The Self-Serve Technology Your Restaurant Needs

Self-serve technology is shaping up the restaurant sector, with more diners than ever before wanting to ‘do it themselves’. Gone are the days of personal customer service, consumers want convenience. In fact, 73% of restaurant-goers think technology improves their dining experience, and so, the self-serve revolution was born. 

The restaurant sector is a huge market, so in order to compete, you need to have these self-serve technologies. 

Restaurant Reservation Software

Is your restaurant optimised with an online reservation system? Convenience is key when it comes to consumers, and giving customers the ability to reserve a table online rather than over the phone or in-house is a perfect example of convenient self-serve technology. There’s no language barriers or misunderstanding, consumers can book their dinner for a date and time that suits them by the press of a button - simple!

Table Tablets

61% of diners say that handheld tablets improve the dining experience - but why is it so popular? With the capabilities of browsing an online menu, ordering and paying, without flagging down a server or standing in a queue, table tablets are the way forward. What’s more, they don’t just benefit your customer’s dining experience, they can improve revenue too! Consumers are likely to spend more when they’re not under pressure and have the ability to sit and peruse a menu in their own time. In fact, McDonald's saw a 5-6% increase in sales during the first year in which they implemented self-serving kiosks!

Mobile Delivery Ordering

If your restaurant offers a takeaway option, are you giving your consumers the opportunity to order online? This simple, easy to use technology gives people the chance to order from your menu with a couple of clicks - and hey, they’ll probably end up spending more too! In the last 5 years, mobile ordering has grown to represent 53% of all ordering, so if you’re not offering the option, you’re potentially handing over hundreds of customers to your competitors! 

Feedback Technology

“Is everything ok with your food?” How many times have you been asked that question in a restaurant and answered 100% truthfully? Most Brits are too embarrassed to complain when they have a bad meal, so giving feedback to a waiter in person is not going to give you an accurate representation of what consumers really thought about your restaurant. 

To solve the problem, many restaurateur's are bringing in feedback technology to gain an exact knowledge of what a customer thought about their experience. Consumers are given a tablet at the end of their meal where they’re able to fill out an anonymous survey, and the benefits of upgrading your technology don’t stop there! Most of these surveys end with the option to add your email address to sign up for promotion emails or loyalty schemes - a great way to increase your mailing list! 

Next Read: 8 Restaurant Technologies That Will Improve Business