Greene King trials AI at its 'innovation pubs'

Greene King has been trialling AI and new technology in real-life pub environments to measure its effectiveness on customers, teams and operations, as well as its money-saving potential.

State-of-the-art fryers, grills and extraction equipment, intelligent dispense cellar equipment, team headsets, camera monitoring and cordless backpack vacuum cleaners are among the new technology and AI equipment being trialled.

Digitalising administration tasks to reduce paperwork, AI food waste capture technology, AI gantries and smart vending are also being monitored as part of Greene King’s new ‘innovation pub’ scheme, a programme designed to test a wide range of new products and smart technology to explore efficiencies across the business.

Teams at two managed pubs in Leicestershire, The Charnwood Arms and The Two Steeples, have been working with the latest equipment and gadgets over the past eight months, with further tech to be put to the test in-pub during 2026.

"We are pleased to be capturing the power of artificial intelligence and innovation in our pubs," says Greene King’s chief operating officer Clair Preston-Beer. "We are putting this equipment through its paces in busy, live pub environments to really measure the positive impact and scalable potential in the wider business. Today’s customers rightly expect an outstanding pub experience – it is key to all we do – and we want our teams to have the best tools to work with. At the same time, we must be operationally efficient given the current costs of doing business. Operational savings give us the opportunity to invest further in our pubs and our people."

Tech-ing the boxes

Greene has told Pub & Bar that its pub teams are making the most of real-time communication via headsets connecting front- and back-of-house; ‘press for attention’ buttons at reception has reduced dwell times for customers; intelligent dispense in the cellars has improved beer yield and quality; new energy efficient grills running off a three-pin plug; and energy efficient and oil-saving fryers have proved they can handle all the kitchen demands from day to night.

Additionally, a new airflow system adjusts extraction depending on the current level of cooking. Oil can be used for three times longer in the new fryers without impacting on quality of the food served. Cleaning has been made less cumbersome and more user-friendly thanks to cordless vacuum backpacks which are lightweight and easy to manoeuvre.

Further trials are underway with AI-camera technology, which has enhanced the existing pub cameras, allowing for remote monitoring of CCTV footage.

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