Inamo chief executive Lee Skinner has told MCA the tech-driven Pan-Asian restaurant group is in discussion with potential franchisees in the Middle East.
Speaking a week after the launch of Inamo’s third site in Camden, Skinner, formerly of Kout Food Group, said the group wanted to get to double figures in the medium to long term, but was under no pressure to rapidly expand.
The group uses projector technology to beam multimedia onto guests’ tables, which allows them to order using clickers or tablets, as well as play games and other entertainment.
Skinner said the focus on technology, which is developed by a demerged subsidiary business, is geared towards customer experience, not just operational efficiency and consumer convenience as some restaurant technology is.
He said: “There is no one else doing this. We own all the IP globally. There are people doing similar but not at our level. I think we’re a market leader in terms of using projections in the restaurant.
“There is the efficiency side of things, and how you manage multiple sites, and technology makes that side if running a restaurant much easier.
“But the reason Inamo does it is to give guests control over their experience, they can order through their mouse on the table, or tablet.
“What we’ve tried to do is have those back of those management functions but also allow guests to have complete control.”
The group has recently introduced new doodling function on its projectors, and is working on collaborative playlists so guests can influence the music.
Skinner said: “We’re always evolving and testing things. We’ve got lots of ideas and plans for 2017.
“We have list of 20 things on our office wall and some of them are wacky and will never happen, but that’s brainstorming. It’s a very entrepreneurial way of doing things.”
On potential expansion, he added: “We want to be able to continue to grow, though here’s nothing on the horizon just yet.
“We are a small restaurant group and we want to get this into double figures.
“We’re in discussion with people in the Middle East about franchising very much looking at this as avenue
“We want to do this in the right way, we’re not about racking up loads of debt. If good sites come along we’ll throw our names in the hat.
“We will find site number four and five when it’s the right time. Mid to long term there’s some stuff in the pipeline.”
