How to make contactless technology a part of your restaurant’s new normal

Throughout the pandemic, restaurants have raced to find ways to make their restaurants as contactless as possible. But is contactless technology going to be the way of the future for the industry, now and beyond? There are certainly some solutions arising that show that promise. Contactless technology for menus, ordering, and payment can add a lot of convenience and speed to dining out.

It’s becoming clear that the question isn’t whether your restaurant needs to implement self-service technology, but how much. For some restaurants, the clientele may be ready to go fully digital on ordering and payment. But for others, the physical menus and frequent interaction with the wait staff are part of the restaurant’s charm.

Here are some of the choices to consider in building your restaurant’s contactless strategy.

Choose between QR codes or tableside kiosks

Two types of self-service technology that are catching on are QR codes and kiosks. Now that iPhones have QR scanning capability built right into the camera, QR codes are super user-friendly. Throughout the pandemic, restaurants have been adding them for customers to access menus, pay at the end of the meal, and even place their orders. Pros to this option are that customers don’t have to download an app and restaurants don’t have to purchase handheld devices for every table.

However, tableside kiosks have their advantages, too. Some customers may not be comfortable using their own devices to order, and kiosks provide unique marketing capabilities as well as add-on features like tableside games for kids. Kiosks are easy to sanitize between parties as well. One company taking kiosks to the next level is Toast, with a whole suite of different offerings for restaurants.

Both of these self-service ordering options speed up table turnover and encourage larger check sizes. In fact, it’s been shown that restaurants that use self-serve kiosks see an average increase of 12 to 22% in order totals. With all of the customization options right in front of you and without the social barrier of feeling like you’re giving a complicated order, it’s no wonder customers are more likely to add on extras. Plus not having to wait for your server to come back to order another drink or add an appetizer before your meal comes eliminates another barrier.

If you’re worrying about hospitality, self-service restaurant technologies don’t have to take any of those aspects away from your establishment. With the basics out of the way, servers have time for more meaningful interactions with customers like discussing wine pairings or answering questions about menu items.

Consider upgrading your air filtration capabilities

If you’re making the effort to minimize contact points in your restaurant, you also should be thinking about airflow. Air purification systems like the AiroDoctor can actually destroy viruses and bacteria in the air. There are also systems like UV Guardian that use UV light to sanitize surfaces, in addition to purifying the air.

Since these systems can be implemented in back of house or used after hours, they make dining out safer without taking away from the ambiance and overall experience. If using and marketing them will help your customers feel more comfortable dining in at your establishment, they’re well worth the investment.

Decide if physical menus and receipts are necessary

Think about your customer base. Are they ready to go fully digital, expecting it even? Or do they still appreciate a physical menu? The answers to these questions will be different for every restaurant – and that’s okay.

If physical menus are right for your clientele and brand, there are options that are easily sanitizeable. And if you’re ready to get rid of physical menus, there are plenty of ways to optimize your digital menu experience for your customers. The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure your menu is mobile-friendly. From there, you’ll want to think about how you’re categorizing, labeling, and describing menu items. Here are some great tips from US Foods® on optimizing your digital menu.

The latest technology in foodservice includes contactless payment and pay at table technology, and it has appeal beyond the pandemic. But only you know the right balance for your establishment. We hope these tips will help you decide!

About Nicole Montalvo

Nicole Montalvo is a copywriter at TundraFMP. She brings the brand's voice to life, creates meaningful content, and handles the copywriting side of social media marketing and SEO. When she's not writing, you can find her drinking coffee, trying out new recipes, or exploring nature.

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