7 Impressive Ways A Restaurant POS Can Enhance Your Business

Enhance Your Business With Shift4 Restaurant POS

Restaurants have come a long way from paper menus, reservations on sticky notes, and waiting for the paper bill to come. The modern customer is looking for faster checkouts, easy ordering options, and a seamless payment process. That’s why you need a state-of-the-art restaurant POS system. With Shift4’s SkyTab POS, the sky’s the limit for your restaurant and business.

In this article, we’ll go through seven revolutionary ways that a POS system can make your restaurant profitable!

Mobile ordering and pay-at-the-table.

Grow your business with SkyTab, our complete mobile ordering, and payment solution. With SkyTab, you have everything you need to accept payments at the table, at the curb for takeout, or while delivering food. SkyTab enables servers to quickly place orders, handle payments, flip more tables, have happier customers, and earn more tips. As a result, your operations will function more smoothly, simply, and precisely. 

Mobile POS And Contactless PayFor Restaurants

Marketing tools and loyalty programs.

Increase customer retention through loyalty programs and rewards programs. One of the most important things you can do for your customers is to keep them coming back by offering rewards programs or loyalty programs. These programs encourage customers to visit more often and increase their spending so that they can earn points toward free meals or other discounts on merchandise. Also, create targeted email marketing campaigns that offer specials based on the time of day or day of the week, plus send SMS text messages directly to your customers’ mobile phones.

Online ordering.

Since 2014, online food ordering has increased 300 percent faster than dine-in and currently makes up about 40% of all restaurant sales. Customers expect restaurants to provide the convenience of online ordering. Online menu browsing makes it possible for customers to order on their own schedule, which results in more accurate orders and higher-order values. Our online ordering platform is simple to set up and integrated with your point of sale, allowing you to take orders right away. With this approach, you can keep your online ordering in-house and avoid using a middleman and their extra fees. To reach more clients and increase your revenue, use online ordering.

Online Ordering Mobile Pizza

Reservations. 

Skip the old-fashioned paper reservation book and go digital with our booking software that integrates with our POS system to let customers make reservations. Hostesses can optimize the seating plan and get a better sense of wait times thanks to the reservation system. Knowing whether guests are celebrating or have food allergies gives servers the information they need to provide superior service. Overall, a reservation system helps managers and employees be better prepared for their shifts.

Reporting, analytics, and business intelligence.

Real-time reporting systems enable managers to optimize restaurant operations by learning about peak restaurant hours, the most popular menu items, employee efficiency, and more. These solutions also provide rapid reports on sales statistics, labor expenses, inventory levels, and other information. With Lighthouse, you can make intelligent, data-driven decisions and put actionable information at your fingertips.

QR code ordering and payments.

QR codes are gaining popularity in the restaurant industry because they allow customers to have control over ordering and paying without having to wait at the cashier station or for a waitress. The technology is simple: the customer scans a barcode on the screen with their phone to order, pay and receive their food. The benefits are many for customers — a speedy ordering process and secure contactless payments. While restaurants benefit from reduced labor expenses and a rise in tips because of happy customers.

QR Code Order and Pay by Phone

Social media and online reputation management.

Social media is a powerful marketing strategy for your restaurant. A whopping 99% of Millenials and Gen Z are more likely to choose a restaurant based on social media and online reviews. Streamline tasks such as scheduling posts, tracking the performance of your content, and managing all your social media accounts in one place with Shift4’s POS. Even replying to consumers’ reviews on various review websites can be done on this one platform. Managing social media and reputation can help restaurants reduce acquisition expenses. It’s an opportunity to connect with customers and attract more guests to your restaurant. 

All these features are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to managing your restaurant with Shift4. Contact us if you’re ready to transform your business with the all-in-one restaurant platform. Call 888-777-8311. 

8 Useful Restaurant Sales Strategies

8 useful restaurant sales strategies

Increase Restaurant Sales Strategies

Restaurant sales, as any restaurant owner knows, may be difficult to increase. We work with restaurants every day to help them leverage the latest restaurant technology to improve their guest experience and improve profit margins.  Many restaurants fail during the first year due to higher operational costs and fierce competition. To grow sales, you may believe that you need to spend a lot of money on advertising, but one of the best ways to raise restaurant sales is to apply a few relatively easy strategies.

 

So, how do you increase restaurant sales? To start, here are eight tried-and-true tips for restaurant success:

  • Utilize online ordering.

Did you know that online ordering accounts for 40% of all restaurant revenue? Therefore, ordering directly from your website is a must for restaurants today. Whether it’s for takeout or delivery, more and more people are using their mobile phones for ordering.

  • Upsell and Cross-Sell.

For every person who orders food at your restaurant, there’s an opportunity to upsell or cross-sell. Encourage your staff to recommend customers to buy something more expensive than what they originally planned to purchase — for example, offering a side of fries with their sandwich or upgrading their drink size from small to large. Upselling can also be done by recommending menu items with high-profit margins. On your online ordering page, you can also set up add-on suggestions automatically.

Try cross-selling guests by motivating them to try a different way of dining with you. For example, offer a discount to a customer to try online ordering if they usually dine-in. Email customers who normally choose a delivery option to join you in person for a complimentary appetizer.

  • Sell branded products and merchandise.

Selling something you’re known for as a branded product is a successful technique for developing a secondary revenue stream and boosting restaurant sales. Do you, for example, own an Italian restaurant with a well-known homemade sauce? It’s time to package it and sell it. Alternatively, printed items such as T-shirts could help you expand your brand. Use Shift4Shop to set up your eCommerce page to sell products online.

restaurant selling branded products

  • Boost service speed.

Restaurants understand that the more tables flipped per hour, the more money they will make. That’s why giving employees the tools they need to improve service speed and efficiency is critical. This is where a mobile point of sale comes in handy, as it allows servers to submit orders immediately to the kitchen from the table. Simultaneously, reduce labor expenses by utilizing mobile POS, online ordering, and self-ordering via QR codes.

  • Take part in local events.

Restaurant Week is a fantastic local event to participate in for exposure. Restaurant week is an event in which restaurants offer discounted or set-priced menus, allowing customers to taste a variety of foods that would otherwise be out of their price range. This event will increase foot traffic to your business, so impress guests with your cuisine and services to keep them coming back for more.

restaurant week event

  • Reward loyal customers.

Loyal customers are the backbone of every successful business, and restaurants are no different. If you want your restaurant to succeed and grow, make sure that your customers keep coming back for more. A loyalty program encourages repeat visits from existing customers and is an excellent tool for building customer relationships. In fact, 45% of diners will select a restaurant if they belong to its loyalty program. (Hospitality Technology) 52% of consumers will recommend to others the restaurants they are most loyal to. (Oracle Hospitality) The best part is you can easily keep track of your customers’ purchases using your point-of-sale system.

  • Build a strong team.

Your employees represent your brand, so great service starts with having the right people on your team to deliver it. Offer your employees incentives, such as sales contests, growth opportunities, and training programs. These will help your staff feel valued and motivated at work, which could translate into higher sales and better customer service.

  • Make personalized recommendations.

One of the easiest ways to increase sales is by delivering personalized recommendations to your guests at the right time — whether that’s during their first visit or every time they come back. A point-of-sale (POS) system can help make this achievable. When you have access to key information about your customers — what they order, how often they come in, and even whether they’re vegetarian or gluten-free — it makes it so much easier to personalize the experience for them and boost sales.

Restaurant Recommendations Menu

With these pointers in mind, you can begin effectively increasing your restaurant sales. The key is to be patient, keep looking for new ways to boost business, and most importantly – stay positive! Using these technology solutions is both simple and effective. It can help you overcome staff shortages while also retaining the employees you have, improving profit margins, and creating a better guest experience. Are you ready to boost your bottom line and grow restaurant sales?

 

Contact us to discuss how restaurant technology can help you achieve your business goals and run your restaurant smoothly!

6 Ways Restaurant Technology Can Help the Labor Shortage

Restaurant Technology to help the labor shortage

Why Is There an Ongoing Restaurant Labor Shortage?

The labor shortage has been quite a challenge for the restaurant industry. In fact, according to CBS News, nearly 4 in 10 restaurants report that they’re having difficulty hiring enough staff. Thousands of restaurant workers were laid off or furloughed during the start of the COVID-19 crisis because of the severe economic downturn. Many restaurant staff have since gone on to other industries.

These are some reasons they’ve moved on.

  • Health concerns with Covid, and lack of health insurance being offered
  • Dealing with bad customers who disregard the health procedures
  • Job instability along with shortened hours
  • Bad work culture and limited support for work-life balance
  • Low pay
  • Lack of promotional opportunities

to go orders at restaurant

When you’re looking to hire, keep these considerations in mind. It may be beneficial to market your business with higher starting wages, promotional opportunities, flexible schedules, health benefits, and a friendly work environment.

As you know, servers are a valuable part of the restaurant experience. They assist guests with ordering, dining, and payment. If you’re short-staffed, the amount of tables that can be serviced is limited. If service is continuously delayed, both guests and servers will be frustrated, which will have a significant negative impact on your business.

Here are 6 ways that technology can help fill the gaps created by the labor shortage.

  1. Increase production without overburdening employees by implementing online ordering. Restaurants can serve more customers by offering online ordering. This increases profitability while also removing the need for a designated person to take to-go orders via phone call. You now have one less role to worry about!
  2. With QR Order & Pay, speed up the ordering process and boost guest satisfaction. Don’t bother with traditional menus; instead, have your customers scan a QR code with their smartphone to browse a digital menu, place an order, and pay. As a result, servers will be less stressed and have more time to focus on delivering meals to tables and creating a positive customer experience.
  3. A mobile POS will help with order accuracy and payment convenience. Customers and employees will have a straightforward ordering and payment experience with SkyTab Mobile. Servers no longer have to return to a POS station to put in orders; instead, they may do so directly at the table, ensuring order correctness. SkyTab also streamlines kitchen operations, increases table turns, and servers typically see higher tips as they can spend more time at tables engaging with customers. Since it offers full mobility Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity, SkyTab is also ideal for taking curbside takeout payments or even on the road for delivery.                                                             
  4. Reduce labor overhead through automation with a Kiosk. Digital kiosks are large touch-screen displays that allow guests to place orders and pay without the need for staff assistance. They are ideal for quick-service restaurants, as they save money by avoiding the need to hire cashiers and allowing personnel to move to more valued positions such as servers or chefs. This will ensure that the dining room doors remain open! Another advantage is that customers are likely to spend more money and opt for add-ons when they use kiosks.
  5. The Lighthouse Business Manager System minimizes time-consuming administrative tasks, allowing you to focus on running your business. Implementing Lighthouse Business Manager allows you to work smarter, not harder. This productivity software gives you access to critical reports and insights, as well as management features, like employee scheduling and customer engagement. Take full advantage of Lighthouse by using direct integrations such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, and more in its Marketplace.
  6. Improve operations with an industry-leading POS. When you hire new staff, you want to use restaurant technology that is straightforward so they can focus on operating the business and serving customers. Meadows Hospitality Systems offers the Restaurant Manager Point-of-Sale System integrated with Shift 4 Payment Processing to provide customers with industry-leading restaurant technology and local support. MHS makes the onboarding process simple by going onsite and instructing personnel on how to use the technology effectively.

meadows hospitality systems pos training

The future of the restaurant labor shortage is unknown.

No one knows when the workforce will be able to keep up with demand. Using technology to adapt during labor shortages is a smart strategy to keep your business running smoothly while also providing a better employee experience that helps you stand out as a top employer for local candidates.