1. Instant feedback
In developing menu items, “My goal is to get the food conversation started,” says Dowd. At the test unit, teams from purchasing, operations, quality assurance and marketing provide input. Plus, Moe’s can get a quick pulse on how something will do through real-time sales data and customer response. “It gives us a reality check and a chance to make adjustments to the recipe or procedure as needed,” says Dowd.