The Restaurant Technology Starter Guide
Why Get New Restaurant Technology?
When your restaurant systems have been set in stone for awhile, change can seem like too much work. New restaurant technology may cost a lot and take time to train on. But upgrading your devices leaves you better off in the long run.
Once you learn how to use the tech and streamline onboarding, you’ll reduce the stress of employee turnover when it occurs. Staff retention also improves with better communication and workforce management features. Overall, top-of-the-line restaurant technology available today creates happier customers and more efficient businesses.
Photo courtesy of eatOS
Creating Strong Goals
Your mission informs what tech you need to reach your full potential. Do you want to have the lowest prices in the area? Or pull in more Gen Z customers than anyone else? Or maybe grow to eventually open another location? Whatever your dream for the restaurant, really conceptualize it to know what to invest in.
The best tech will always be the kind that adapts with your business as it grows. The market doesn’t stay the same, so you can’t expect your restaurant to, either. With eatOS, we run automatic reports that analyze success over time. When you implement changes, we analyze the effect on profit for you. Keep what works and overhaul what doesn’t faster, for a healthier business overall.
Define What Customers Want
Consider what consumers want and start there. Right now, delivery and takeout is extremely important because it’s a safe way to get delicious food. If you’re not sure where to start with new tech, maybe add an app to go with your website landing page for online orders. This will appeal to all those customers who prefer using their phone for convenience. eatOS Point of Sale collects orders from all your channels and links them to the Kitchen Display Screen together, and queue ordering makes sure no customer waits too long.
All of this also allows your staff to communicate more seamlessly with each other, improving both their efficiency and overall job satisfaction. Technology doesn’t just have positive ROI; it makes your customers, and your workforce, more likely to stay.
Restaurant Technology: A Worthwhile Investment?
Although the upfront costs can seem mountainous, it’s the return on investment that really matters. Whatever you spend on a Self-Service Kiosk, for example, you’ll make back after one shift of what you’d normally pay a worker. That’s another reason training your staff in how to use the equipment is so important, so the transition is seamless.
When buying new restaurant technology, prioritize what can scale with your business and most effectively help the brand grow. It’s not always about what’s hot on the market, but what’s best for the restaurant going forward.
