Restaurant Technology for Servers

As the food industry expands, customers demand faster and more efficient ways of placing orders, booking tables, and clearing payments to make their restaurant experience easier & hassle-free. 

Fortunately, in these times, multiple restaurant tech solutions make serving a seamless process. The covid pandemic, in particular, has also boosted this demand; a lot of people feel uncomfortable with interacting with several servers because of the social distancing policies. Multiple restaurants have switched to technological advancements to reduce human interaction and also keep the customers happy.

Before you think of these gadgets as a replacement for human servers, know that they are not autonomous yet. You will still need technical support staff and servers that help customers navigate around them. So, it is just a way of serving people better.

Here is our assortment of restaurant technology for serving if you want to keep up with the new trends in customer demand!

1. Touch Screens

Remember telling your waiter your order while they noted it down on a piece of paper? And sometimes they would get something wrong due to confusion, or they would be running around to grab a pen so he can note your order? Well, that is not happening anymore!

The latest touch screen pads have all the menu options stored in them. You can select your order with just one touch. This feature allows the staff to work faster than before with minimum chances of errors. This softwares has customization according to each restaurant. They are easy to use, allowing even new employees to get a hold of them. 

Some of these touchscreen’s points of sale technologies consist of two screens: one facing the customer and the other facing the waiter. This feature allows the customer to review their order themselves. They can see how much each item costs, clearing any doubts in the bill. 

The latest addition to these tablets can process payments through card or mobile apps like apple pay and bank cards.  

This way makes it easier for the servers to note down orders and clear payments without any confusion. Tablets are fast. Hence, the line does not have to wait anymore; all the more reasons to invest!

2. Scan And Pay

According to a survey by Toasttab, 67% of the customers prefer online payments by cards or mobile apps. This step can be made even easier by just scanning a QR code from your table. With this technology, there is no need to hire extra servers, print out bills, or go from table to table for collecting cash. The hassle of counting banknotes and arranging change gets decreased. Payments also credit directly into the restaurant bank account, which lowers chances for loss or mishandling of funds. With this restaurant technology for serving, your customers can pay with satisfaction. 

It also gives more time to servers for attending to more customers and earning more tips. When customers make payments via codes and apps, restaurants often get their phone numbers or email addresses. This data, in the long run, may come handy for marketing and research purposes.

3. Self Order Kiosks

You must have seen this technology at most restaurants and cafes by now: for instance, at McDonald’s.

These self-order Kiosks have the entire restaurant menu installed in them. Customers can easily browse through the menu and place their orders themselves. These devices also have an option of online payment. With this latest technology, servers do not need to spend hours on one customer. Just take the receipt generated from these Kiosks and bring their food to the table.  

These self-ordering Kiosks are highly in demand now as they make the dining experience hassle-free and more intriguing. You can also customize your order without having to explain everything to the servers.  

4. Table Booking Softwares — Just One Tap At Home! 

With the latest Softwares and applications like Yelp Reservation, Tablien, and others, you can now book your table before going. No need to call and wait for responses anymore. From these apps, you can also pre-order your food. You can add little notes on how you like the welcome at the restaurants. 

Reservation apps like these allow restaurants to access customer data like their birthdates, anniversary, and other events. Keeping a follow-up of these can allow you to increase customer loyalty and increase sales as well.  

With these apps, there will be no more misbehaving with the waiters by customers who had to previously wait outside the restaurant to get a table and helps create a peaceful ambiance. 

5. Softwares for Reviews and Staff Shifts

What’s most important in running a restaurant is to make sure every customer is satisfied. Usually, while serving 100s of customers’ one or two might not feel happy. It is necessary to listen to their complaints and work on them. For this purpose, technology has granted us review software. After visiting a restaurant, these servers automatically send you a survey regarding the services at the restaurant. This data can be helpful to keep up with customer demands. It can allow the customers to feel important and want to visit again.  

They can also help manage the serving staff. Large restaurant chains usually have a vast number of employers. Keeping a check on their work hours, holidays, overtime, etcetera, is almost impossible. 

Software like Timekit and Crew Vectors help in keeping a check on each server. Workers can install these apps and check their shifts or request a day off through them As Well. These apps automatically transfer shifts so managers would now have one less headache. 

6. Loyalty Program Softwares

This feature is one of the most intriguing features of technology. Restaurants can customize loyalty software for their customers. These allow you to count points according to every visit you pay and, you can later redeem these points to get free food. There is nothing better than getting free food at a fancy restaurant. These not only act as a way of marketing but also increase the customer base for the brand.  

Some Other Restaurant Technologies

In the modern-day world, there are several restaurant serving technologies. While all sound fun and make your customers happy, not each is a good fit for you. You can also get arcade games, especially if you get teen and children guests often. 

Make the wait and food worthwhile for everyone!

Waiting for food can make kids get noisy. Which not only disturbs the environment but also irritates parents as well. Table arcade games and trivia help distract kids and keep them busy until the food arrives. It is also a fun way of increasing your restaurant rating and keeping the guests entertained. 

The Bottomline

From the above-listed features, it is fair to say that technology has made life easier and more fun for everyone. There is numerous other software that servers can use to enhance customer experience with high serving quality. To choose the best serving techniques with this technology, take a look at our guide on the basics of serving!

You might also want to check out the things to factor before becoming a server. If you’re already one, don’t forget to check our tips on staying organized!