How adding contactless on premise food ordering can help your restaurant earn more money
There is arguably no industry that’s been as heavily impacted by the effects of COVID-19 than the restaurant business. The pandemic has led to the unfortunate closure of thousands of restaurants across the globe, and even as businesses are able to reopen under enhanced health and safety guidelines, many continue to struggle generating the revenue they need to stay afloat.
Whether it’s a result of fewer guests, limited dine-in capacity, single-use menus and utensil costs, or just the challenge of providing staff with livable wages, there’s a wide range of unpredictable variables negatively impacting restaurants’ bottom line.
With all the uncertainty and change in the restaurant industry right now, it’s crucial for business owners to embrace new technologies and take control of their profitability. One technology that’s proven to be immensely powerful in the world of socially-distanced COVID-19 dining, is contactless on premise ordering software.
On Premise Ordering Technology
On premise ordering technology is designed to minimize direct contact between dine-in guests and restaurant staff. When guests are seated to dine-in at your restaurant, they scan a QR code with their mobile device that allows them to access a digital menu of your restaurant’s offerings. Guests can then browse through your menu, send orders directly to your kitchen for fulfillment, and even pay for their meal - all from the convenience of their mobile devices and without the worry of prolonged exposure to others.
On Premise Ordering Cost Savings
While the health and safety benefits of contactless on premise ordering are clear, there are an equal number of operational benefits that this technology provides from a cost savings perspective. By utilizing on premise digital menus, the need for single-use paper menus is an immediate material expense that can be eliminated. While this may seem minor at first, the costs associated with designing, printing, and reordering single-use paper menus can stack up significantly in the long run.
With all the challenges your business is facing during these uncertain times, the last thing you need to be worrying about is the material cost of repeatedly printing thousands of single-use paper menus.
Another cost-eliminating measure that on premise ordering offers is the lesser need for an extensive wait staff. With a contactless ordering solution in place, you can limit your staff responsibilities to just explaining menu specials, running food to guests, and clearing away plates from tables.
Labor costs can be one of the largest drags on any business’ bottom line, so by only retaining the staff members that are absolutely essential to your restaurant operations, you can ensure that your profitability remains in-tact while still paying your employees the wages they deserve.
Dine-in Revenue Growth
Not only is on premise ordering software effective at cutting down on costs, it’s great for generating higher revenue, too. One revenue-generating advantage that on premise ordering presents is the ability to gather valuable information about your guests and encourage repeat visits.
Returning guests generate more revenue and cost less to attract than people unfamiliar with your business, and with access to data like guests’ favorite orders, specific dates and times they like to dine at your restaurant, and other ordering habits, on premise ordering software makes it easier than ever to build marketing and loyalty programs that maintain and strengthen relationships with valuable patrons. Data allows your business to make the best decisions possible, and with access to information about your guests’ dine-in behavior, you can be assured that you’re doing everything in your power to maximize your restaurant’s profitability.
Another on premise ordering advantage is the flexibility and accuracy afforded by digital menus. With variable food supply being a constant unknown, digital menus allow you to make modifications on the fly, frequently adjusting available items or prices without any additional cost or effort.
Digital menus also allow for higher order accuracy, as guests are able to customize orders entirely to their specifications before sending them off to kitchens for fulfillment. Reducing the risk of miscommunication between guests and staff increases the likelihood that guests will have a pleasant dining experience - generating greater revenue for your restaurant in the long run.
Key Takeaways
On premise ordering software is an impactful technology that enhances the health, safety, and profitability of your business.
By utilizing digital menus for dine-in guests, restaurants can cut back on significant costs of printing single-use paper menus.
On premise ordering allows restaurants to minimize the number of staff needed on hand, benefitting your business’ bottom line while still paying fair wages to your essential workers.
The opportunity for customer data collection with on premise ordering software presents a massive growth opportunity for marketing and customer loyalty programs.
Digital menus allow for item and price modifications in real-time, while enhancing your guests’ dining experience through higher order accuracy.
Grow Revenue with On Premise Ordering Technology
Contactless on premise ordering is a technology that benefits your guests, your staff, and your business. With the permanent changes and overall uncertainty that COVID-19 has brought upon the restaurant industry, seamlessly integrating a contactless dine-in solution alongside your curbside pickup and delivery operations is critical to growing and ensuring the profitability of your business.
Partnering with a software provider, like Zuppler, for on premise ordering technology is the fastest and most effective way to help your business earn more money with contactless, on premise ordering.
Talk to a Zuppler online ordering specialist to get started with On Premise Ordering™ on the Zuppler Menu Anywhere Platform today!