Technology impacts almost every aspect of our lives. It has been an important part of the hospitality industry for a long time. Today’s technological advancements are being used in restaurants around the world to great success. These advancements are helping restaurant owners to expand their businesses. Nowadays, creating a website for your restaurant is simple, even if you don’t have any experience building websites. With a restaurant website maker, you can easily create a professional-looking website that showcases your menu, hours, location, and more in just a few minutes.
This article will tell you how technology helps restaurant owners to manage payments more quickly:
Touchscreen POS Terminals
Implementing smart retail technology, such as touchscreen POS terminals, is highly efficient. They are used in most businesses nowadays. Touchscreen terminals are powered by POS software, like the micros restaurant system, which operate with an easy-to-use interface. POS software simplifies the order-taking process, so that staff can take orders at a quicker pace. Most POS systems also have customer-facing screens that allow customers to see their orders being placed in real-time.
Higher-end POS terminals also allow for payments to be made through a reader integrated with the terminal itself.
Pay at the Table
For several years now, businesses have encouraged the use of pay-at-table applications. These applications display a restaurant’s menu and allow customers to order directly from their phone, without having to communicate with staff.
Due to strict COVID-19 regulations introduced to the hospitality sector by governments from around the world, restaurants have made pay-at-table applications mandatory.
Pay-at-table applications give a restaurant’s guests the ability to order and pay for their meal without having to break social distancing guidelines and without having to come into contact with other people. This gives your staff and your guests peace of mind. It also allows your restaurant to run more efficiently. If you need some furniture you should check out what is on offer here for restaurants
Some restaurants, like Yo! Sushi, for example, have used conveyor belts for many years. Now they use them in combination with pay-at-table applications to further reduce the chances of viral transmission taking place inside their restaurants. Guests order from their phones, and their meal is delivered by conveyor belt.
Contactless Payments
Contactless payment is very important to customers. It is fast, efficient, and easy. They don’t have to bother counting out notes or writing a check, and instead, can tap their card and get back to entertaining their guests.
Contactless also allows customers to avoid physical contact with people, which is very important in the wake of the pandemic.
The only downside to contactless payment machines is that there are often limits to how much people can spend. While this does stop fraud, it also makes them less helpful in preventing the spread of viruses.
Self-Order Kiosks
Self-order kiosks are very popular in large fast-food restaurants like Burger King and McDonald’s. They are also growing in popularity among smaller businesses. They allow guests to pay for their food without having to interact with other people. They also make it easier for guests to review a restaurant’s menu and customise their order.
If self-order kiosks are used correctly, then they can actually increase the amount of money that your customers spend. They can also reduce queue times and help your staff to manage orders more efficiently.
Because multiple people will use a self-order kiosk, it’s important that it is regularly disinfected and cleaned. You should also offer bottles of antibacterial hand gel at tables next to each kiosk.
KDS
KDS or kitchen display systems are another great technological addition to the hospitality sector. They do not process payments but are still very effective. In busy restaurants, screens are used to display orders. This helps kitchen staff to keep on track and get orders out to guests quickly.
They are typically mounted on the wall, which allows all kitchen staff to view open orders on a single screen. These screens display orders in real-time, so staff can begin putting meals together the minute that the order is placed.
Receipt and Kitchen Printers
After payment has been processed, most customers will expect to receive a receipt. A receipt will tell them what they have ordered and, in most cases, give them an order number. Receipt printers are used by the front-of-house staff. In busy restaurants, printers are very important.
Kitchen printers are used as an alternative to the above-mentioned kitchen display systems. They are less common nowadays but are still used in smaller restaurants. Kitchen printers print out orders as they come in. These receipts are then stuck to a board. The kitchen staff will begin preparing orders after the receipts have been stuck to the board.
Cash Drawer
While cash is used less and less, more so in the wake of the pandemic, cash drawers are still important. They are also vulnerable to theft. It’s important that you invest in the highest quality cash drawer that you can.
You can find high quality, modern cash drawers that utilise the latest technology to secure your money. You should make sure that you empty out your cash draw every night, keep it locked, and do not leave it unattended.
Food-Delivery Applications
With the first COVID-19 lockdown came a huge surge in the food-delivery industry. Restaurants that had never previously offered takeout began using applications like Just Eat, Uber Eats, and Deliveroo just to keep their doors open. Most businesses are still relying on food-delivery applications, even after lockdowns have finished. Food-delivery applications are now a must-have for all types of restaurants, especially since the government cannot rule out further lockdowns taking place.
Some restaurants have also designed their own native food-delivery applications. This gives customers the ability to order from a business without using a third-party application and having to pay the fees and costs associated with using these applications.
Prebooking Applications
Prebooking applications have existed for a long time. They allow customers to book tables from the comfort of their homes, without having to worry about walking in and not finding a table or battling through busy phone lines. Some of these applications also allow customers to order drinks and starters to be brought to them after they arrive. This allows them to relax upon arriving and gives them time to collect themselves before they begin looking through the menu and selecting main course meals.
Technology has allowed businesses to streamline their payments. As time goes on, more and more incredible technological innovations will be introduced into the hospitality sector. For restaurants, this is fantastic.