Cooking and eating are two of the most common activities where people customize their experience, be it with preparation or seasoning. Two companies crossed my radar this week that take the concept of customizing food to new heights.
AJ Bombers, a burger joint in Milwaukee Wisconsin makes customization a core part of their story. They maintain a blog/social service called the “Burger Whisperer” where you can suggest a burger recipe and perhaps see it added to their “secret menu”. This burger was created as a fromage homage to Foursquare (It has four squares of cheese on it). It is simple, but a neat way to involve customers. It seems like this could be the central theme to a restaurant if executed properly.
A decidedly more high tech example of customization with food is a new kiosk, created by Kraft foods that scans your face, suggests meal options basd on gender/age, provides a free sample or two, and allows you to play a game while shopping. It seems like a neat concept and the first step towards a Minority Report style of advertising. Hat tip to Alyssa for the link.
Overall, food seems like an interesting place for customization enthusiasts to turn their attention. Late stage differentiation is easier in a kitchen than a factory and if you do a good job, repeat business can be the norm.
Related articles
- Milwaukee: What’s All the Hype About at AJ Bombers? (aht.seriouseats.com)
- Restaurant Uses Foursquare and a Boat to Hit Sales Record (hubspot.com)
