Touchscreen usage can improve business operations and the technology has become more common in recent years. Several industries are incorporating touchscreen technology into everyday operations and the restaurant industry is no different. Here are some ways that touchscreens can improve the customer experience in restaurants.
1- Touchscreens Make Ordering Easier
When customers are ready to purchase their food, touchscreens make it easier to customize an order. The screen can display images of menu offerings and drop-down menus that allow customers to select the number of menu items they want. Touchscreen menus also make it easy for customers to add a drink, additional condiments, or cutlery to their order. This technology is ideal for carry-out-only restaurants and diners who want to add to their order when they can’t immediately get a waiter’s attention.
2- Touchscreen Technology Allows for Faster Payments
Once you select all the items you want for your order, touchscreen technology makes payments seamless. In most cases, you can pay with a credit or debit card and get your receipt via email. If you’re dining at the restaurant, you can safely pay without a waiter taking your credit card to a kiosk. With touchscreen payments, your card remains in your possession and you can complete your dining experience faster. If you’re dining with a group, touchscreen technology allows you to split payments.
3- Touchscreens in the Kitchen
When restaurants use touchscreens in the kitchen, orders appear in real time and the customers’ selections are clearer. Touchscreens make orders clearer to cooks and waitstaff and minimize mistakes. The screen will also let cooks and waiters know if an order is for delivery, dine-in, or carryout and displays the time the order was submitted to reduce the time diners have to wait for their food. This can lead to an enjoyable customer experience and customer retention.
4- Touchscreens for Restaurant Inventory
Restaurant suppliers and leadership staff can use touchscreens to keep track of inventory. The screen can display how many of each item is in the restaurant and how many items the restaurant needs for the next week or month. Staff members can cross items off as ‘ordered’ or ‘en route’ to keep daily operations organized.
5- Using Touchscreens for Reservations
Touchscreen technology allows guests to reserve a table or to inform the waitstaff that they have arrived once they are seated. When the waitstaff receives the customer’s request, they can confirm the reservation by sending an email. Touchscreens also informs restaurant staff which tables are occupied and how many people are seated at the table.
6- Touchscreens Enable Customer Feedback
When customers use touchscreens to place an order, restaurants can include a survey at the end of the customer’s order. The touchscreen can also feature surveys for the courier or delivery driver and a comment section for patrons to voice their concerns or congratulate a staff member. This information lets the restaurant know which improvements to implement and which menu items are best-sellers.
These are just a few ways touchscreen technology can make restaurant operations more effective and efficient. Using a few tablets at tables and near the register, or making menu offerings available on an app can make a restaurant more accessible and increase live and online traffic.