Technology has come a long way in the restaurant industry. From online ordering to table-side service, there are now several technologies available to help restaurateurs increase profits. It’s important for restaurant owners to keep up with the newest restaurant technologies which can help them up their game and make the entire experience more enjoyable for guests.
However, which of these technologies are best equipped to do so? We have identified a few that we think will help restaurateurs during the next year.
1. Restaurant Scheduling Software
Restaurant scheduling software is a great tool for managing staff and reducing costs. Scheduling software allows users to input the number of employees they have, when each is available, and how much time each can work. The scheduling software will then fill in open shifts with the qualified employee who has the most availability during that shift.
This means less wasted labor hours at times when your restaurant isn’t busy while maximizing staffing hours during busier times. Restaurant scheduling software may also allow employees to request certain days off or swap shifts with other employees. This maximizes flexibility while keeping staff happy.
2. Restaurant POS Systems
A restaurant point-of-sale system allows managers to track sales more closely, ultimately helping restaurateurs increase profits by making analysis reports that help increase menu prices when necessary.
When restaurateurs have the right POS system, they can analyze reports that tell them when certain items are selling well or not at all, then raise or lower prices accordingly. They also give restaurateurs the ability to quickly track employee performance by letting them know what tables employees are serving and how quickly they’re being served. When management can keep better tabs on which staff members are performing well and which need more help, it’s much easier for managers to make staffing decisions that maximize profit potential.
3. Marketing Automation Software
Restaurant marketing automation software helps automate social media posts, email campaigns, and website features so owners can avoid spending countless hours in front of a computer screen creating content that might not convert leads. Software like this can create a restaurant website with real-time analytics capabilities, so owners can see how many visitors are viewing different pages on the site and which sources send the most traffic to the restaurant’s website.
4. Restaurant Management Software
With today’s technology, owners can track every aspect of their business from a smartphone or tablet. From accounting and scheduling to inventory management and staff communication, restaurant management software helps managers manage all those critical business processes without hassling staff members with endless emails asking them to update information in various systems. The best part? Restaurant management software often includes an online portal that lets employees access these systems from home or anywhere else they have an internet connection. This makes everything more efficient for everyone and reduces the time it takes to get things done.
5. Inventory Management Software
There is a reason that the restaurant industry is among the earliest adopters of automated point-of-sale systems—they have been using POS software to manage inventory and process orders from their kitchen for decades. But now, there are many other options available.
Inventory management software helps restaurateurs purchase, track, plan and pay for all their goods as efficiently as possible. With these tools, restaurateurs can better forecast demand and avoid stock outs by placing orders at the right time. Plus, they can reduce overhead costs associated with understocking or overstocking food products. And if something does run out unexpectedly—because it happens—inventory management software lets managers quickly restock items without requiring a manual reorder process that could slow down the work.
6. Food Costing Software
Although people like to say “you can’t control what you don’t measure,” restaurateurs often only monitor the top line of their business—revenue. But by focusing on revenue alone, they’re neglecting a key driver of profitability: food cost. In fact, many restaurant owners and managers have no idea how much money they’re actually spending to serve their customers each day. And they don’t know how to correctly price their items.
Food costing software helps restaurateurs manage their food costs. It provides accurate information about the cost of each menu item, when it’s spoiled, and how much labor goes into each plate. With this data readily available, owners can reduce waste by ordering only what they need; adjust prices to reflect actual costs (and increase profit margins); and monitor total profitability at specific times—like during lunch or happy hour.
With the advancement in technology, owners have accurate tools to increase profits. Modern technologies can provide faster, more accurate service while providing customers all the information they need while inside the establishment.