PC Tank in Luxembourg. En route to success with the iHexagon.

The challenge is producing just enough food -

• Fresh food, partly 24/7
• Quick heating/preparation times
• Reduce customer waiting times
• Ensure food quality
• Preparation in keeping with the food concept

The solution?

• iHexagon

Benefits to customers:

• Quick food production and serving times
• Top-quality results
• Standardization
• Short wait times
• High customer satisfaction

When things slow down later that morning, the trio uses the time to prepare for lunch. They garnish pizza, assemble burgers (with meat or fish, to cater to different tastes), and top various types of ciabatta. If someone orders one of the premade snacks, it goes into the iHexagon for about a minute and a half. The iHexagon knows how to prepare which foods, and it yields the same great results reliably every time.

One big help to Antonio and his team at lunchtime is that the iHexagon has six racks, which can be used simultaneously. Burgers, toasted baguettes with cheese, wraps, they can all go in at once, provided that the cooking cabinet climate fits the food.

“We produce high-quality food, and to do that, we need high-quality equipment," explains Natalie Höft, Assistant Retail Manager at PC Tank. RATIONAL expert Alexander Stöckl, National iHexagon Key Account Manager, evaluates how an iHexagon can contribute. He shows Cédric Levannier, who manages food concepts at PC Tank, and Natalie Höft the iHexagon's intelligent cooking paths for their existing food concept. Its precise use of steam, hot air, and microwave is like a guarantee for success. The cooking program is then saved on MyDisplay, so Antonio and his team just have to tap the corresponding image and the iHexagon starts working.

Test cooking helps determine where work steps can be saved and which processes can be streamlined. Old kitchen technology can't keep up.

In total, Cédric Levannier and Natalie Höft are responsible for 24 filling stations. Most of them have hot food; the largest ones offer 24/7 service – always based on the same food concept. Eight gas stations have their own kitchens, which prepare lunch and to-go dishes under the Gourmet Rapide private label; customers can dine in order food to carry out and regenerate at home or in the office.

The gas station is a popular lunch spot for construction workers, tradespeople, and truckers as well as employees at nearby offices and parents with children. And even though it’s full, nobody has to wait long for their freshly prepared food. The iHexagon's mixed loads feature allows them to prepare extra batches as needed, which significantly reduces food waste and ensures a constant supply of hot-counter products.

What's equally important to PC Tank professionals are the quantities that can be prepared. "Speed ovens only have one chamber," Natalie Höft says, "so you can put a maximum of two burgers in at once, and then the next customer has to wait. With the iHexagon, we can prepare a lot of products at once; we can even stick them in the cooking cabinet at different times. So customers never have to wait long, even when there’s a lot of traffic."

She sees another big advantage in terms of space – namely, the space that isn't needed. “None of our kitchens are big, because we'd rather set up tables and chairs for our guests.” The iHexagon can replace other appliances, such as speed ovens.

Another 15 stations sell to-go meals and snacks. Every day, the refrigerated counter offers around 10 different prepared meals, which customers can heat up on-site or take with them.

The iHexagon is already handling this at two locations, with more to come. “The iHexagon won us over quickly,” says Natalie Höft. "We make a point of buying high-quality basic products, so we we also have to make sure they're prepared with care. And we can count on the iHexagon to make that happen." Juicy breaded chicken, golden-brown baguettes, and on-point burgers are just a few pieces of mouthwatering evidence for that.

PC Tank intends to start making more use of ConnectedCooking to streamline its processes even further, allow service technicians to access cooking systems remotely, and speed up repairs. The system also allows users to check RATIONAL cooking systems' power consumption at individual locations and view suggested improvements (closing doors, reducing idle runs, or simply monitoring more closely), all right from their desks.

It’s afternoon now in Differdange. Pastries, freshly baked in the iHexagon, are finding plenty of takers as they wait behind the glass of the self-service case. The savory options will take precedence again in a few hours, a seamless transition that puts the iHexagon's flexibility on full display – it's equally suited to production and rush hour.

To make things as easy as possible for the team on site, the iHexagon’s iCareSystem AutoDose handles intelligent cleaning. Instead of tabs, it uses cartridges, which are stored right inside the cooking system so that no one has to worry about measuring the correct quantities or coming into contact with chemicals.