Could contactless ordering and payment be the answer to your current staffing crisis?
As St. Louis bars and restaurants face a city-wide shortage of available employees, many owners find themselves scrambling for creative restaurant staffing solutions. Restaurant technology that has emerged as part of the growing demand for a contactless dining experience, driven in large part by the COVID-19 pandemic, could offer some assistance.
So, is your restaurant ready to offer an enjoyable digital dining experience? Read on to find out how adopting a QR code ordering system can help your restaurant decrease labor needs while increasing tips and check averages.
What is QR code ordering?
Contactless ordering delivers a safe and cost-effective way for customers to order and pay directly at the table or elsewhere within your business. Customers scan a QR code at their table, which pulls up a digital menu they can use to place an order directly from their smartphone. Contactless payment puts customers in control by allowing them to close their tab as soon as they’re ready — no more waiting for the server to drop off the check!
How does QR code ordering decrease my restaurant’s labor needs?
Contactless ordering and payment handle some of the more time-consuming tasks that take servers away from their tables, such as taking orders or running back and forth with checks. This frees up servers to focus on providing excellent hospitality while also taking on more tables and turning those tables more quickly.
With a QR code ordering system, a restaurant can do more — even if they have fewer workers. Research shows that adopting this restaurant technology can also increase tips and check averages, which is excellent news for both the restaurant’s and the servers’ bottom lines.
Can contactless ordering really increase tips and check averages?
Yes! Research shows that offering contactless ordering and payment can increase tips and check averages. This is due to a few different factors:
- QR codes give guests fast access to your menu and plenty of time to browse before placing their order.
- Digital ordering results in fewer mistakes and miscommunications, which creates happy customers who tip big and return often!
- No more waiting to order another round! With QR code ordering, guests can add to their order as soon as they’re ready.
- Built-in gratuity prompts during contactless payment also encourage bigger tips.
In today’s economy, these are benefits that simply can’t be overlooked!
Are there any other benefits to contactless ordering and payment?
Contactless ordering and payment do more than just reduce your restaurant’s labor needs and increase tips and check averages. Using a QR code ordering and payment system can make dine-in much more efficient for both staff and customers.
Here are just a few other benefits of this modern restaurant technology:
- QR code ordering systems are cost-effective! Contactless ordering eliminates the need for printed menus, a cost that can certainly add up. Using a digital option also makes it easy to add and remove items as needed.
- Contactless ordering enhances the customer experience! Collecting real-time customer data based on menu scans and other ordering trends can help you optimize your menu, while also allowing you to create personalized messages and promotions delivered directly to your guests.
- Contactless ordering is safe! After a global pandemic, many guests feel most comfortable handling their own devices.
- Contactless payment is secure! Customers can pay on their own devices instead of handing their credit cards to the server.
- Contactless payment allows you to collect valuable guest information with every transaction (i.e., customer email addresses), which can be used for future marketing efforts to entice repeat customers back to your restaurant.
Are you ready to reduce labor costs and increase tips and check averages?
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