Restaurant technologies are constantly innovating. The restaurant industry is always growing and improving. However, when it comes to utilizing new restaurant technologies, it’s not as fast as other sectors in the hospitality industry. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants were forced to think outside the box in order to keep their businesses running. They did this in large part with restaurant technology.
On-site dining–as is seen in fine dining restaurants–decreased worldwide, and keeping up with the latest restaurant technology trends was a must. Restaurant technology forced businesses to move past traditional models and methods.
The common business owner learned how to run a successful restaurant business by improving everyday operations with technology. So, what are restaurant technologies?
Restaurant technologies have acted as a life raft to help restaurants reinvent their businesses and achieve restaurant success. They were able to modernize them and set them up for future growth and success. Let’s dive a bit deeper.
What Are Restaurant Technologies?
Restaurant technologies are tools, software, and equipment that simplify operations and increase the likelihood of profitability for restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and similar food establishments. These tools allow for an efficient business process and increase the possibilities of customer satisfaction.
Technological innovations are more common these days than ever before. With a growing and increasingly competitive hospitality industry, it’s crucial for restaurants to stay on top of the latest tools for their business. This includes hospitality software.
5 Restaurant Technologies to Use In 2022
Some restaurant technologies have become imperative these days. This is because they increase efficiency, automation operations, and improve customer relationship management strategies. Things have progressed since the introduction of the UPC code in the early 1970s.
Here are five restaurant technologies to use in 2022:
Online Ordering
Online ordering for restaurants is an option that many customers look for these days. Restaurants are rolling out technology to support such options and simplify the food delivery process. Customers have the choice to browse through the digital menu ordering options across various platforms.
The typical restaurant online ordering platform allows customers to include special instructions regarding their orders such as extra ingredients and dietary preferences. This makes it possible to customize orders as needed.
Online ordering apps and platforms, such as Order One by Revolution, work with restaurants to allow customers to place orders for delivery. These restaurant technologies are beneficial for quick-service restaurants. It makes it less likely for them to miss out on an order or mix it up with another.
In a post-pandemic world, restaurants are still vulnerable. They’re under strict restrictions, are paying specific attention to food safety, and follow sanitary regulations. Given all of this, online ordering and contactless deliveries are a new technology in restaurants that are here to stay.
Inventory Management Software
Efficiency is a top priority for every business, especially when it comes to inventory tracking. By automating the inventory management process, the restaurant manager can allocate labor hours and labor cost elsewhere.
Inventory management software allows restaurants to track their food and beverage stock. They also have the ability to anticipate quantities and schedule reordering. Such software automatically calculates the reorder point of items and notifies the staff.
Implementing inventory management software reduces food waste and cuts costs and restaurant monthly expenses by minimizing food surplus. This is also a way for a restaurant to improve its sustainability. Look into the ERP meaning to see how ERP systems help with inventory processes. It's also possible to keep track of inventory turnover.
Cloud-Based POS Systems
One of the major restaurant technologies out there is cloud-based point-of-sale (POS) systems. These POS systems utilize cloud technology to move and store data. A restaurant POS platform can benefit from cloud-based options since it’s remotely accessible. This makes it simple to take orders and process payments through payment processing software.
Common restaurant cloud-based POS systems include:
Touchscreen POS Systems
These systems allow customers to touch a screen to process payments on tablets or mobile devices. Customers can securely make payments, add tip amounts, and use other touchscreen components with touchscreen POS systems. It’s a user-friendly kind of restaurant technology that speeds up the checkout process.
Self Ordering Kiosks
This kind of restaurant technology is increasingly common. It provides customers with the ability to place food orders through self-service order points. By doing this, businesses reduce wait times and the demands on wait staff.
Through the self-ordering kiosks, customers are able to customize their orders and use eCommerce payment processing technology to pay. This kind of POS system is commonly used in restaurants offering takeaway services and fast food establishments during peak hours.
Handheld POS Systems
Investing in restaurant tech improves efficiency and this is especially true with handheld POS systems. These systems allow restaurant staff to process payments at the restaurant table. Handheld POS systems are portable devices that are used for order taking and payment processing. They improve accuracy, efficiency, and convenience.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software
Restaurant customer relationship management software is a tool that manages guest data in order to personalize services and marketing efforts. These efforts are what encourage customers to come back.
Common CRM tools store customer contact information and personal data such as their birthday. Such software also tracks food preferences and order history. It’s common for CRM software to help with customer experience management strategy, eCommerce email marketing efforts, eCommerce marketing, and SMS marketing to improve the customer base.
Linking CRM software to a POS system provides helpful insights regarding your business. This includes the best- and least-selling items and peak hours of the day and week. With this information, you can create menu offerings and deals to maximize restaurant profit margin.
Customer relationship management software is essential for all food establishments and it's one of the restaurant management software that is commonly used. It collects collaborative, operational, and analytical data that is useful for your business.
Loyalty Programs
When opening a business, attracting and retaining customers is important. This applies when opening a restaurant, opening a bakery, opening a food truck, opening a grocery store, opening a coffee shop, or a ghost kitchen. That’s where a loyalty program can be beneficial.
Your business’ loyalty program should be part of your restaurant business plan. It’s a proven method for attracting and retaining customers. These programs increase customer engagement and incline them to come back.
In the past, employees had to manually input information for loyalty cards in order for customers to start accumulating and redeeming points. However, these days restaurants can sync their POS software with their loyalty program to automate that process. All that is necessary includes the customer's name and email address or phone number.
This automation process ensures that customers can accumulate their points and enjoy the perks of the restaurant loyalty program. Restaurants have the option to integrate their POS system into multiple loyalty programs. This encourages customers to order more frequently in order to save on their orders.
Frequently Asked Questions About Restaurant Technologies
What Technologies Are Used In Restaurants?
Common restaurant technologies include:
- Online ordering platforms
- Inventory management software
- Cloud-based POS systems
- Customer relationship management (CRM) software
- Loyalty programs
How Does Technology Improve Restaurant Operations?
Technology improves restaurant operations because it allows restaurant staff to provide exceptional customer service by simplifying daily operations. Certain restaurant technology allows staff to look into the customer’s order history in order to upsell or cross-sell items (see what is cross selling). Other technologies allow customers to place orders on their own without the need for wait staff. Such technology is important to have especially when you bring in customers through O2O marketing.
How Is Technology Changing the Restaurant Industry?
Technology is changing the restaurant industry by enhancing the customer experience. This is done by reducing wait times, improving accuracy, and increasing efficiency. Restaurant technology that contributes to this change includes mobile ordering technology and cloud-based POS systems.