Running a restaurant or food business requires a multi-faceted approach. You must think not just about the food and drink you sell, but also the atmosphere, your staff, maintaining your premises and controlling stock.
Thankfully, technology is here to help. While some restaurant tech – such as climate control systems and wireless card payment – has been around for a while, forming a staple part of any hospitality business’s arsenal, we’ve rounded up some of the newest culinary uses for technology.
- Making purchases easier
Customers don’t think twice about paying for their meal by card, with contactless payments fast becoming the norm for smaller sums. But tech can boost purchasing opportunities even further; think of apps which allow guests to split the bill or pay without having to flag down a waiter, as well as those which tempt customers through your doors with redeemable offers beamed straight into their pockets. - Boosting efficiency
Thinking about the way your customers order and pay for their food can result in serious innovation. Look to McDonalds’ self-serving touch screen ordering points for inspiration, alongside Starbucks’ option to pay via a top-up app. - Taking the experience home
If you’d love to offer a takeaway service but just can’t stomach the additional manpower, take heart from apps like Deliveroo which allow restaurants to take an additional amount of orders while taking care of tracking and delivery on their behalf. Happy customers, uninterrupted business. - Collecting data
Restaurant technology can be very effective when collecting valuable information about your customers. For example, you can ask for an email address, contact number or Facebook profile in return for accessing free wifi, giving you a tailored audience for marketing campaigns. Working with a membership app like Memberoo can also promote your business while examining your customers’ buying habits. - Reducing waste
As machine learning becomes more advance, computer programs such as Ingest AI can analyse patterns in your restaurant’s data to forecast required stock volume and predict and reduce food waste. Bringing accountability for waste reduction to the fore, technology like this makes it easier for you to modify your own business behaviours.
Keep your hospitality business thriving with restaurant insurance from Schofield Insurance Brokers. Give us a call on 0113 2500377.