Upgrade Your Restaurant with Pay-at-the-Table Solutions
Customers’ expectations for their dining experiences are ever-shifting, but one thing that’s steadily in demand is convenience. This demand extends into several aspects of your business, but one of the most crucial is how customers pay their bill. Factors ranging from the prevalence of mobile devices to post-pandemic desires for less contact have influenced the rise of pay-at-the-table technology. In a 2021 study, 54% of customers said they’d prefer to use their smartphones to settle the bill without having to wait for a server.
Don’t let your restaurant get left behind. It’s more important now than ever to learn about the different pay-at-the-table restaurant solutions and how they can benefit your business.
Types of Pay-at-the-Table Solutions
Restaurants looking to get started with pay-at-the-table should consider the types of available solutions. The two most commonly used solutions are the tableside point of sale (POS) and quick response (QR) code payments.
Tableside POS: Once a customer is ready for checkout, a server will arrive at the table with a tablet POS or mobile PIN pad. The server can determine how the table will split the bill, collect and take multiple payments, enter tips, and produce a receipt all in one visit.
QR Code: Customers scan a QR code (a square, two-dimensional barcode) on the receipt with their smartphone camera. A link will appear on the customer’s phone to take them to the payment screen. From there, customers can enter their payment information and add a tip.
While both payment methods are great options, it’s essential to consider the benefits of each solution to determine which would work best for your restaurant before implementing pay-at-the-table.
Tableside POS Benefits
Free Up Staff: Your employees spend a lot of time on tasks that pay-at-the-table solutions eliminate. For example, when customers are ready for their check, a server has to deliver the bill, run payments, bring receipts to be signed, and ensure those receipts are correctly stored. That’s a lot of running back and forth to a stationary POS that may well be congested with other servers needing to use it, causing more delays. The right tableside POS solution eliminates those tasks, which gives your servers more time to focus on customer service.
Increase Table Turnover: Since pay-at-the-table reduces the number of trips staff have to make to and from the POS, it also decreases the time it takes to close a sale. Quicker transactions mean customers can finish dining faster, opening up more tables and opportunities to seat more customers, thereby increasing revenue.
Boost the Customer Experience: With staff having more time to focus on customers, you’ll create a better experience for your diners. Plus, no one likes sitting around and waiting for the check after their meal. Quicker transactions will increase customer satisfaction, leading to other benefits such as higher tips and a greater likelihood of return visits.
QR Code Pay-at-the-Table Benefits
Much like tableside POS, QR code pay can help free up your staff, increase table turnover, and boost customer experience. However, adding QR code pay has additional benefits of its own.
Cost-Effective: With QR code pay-at-the-table, all you need is the proper software integration to create QR codes on each receipt. This is an excellent option for restaurants on a budget to offer table-side payment solutions.
Quick, Easy Set-Up: Since QR code pay doesn’t require purchasing additional hardware, restaurants can quickly start offering pay-at-the-table. Once the software is integrated, restaurants can begin adding QR codes to their receipts — no need to learn how to use a new product.
Contactless and Secure: Many patrons will feel more comfortable having less contact with the server and avoiding publicly handled items such as bill folders and pens. Plus, the customer’s credit or debit card isn’t changing hands or leaving their sight, creating peace of mind.
Why Restaurants Need to Invest in Pay-at-the-Table Solutions
Pay-at-the-table solutions like tableside POS and QR codes benefit your restaurant operations and boost the customer experience. Restaurants that invest in these solutions have far more opportunities to succeed than those without them.
With a POS partner like NCC, it’s easier than ever to begin offering pay-at-the-table restaurant solutions. Contact our team of experts today to discuss which solutions are best for your restaurant.
