theCloud
3 Easy Ways to Digitize your Restaurant Business
Nowadays, the word ‘digitalization’ plays a big role in every business – restaurants are not an exception. With this taken into account, many of us start to question – where and how to begin? Automation and digitalization – both of them drive not only customer satisfaction, but also help save a lot of time for the employees. Even though this may sound as a hard task to implement, there are some simple ways to start, which can be from digital menus to virtual kitchens! This article will provide the first and easiest steps to modernize your restaurant without too much effort. After all, those who join the revolution are always one step ahead!
Digital Menus
Most of us probably noticed that a lot of restaurants, especially after the pandemic, introduced QR code menus. When customers enter the restaurant and pick a table – they notice that the menu can be found online – via a QR code, which is put somewhere on the table. After scanning the code, customers are taken either to the website of the kitchen or to an outsourced domain, such as canva or stickymenus . The main advantage from the restaurant’s side is that you can edit the menu any time you want – whether you want to change the prices, add ingredients or just regularly update the menu – you don’t have to reprint the menu each time, not to mention – it’s way cheaper and more sustainable! The biggest advantage from the customer’s side is that – you can always be sure that there will not be any unsatisfied clients, who are in a rush to get the menu.
Virtual Kitchens
Along with the changing landscape of digitalization and food delivery – virtual or ghost kitchens are stepping up in the restaurant industry. Competition, especially for restaurants, is growing rapidly and sometimes implementing new ideas or diversifying risk could be quite costly not only financially, but also – in regard of the time spent. That’s where a ghost kitchen can help! These companies carry a huge amount of data on what works best and what doesn’t in regards to pricing strategies, pictures or marketing activities, and more. As an example, The Cloud can onboard a kitchen and create a new brand for it in just a couple of weeks, with basically no expenses. Not to mention the fact that we offer the possibility to easily expand geographically through our partnering kitchens. That is, of course, if they have headquarters abroad. For the customer – ghost kitchens are creating a better dining experience, with more choices and various global brands, which they can try. Moreover, most of these brands are optimized for food delivery, which carry particular meals and recipes, which are most popular in the food delivery industry.
Contactless, contactless, contactless
There could be 3 main types of contactless interactions: contactless food ordering, contactless payments and contactless food delivery. In other words, it is a dining experience where the customer can view the menu, order and pay with the least interactions with the staff as possible. In regards with food ordering – it’s quite simple, but how do you implement this in a physical restaurant?
The best part about this is that the technology sector nowadays is booming and there are various applications, which can deliver the best contactless experience possible for you and your customers! Apps, such as zomato helps you with menu viewing and paying at discounted prices, Bentobox getbento even introduced the possibility of bill splitting, checking order status or placing online ratings for your restaurant. sevenrooms helps customers to book a table virtually at any time and for the employees – no more stacks of papers, filled in with various seating orders. These apps do not only help the customer experience, but saves lots of time for your employees, while keeping a professional and modern restaurant dining experience. Think of it that way: no more angry impatient customers or mixed bills!
In general, with all the easy ways to digitalize your restaurant – you should not forget that the aspect of branding should also be taken into account. What’s too much – is not always the best. You wouldn’t see self-ordering kiosks at a 5-star Michelin restaurant, right? However, an automated seating order or reservation system and a waiter or waitress with an iPad would look way more professional than with a pack of notebooks. Either way, there are endless possibilities to go digital, may it be starting with a digital menu or boosting your sales with a ghost kitchen! As the saying goes: if you wouldn’t try – you will never know!