The Most Successful Restaurants Have These 3 Technologies in Common
In 2021, the difference between a successful restaurant and an unsuccessful restaurant is the willingness to modernize with the times. Restaurants stuck in old ways won’t be around for much longer amid rapidly changing customer preferences and demands. Technology plays a massive role in the success of the modern restaurant. It provides convenience, ease, and efficiency to the customer experience as well as restaurant operations. The most successful restaurants usually have these three technology solutions in common. Keep reading to find out what they are:
Online Ordering
Online ordering is perhaps one of the most essential restaurant technologies. Restaurateurs miss out on a litany of benefits without it. The first of these benefits is increased revenue. Online ordering allows your restaurant to fulfill additional orders when in-house dining is at max capacity, maximizing the number of customers you can serve at a given time. Additionally, online orders tend to produce large ticket sizes as customers can take their time to view the menu and be influenced by upselling tactics.
In addition to increased revenue, online ordering also improves customer satisfaction. When ordering online, customers can reduce wait times in-house. Even if your restaurant currently takes orders over the phone, customers prefer ordering online because it requires no human interaction. The convenient and straightforward nature of online ordering is sure to satisfy.
Lastly, online ordering streamlines operations by allowing for faster, more accurate service. When a customer places an order, it is sent directly to the kitchen for immediate preparation, reducing human error and saving time that might otherwise have been spent correcting a mistake. Online ordering also eliminates the need for staff to answer the phone for pickup orders, allowing them to focus on more critical tasks at hand.
QR Code Payment Technology
Less popular than online ordering but surely gaining traction is QR code payment technology. Increasing in popularity due to COVID-19, this contactless payment option facilitates instant payment for curbside and tableside service. All customers need to do is point their phone’s camera at the code. Once they do that, a notification will pop up that they can tap to be taken to a webpage to enter their payment information.
QR code payment will become a necessary tool among the most successful restaurants in 2021 because it offers restaurants the opportunity to provide customers with fast, efficient, and contactless transactions. Instead of waiting for the server to drop off the check, collect the payment, process the payment, and return for signatures, the whole process is completed in one visit. This eliminates customer frustration while waiting around for the check when they’re ready to leave.
QR code payment is also a more affordable technology solution for restaurants. Some restaurants opt to purchase a fleet of hardware such as tablets or mobile pin pads to offer mobile payment. While they have similar functionality, utilizing QR codes can be more cost-effective and more attainable than introducing new and expensive hardware and the software to go with it.
Self-Service Kiosks
The third technology solution most successful restaurants have in common is self-service kiosks. Self-service kiosks can be used as stand-alone kiosks or as a POS tablet at the table. While dining in, a tablet self-service kiosk is a great way for customers to place their own orders.
With the tablet conveniently at the table, they can easily add menu items, order another round of drinks, and more. When they’re all finished, they can even pay the bill by themselves or with minimal assistance from staff. During peak hours, staff can become very busy, and customer service can slow. Self-service kiosks at the table maintain excellent customer service when customers can control when to order and when to checkout.
Self-service kiosks are also extremely beneficial in the fast-food realm. When lines are long during peak hours, customers can skip the line and go straight to the kiosk to place and pay for their order themselves.
Being tech-savvy is, and will continue to be, a common trait among the most successful restaurants in 2021 and beyond. If your restaurant’s success has been on the wayside as of late, perhaps it’s a sign to invest in one of these three technology solutions. Who can argue with increased ease, convenience, and efficiency? If the investment is what’s holding you back, these solutions will undoubtedly pay for themselves in no time.
NCC can help you get your restaurant on track for success with the latest technology trends. Contact us today to get started.
