Restaurants have found creative ways to adhere to social distancing and safety measures this year. Digitization has grown significantly as customers rely more and more on online ordering solutions. Make it easier than QR codes: The future of contactless dining.
88% of restaurants have considered shifting entirely online since seeing the positive reception those channels have gotten. COVID-19 has made it necessary. From menu boards powered by the internet to mobile ordering capabilities, guests crave smarter dining experiences. Whether in-person or online, cultivate better interactions with digitization.
QR Codes and Contactless Ordering
Consumers and businesses alike have had no choice but to rely on touch-free service both on- and off-premises. QR codes are a relatively new fix for the industry, but no less popular for its greenness.
QR ordering works like this: You place a code on the table, host stand or have a server bring it over. Simply scan with a mobile device and the QR code automatically redirects customers to a digital menu where they browse, order, and pay right from their seats. This speeds up the ordering process for quicker turn times, but it’s not the be-all, end-all of digital ordering solutions.
Mobile Point of Sales also let servers work faster, even if they do it the usual way. With tablets that connect to your POS terminal, waitstaff can send tickets tableside to the Kitchen Display Screen so cooks get started on food right away.
This pandemic has already caused widespread changes to the restaurant industry, mostly aimed at optimizing operations in unprecedented times. In addition to digitization, consider:
streamlining menus to prioritize ingredients you can buy cheap and cook in bulk,
optimizing takeout menus for travel, and
creating seasonal menus that customers enjoy.
Digitization also reduces reprinting costs. When you need to make small tweaks to the menu, like increasing prices or fixing a typo, just go online and the changes will instantly disseminate to every device in the store. Synchronize over the network and get everything possible out of digital solutions, whether you use QR codes or traditional sit-down service.
The Upsides of Contactless Ordering
Online menus promote self-ordering which benefits your restaurant and your customers too. Self-ordering does more than speed table turn times to serve more customers per day. Patrons also have more time to make a decision, so they tend to spend more on average. Looking over a ticket before submission also improves order accuracy.
With the reduced time spent waiting and higher customer satisfaction, you cultivate more loyalty as well. Mobile ordering builds profiles on your guests so you can track sales data and their preferences over time to create smarter marketing campaigns targeted at your best customers.
With COVID-19 ongoing, people rely on online ordering to get food from their favorite restaurants without leaving the safety of their homes. As businesses implement solutions like QR codes, make sure your digitization is adaptable for when normalcy, and dine-in seating, returns. For example, integrate contactless payment technology to create a socially distanced experience from start to finish. Some restaurants have even switched to a completely digital solution, but if you’re not ready to make that leap, at least consider integrating some touch-free tech into your current operations.
