Key takeaways
- Restaurant tech variety and features have boomed in recent years, and keeping up with necessary components can help restaurateurs make smart choices for their business
- Both hardware and software tools are available to streamline operations in the front-of-house and back-of-house
- Combining these types of restaurant technology into a bundle with synced software makes life easier for everyone, especially restaurant owners
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In this brave new future, restaurant technology trends move as fast as the rest of the tech world. This can be a great thing for restaurant owners and customers alike, as this new technology makes it easier than ever for restaurants to get food to customers. But with the proliferating types of restaurant technology, it’s good to have a broad overview to know just what’s needed these days to get restaurant operations up to speed.
Restaurant tech covers a broad spectrum of tools, from software to hardware and from dining room to kitchen. For any restaurant looking to streamline operations, turning to tech is a smart move, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence and automation. It can save time and reduce staffing needs; at the same time, technology solutions require a learning curve—but it’s one that’s well worth navigating.
Let’s take a look at some of the most important pieces of restaurant tech, why you need them, and how to make the most of them.
1. Point of sale systems
Critical to any restaurant’s operations is the point of sale (POS) system. These sophisticated software platforms have evolved beyond the traditional cash register, offering a range of features that streamlines restaurant management. Modern POS systems usually offer capabilities like order entry, inventory tracking, sales reporting, and customer data management. Really, a POS system is a type of restaurant technology that goes back to the beginning of time—especially if you recall that a pen and paper is technology, too.
One major advantage of a modern, robust POS system is its ability to integrate with other restaurant technologies. For example, a POS system can be linked to an online ordering platform, automatically updating menu items and processing customer orders. This integration both enhances efficiency and provides valuable data insights.
Cloud-based POS systems have become increasingly popular in the restaurant industry, offering significant flexibility and accessibility. Using a cloud-based POS, front-of-house (FOH) staff can access the system from any internet-connected device, allowing them to manage things remotely or even on the go. This is particularly useful for multi-location establishments, as management and real-time monitoring of sales can be centralized across all sites.
2. Tableside ordering and payment systems
POS systems have teamed up with tableside payment and ordering systems, which make both FOH staff and customers’ lives easier. The initial push for contactless payment during the COVID-19 pandemic drove this innovation, but it’s here to stay. That’s because it makes the dining experience more seamless for customers while reducing turnover time for restaurants. Touchscreen apps on tablets make ordering far simpler for servers than previous methods and help FOH workflows, well, flow.
In addition to streamlining the ordering process, tableside ordering systems reduce errors and give servers more time to interact directly with customers rather than rushing back and forth to a stationary ordering system. It’s easier to customize orders via a tableside ordering system, usually paired with a kitchen display system—which we’ll discuss a bit later.
The “payment” part, which certainly interests restaurant owners, is just as important as the “ordering” part. Customers can now settle their bills much faster than before. Instead of waiting for the server to return with the check or take cash and return change, customers can pay right at their table via their credit card—with the option to provide a tip and feedback.
3. Reservation management software
Now that more customers than ever find restaurants online—via websites or social media, for example—having a solid reservation management system can be a make-or-break tool for restaurants. Restaurant reservation systems allow customers to easily browse available tables, choose their preferred dining time, and complete their reservation online or via an app. This is one of the most important and fastest-growing types of restaurant technology.
Good online reservation management software allows restaurants to track customer preferences, monitor no-show rates, and optimize seating for efficiency. Reservation management tools often show up as part of a software package like Yelp Guest Manager, which further allows customers to browse online waitlists with accurate wait times. Two-way SMS messaging also allows for easy communication.
Guest Manager quotes wait times with up to 96% accuracy* and Guest Manager customers have average no-show rates below 10%.**
4. Self-seating or ordering kiosks
Many restaurants, especially fast food chains like McDonald’s, have turned toward self-order kiosks. This restaurant tech can help restaurants significantly on labor shortages and labor costs, especially at a time when inflation has slowed profit and sent costs skyrocketing.
At the same time, self-service kiosks aren’t only for ordering. Self check-in and seating kiosks like Yelp Kiosk allow customers to check in and seat themselves—essentially removing the burden of hosting from FOH staff. As customers become more familiar with this type of restaurant tech, they may develop a fondness for the idea of being able to choose their own table and not be at the whim of someone else.
These kiosks are best used at fast food, quick service, or casual restaurants—not at fine dining establishments, where customers expect to interact with a person as part of the guest experience.
5. Online ordering and delivery platforms
Online ordering platforms and food delivery services have steadily grown in popularity over the last several years, especially during the pandemic, and this trend is only set to continue. There are two ways this can work: Either ordering via athird-party delivery app or via a restaurant’s website.
It doesn’t take a forecasting wizard to see people will continue to use platforms like Uber Eats, GrubHub, DoorDash, and other online ordering systems. Online ordering has become so popular that it’s led to the rise of so-called “ghost kitchens,” which are restaurants with no FOH and operate as delivery-only businesses for operational efficiency.
These platforms are exceptionally easy for customers to use, and allow them to order food and pay at the push of a button. They take a cut of a restaurant’s payment, but for many restaurants the extra orders are well worth it as there’s no limited seating for off-premise eating.
One of the best parts of these types of restaurant technology is free advertising. Even if a customer’s never heard of you or seen your location, they’ll be able to browse your digital menu on these services’ platforms.
Restaurants can also offer online delivery or takeaway orders via their website. Beware, however: Unless online orders via your website are a significant part of your business, you may not want to hire dedicated delivery drivers. Takeout shouldn’t be an issue, however.
6. Customer loyalty programs and CRM software
Loyal customers are the lifeblood of any restaurant. So, prioritizing those guests with a customer loyalty program and navigating stats with a customer relationship management (CRM) tool can help both build your customer base and see what’s working so you can attract more people.
CRM software like Salesforce or Hubspot allows restaurants to centralize and manage customer data like contact information, order history, and preferences. Yelp Guest Manager does that too—so if a regular comes in, your server can suggest their favorite drink to them to make them feel special.
Customer loyalty programs come in many shapes and sizes and vary widely between restaurants. Advancements in these programs have led to the proliferation of a number of loyalty apps, which can be tied to the restaurant’s POS or mobile app. Customers can earn points, discounts, or perks depending on their patronage and what the restaurant decides to offer. Incentivizing repeat business helps build a sense of community around the restaurant and keeps customers coming back.
Combining a CRM with a loyalty program can help restaurant owners glean data and see what is and isn’t working by taking a good look into customer behavior.
7. Inventory management software
Keeping track of inventory is non-negotiable in any restaurant looking to make a profit (that is, all of them). Inventory management software takes inventory off of clunky paper and streamlines it into an indispensable tool.
These software platforms, often integrated with a restaurant’s POS system, enable real-time tracking of inventory levels, ingredient usage, and supplier orders. Automating inventory management reduces waste, minimizes out-of-supply issues, and helps improve purchasing decisions. All of this combines to help control food costs and ensures that customers can get what they want when they want it.
There’s more, though. Inventory management systems provide valuable data insights that help restaurant owners and managers make smart decisions. These systems give deep data dives on inventory turnover and general trends, allowing for strategic planning. Some platforms go so far as to offer automated ordering and supplier integration.
8. Kitchen display systems
Long ago, servers had to take orders directly to the back-of-house (BOH), often written down on a piece of paper or simply shouted. Now that we’ve embraced innovative restaurant tech, kitchen display systems (KDS), which are effectively TVs or large computer screens in the kitchen, transmit orders directly from the ordering system to kitchen staff.
Because the display provides all information on orders—special requests, order modifications, etc.—kitchen staff can quickly and accurately see the details of each order. It’s less likely a customer who asked for no onions on their burger will get onions if there’s a good KDS.
KDS streamline kitchen operations and improve the customer experience. For example, manyhelp kitchens stay organized by prioritizing orders based on the time they were placed, ensuring customers get their orders in order. Some systems provide visual cues like color-coding or alerts to highlight time-sensitive or special request items.
The full FOH package
For restaurant owners looking to get the most out of their restaurant tech, they’ll want to combine as much into one package as possible. We mentioned Yelp Guest Manager above, which does just that. It allows for an all-in-one FOH suite that allows for fully customizable floor plans, customer profiles, online reservations, waitlists, check-ins, and two-way communication. It also syncs with a number of popular third-party delivery apps, POS systems, and more.
While we’d love to tell you more about it here, we’d rather show you. Reach out to us for a free demo and we’ll show you just how it works—and how it can help your restaurant get to where you need it to be. If you’re going to have one piece of restaurant tech to bind them, this is it.
*Yelp Internal Data 2022. Based on a study of Yelp Guest Manager restaurants with at least 203 average monthly parties from January 2022 to August 2022. Excludes parties that self-removed before receiving notice that a table was ready. An estimate is accurate if the party is notified +/-5 minutes of the estimated range.
**Yelp Internal Data 2022. Based on a study of Yelp Guest Manager restaurants with at least 203 average monthly parties from January 2022 to August 2022. Excludes parties that self-removed before receiving notice that a table was ready.
