4 Ways Restaurants, Bars and Cafes Need to Utilize Technology
Technology is transforming businesses in all niches, even in one as established as the restaurant, bar and cafe niche. Yes, the concept of going out for a nice meal is one that is centuries old but to remain competitive 21st century eateries increasingly need to incorporate technology into their ‘recipe for success’.
Here’s a look at some of the most important of the high-tech innovations any bar, restaurant, or cafe should consider for their establishment.
Expanded Online Service Options
The eatery that does not have a website, a Facebook page, a Twitter and an Instagram these days is at a serious disadvantage. However, these are not the only things that restaurants, cafes and bars should use the Internet for.
Online ordering and/or online reservation booking is a convenience that customers are coming to expect and to keep pace with competition these are things that any establishment should offer.
Advanced Payment Technologies
The world has been slowly moving away from cash as the main form of payment currency for some time now and that move to ‘plastic payments’ is expanding from credit and debit cards to include digital payment options such as PayPal, Apple Pay and more. Customers are increasingly expecting that these payment methods be accepted by the businesses they frequent regularly, including their favorite eateries.
More Efficient Dining Room to Kitchen Communication
Have you ever watched British chef Gordon Ramsay’s show ‘Kitchen Nightmares’? Chances are if you are in the hospitality industry you have at least once or twice, even if only out of curiosity.
All the eateries Ramsay sets out to rescue have unique problems, but regular viewers know that terrible dining room to kitchen communications are often one of the areas in which all of the struggling establishments need desperately to improve. And while Ramsay and crew can’t be dispatched to every restaurant, bar or cafe in Southern California – and you probably wouldn’t want them to be – there is a growing arsenal of tech solutions available that can improve service, efficiency and customer satisfaction dramatically.
Providing a More Connected Dining Experience
Restaurant customers – and those who frequent bars and cafes – are starting to request and/or expecting more technologically integrated dining experiences.
They want free wi-fi for their phones and laptops, they want to be able to watch the big game in 4K hi-def technicolor, or to hear their favorite music in crystal clear Dolby surround sound.
Eating out or on the go in the 21st century is no longer a passive experience, consumers want to be entertained and accommodated at a level that often only an investment in technology can provide.
Upgrading your business’ technologies to meet these new ‘standards’ will call for an investment in terms of hardware, software and, of course, cash. That’s the ‘bad’ news. The good news is that these outlays will almost certainly reap a good return on your investment no matter how large or small your establishment is.