There is violent competition in the restaurant business as only the place that was able to attract a large number of visitors becomes popular. Therefore, restaurants and cafes widely use modern online technologies to improve the service quality. Catering business is actively introducing alternative ways of ordering, reserving tables or payment.
Online-booking services
If you plan to go to a popular restaurant, there may be no seats in the evening, so it is better to book a table in advance. To do this you do not need to call the restaurant directly, it is much easier to use a special application.
The first place among softwares for online reservations belongs to the Open Table service, which works around the world. But now there are many similar applications that allow clients to book a table at a restaurant nearby for any convenient time, so that the visitor is sure that he will not waste time waiting for a free table.
If there are no seats available at the selected restaurant, the app will put the customer in a waiting queue and send a notification when a free table appears. The movement of the queue can also be monitored online.
Such apps like Tock not only allow clients to reserve a table, but also to choose the food and pay for the order in advance. This is a great option for people who don’t want to spend too much time in the restaurant, their the order will be served right when they arrive.
QR-code
Slowly but surely the mark, originally created exclusively for goods, is penetrating into restaurant industry. QR-code can store a lot of information, it can be placed on any surface, and it can be easily read by a smartphone.
Literally in one touch the client can get any information about the restaurant, including its history, working hours, and up-to-date menu. If an automation system have been implemented in a cafe, the client can scan a QR-code and go to a separate page where he can call a waiter, write a review or pay for the order.
With the help of QR-code restaurants can inform their clients about the discounts, propose various promotions, voting, lotteries or polls. It is a great way to stop using paper menus, as it is enough to place the QR-code on the table.
Online payment
Restaurants and their clients widely use mobile payment services. There are apps that make it possible to pay the bill without calling a waiter. The customer simply registers at the restaurant app and pays for the order online. In the app it is possible to pay the whole amount or a certain percentage of it if the bill is shared with friends.
Electronic menu and interactive table
Some restaurants install tablets with a special app that the clients can use while sitting at the tables. Without waiting for the waiter, visitors can place an order by selecting any dish from the menu. The order goes straight to the kitchen.
Electronic menu allows administrators to quickly make adjustments, delete out-of-stock dishes, and add new ones. In such a menu the client can also calculate the selected dish calories and immediately know the cost of the order.
The client can also kill the time by playing entertaining games, watching videos or learning about the history of the restaurant and the features of its cuisine. Some restaurants connect online broadcasting so that the visitor can see the process of preparing a dish.
Such apps help to significantly reduce the time of ordering, as there is no need to wait for the waiter to make the order. In addition, the interactive table can become an intermediary for communication with other visitors, as it has the ability to transmit messages.
The introduction of modern online technology allows restaurants and cafes to not only attract new visitors, but also to keep old clients.