle, Starbucks, Cava and others are utilizing rewards to keep customers coming back and building habits that go beyond the occasional coupon. "In tough times, loyalty programs become more essential," said Peter Fader, a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. "They become a required ingredient to building and maintaining relationships." In the 12 months ended in May, the restaurant industry only saw monthly traffic increase once, in November, according to Black Box Intelligence data. As diners visit restaurants less frequently, sales struggle. Only 43% of restaurant brands tracked by Black Box reported same-store sales growth in May. Consumers who join loyalty programs visit restaurants more frequently, making 22% more visits per year to eateries, according to Circana data. They also frequent the brands that they belong to at twice the rate of nonmembers, the market research firm found. Coffee giant Starbucks reported 34.2 million active rewards members in its second quarter and said more than 59% of its U.S. company-owned transactions came from those members. Potbelly has seen similar success: In the first quarter of 2025, over 42% of its total shop sales came from digital business, which includes the loyalty program users. Chipotle has over 20 million active rewards members. It's loyalty program makes up approximately 30% of sales on average each day and helped the burrito chain to avoid major price hikes, according to the company. "We have really strong brand loyalty among our members," Nicole West, Chipotle's vice president of digital experiences, told CNBC. "We're really focused on engaging with our members and doing that in a way that really resonates with them." Driving loyalty is critical for the likes of Chipotle and Starbucks. In the first quarter, Chipotle posted a same-store sales decline for the first time since 2020 and said it saw a "slowdown" in consumer spending. Meanwhile, Starbucks' same-store sales have fallen for five straight quarters. Cava is bucking industry trends with strong sales growth, but faces Wall Street pressure to maintain its rapid expansion. As rewards programs pick up steam, more brands are getting creative and moving beyond the value meal. Cava revamped its rewards program in October 2024 to give customers more flexibility in how they earn and use points. Members can earn points each visit and redeem them for specific items like pita chips or full entrees. The program also includes limited-time offers and in-app challenges. In late March, the company celebrated National Pita Day by rolling out a mascot named "Peter Chip" and offering members complimentary pita chips. "Guests like to see periodic surprises and delight moments where we can reward them with pita chips or other brand offerings," Andrew Rebhun, Cava's chief marketing officer, said The Cava Rewards program now has more than 7 million members. A new tiered system is expected to launch soon, according to Rebhun. Chipotle this year launched a seasonal campaign called "Summer of Extras." The campaign is giving away over $1 million in free burritos, encouraging customers to rack up visits and compete to become the top Chipotle visitor in their state. "We continue to see activations in this program build and excitement and positive reaction across social media from our fans," West said. "We just continue to focus on delivering value to them in ways through programs where customers are given opportunities to 'plus up' their points or earn specific offers by exhibiting specific behaviors." Salad chain Sweetgreen also retooled its loyalty program this spring, moving away from its tiered subscription program that many consumers found confusing. "In a challenging industry environment where consumers are making more intentional choices with every dollar, SG Rewards is designed to meet the moment by delivering a meaningful value," Sweetgreen co-founder and CEO Jonathan Neman said on the company's quarterly conference call in May. Even Starbucks, an established leader in rewards programs, has made changes. In June, the coffee chain ended its 25-star reusable cup bonus and replaced it with double stars across the full purchase. While the change was controversial among loyalists, who claimed the earning potential was reduced, the coffee chain said participation has remained steady. Of course, giving free rewards comes with tradeoffs. Promotions cut into profits in an industry that faces tight margins in the best of times. Restaurant chains hope those freebies drive longer-term loyalty and spending on full-price items. Brands navigating economic pressure are seeing that loyalty programs are helping to drive visits. Potbelly revamped its loyalty system in early 2024, moving to a coin-based structure that allows customers to redeem rewards faster and across more items. Customers now have access to over 14 menu items through the rewards program. This flexibility has led to more frequent visits, Potbelly's chief marketing officer, David Daniels, said. "We saw a lift almost immediately in terms of engagement," Daniels said. "The response has been incredibly positive." Chicago-style eatery Portillo's joined the loyalty game in March with "Portillo's Perks." Instead of using a traditional app, the program utilizes a digital wallet system and focuses on frequency. It tracks how often a customer visits and awards badges as they go. "It gives flexibility to change how the program is deployed," Garrett Kern, Portillo's vice president of strategy and culinary, said to CNBC. "It doesn't require a redesign and relaunch to an application. It was a great way for us to get the program out there in a branded and easy-to-use way." The company is aiming for 1.5 million to 1.7 million sign-ups by mid-summer.
Business Insider
5 hours ago
- Business Insider
Want to land a tech internship? A Google engineer explains how networking 'intentionally' can help
It's just not enough to cold apply for tech jobs anymore, said Aashna Doshi, a two-time intern turned software engineer at Google. To land a spot at a tech giant, you need to be networking "intentionally." "Knowing who you want to meet, finding that common bridge between both of you, and then really learning from their experience, was a big game changer for me," Doshi told Business Insider. Doshi suggests reaching out not only to people whose career paths you'd like to emulate, but also those with whom you share common ground, including similar personal experiences. "I was talking to a bunch of people, and saw this software engineer who was working out of Europe, and was super inspired by her story," she said. "She was also a woman. I love to see other women in tech and also, she's European. I grew up in Belgium, so that's kind of my connecting point to her." A foot in the door While Doshi ended up getting a referral from the engineer in Europe, she said she wasn't initially thinking of asking for one. Reaching out because you're genuinely interested in someone's trajectory, she added, has twofold benefits — you're likely to learn more from a less stilted conversation, and the connection you make could last throughout your career. "I reached out to her to learn more about her story, not like, 'Hey, can I get a referral at Google?'" she said. "I actually didn't even have any intention of asking her for this internship referral, but we became friends and she let me into her life, which is what her day-to-day looks like, how she grows in the role that she's in." Remembering that professional connections, like any relationship, are two-way streets, also goes a long way towards helping them endure, Doshi added. "As we move and progress in our life, the way in which I think about it is, we are collecting people, and we are supporting people," she said. "And the people that will come all the way through will be the ones that you have formed a genuine bond with. If you ask someone for a referral and they give it to you, I mean, that's well and good, but five years down the line, 10 years down the line, they might not even remember who you are." If you can't get an internship, complete a project Since you're likely to be taking similar classes as your competition, it's what you do with that knowledge that can make you stand out, Doshi said. Projects are the "one thing that I will say again and again and again for any student," she said. The Google engineer partly credits her success in securing an internship to the projects she developed in her downtime. "This is the way you can set yourself apart from 1000 other people, because if you take data structures and algorithms, and your peers take data structures and algorithms, you all have the same foundational knowledge that you are building," she told BI. "But what you do with that knowledge, what you do with the data structures and algorithms, really, really makes a difference." There's no pressure to specialize in a niche skillset right out of the gate to impress potential employers, either, Doshi said. What you're really aiming for is a broad knowledge base and a flexible personality. "They don't expect you to come in with tons and tons of experience," she said. "They actually care about more — can you think in a specific way, and given a situation changes, are you able to adapt to that? More than doing like 700 LeetCode questions and getting those exactly right, I tried to do more problem solving in adaptive sense." Becoming a 'go-to' person If and when you finally do land an internship, the challenge then becomes securing a full-time return offer. In Doshi's case, she did her best to become integral to the teams she was placed on — being a point person for a particular issue can help you be more memorable, as well as slowly build a positive reputation with senior employees. "If they have a bug, and they trust you enough to be like, 'Oh, Aashna, you've done something like this before. Why don't you take this up?'" she said. "That is not just giving you work. It's, 'Oh, we trust you to take something like this up.' So being that person they can trust, being that go-to person, is an absolute game changer." Doshi also cautions interns against self-isolating. You're not expected to know everything, and shouldn't try to act like you do. "As an intern, you are coming in with, as everyone knows, less experience than the rest of the team. The intention is to show progress," she said, adding, "The key lies in asking the right questions. A lot of people say there are no wrong questions, etc, etc. Maybe there are no wrong questions, but there are questions that are better than others, in my opinion." Knowing how to ask for help can be just as important as knowing when — Doshi suggests presenting your questions in a way that shows you've attempted to solve the problem on your own first. "Do your due diligence before that, which means if you're stuck, ask the right person for help," she said. "I'm going to explain that I already tried to do X, Y, Z, and it didn't work. How do I move forward?" The goal of an internship is, after all, to absorb as much knowledge as possible. Try to avoid letting your fear of looking lost halt your progress, she added. "So this kind of framework really accelerated my learnings, because I wasn't wasting hours and hours on something that absolutely I didn't understand or didn't work," she said. "And while I wasn't spending those hours, I still did my due diligence, which is, do my research, look through the code base."
