Commercial, Energy Efficiency  -  August 23, 2018

Pizza Hut serves energy efficiency with IoT

Pizza Hut franchisee The American West Restaurant Group (AWRG) has employed the IoT (Internet of Things) to save $2 million a year via energy efficiency at 250 restaurants in the next five years.

A report by Food, Drink and Franchise World said AWRG has partnered with EcoEnergy Insights to implement the energy management systems, which 'integrates buildings across borders" and generates energy savings. Jerry Ardizzone, president of AWRG, said, "We were convinced the answer was in advanced analytics, not in retrofitting, as in, modification to existing restaurants that may improve energy efficiency or decrease in energy demand."

The report noted that as energy costs rise, investing in energy efficiency is the best way to lower these costs, citing an EPA statistic that "restaurants can use up to 2.5 times more energy per square foot than other commercial buildings."

American West Restaurant Group operates the third largest Pizza Hut franchise in the U.S., as well as brands including Muscle Maker Grill, Fresca’s Mexican Grill, and Jojo's Pizza Kitchen. The company plans to implement the IoT solutions in hundreds of locations in California and Utah as part of its goal to reduce monthly energy use by 15%.