June 2020 - inresto

Boost your Revenue with Restaurant Menu Pricing Tactics

Posted on 30/06/202008/07/2020 by inrestoblog

The menu of a restaurant is one of the key components that influences its sales and revenue, along with a significant impact on its popularity and quality of services. Pricing the items on the menu is an essential task that needs to be executed in an appropriate and strategic way to increase its effects and positive impacts on the sales, revenue, and overall service quality of restaurants. Restaurant menu pricing procedure is based on certain strategies and techniques that need to be followed and implemented while pricing the food items. The strategy helps in balancing between several aspects of the business. Accelerated sales lead to an increase in revenue and further improves profit margins.

A restaurant menu has the potential to be one of the most effective and key marketing tools for the business. Alongside profits, it also takes care of the guests’ willingness to pay and consequently leads to an increase in the popularity of the business. Deploying smart and strategic menu pricing policies is one of the key business tools in the operation of a restaurant business, of any size and type.

The psychological effects associated with menu pricing

The price of items is one of the key factors influencing the overall sales, revenue and reputation of a restaurant. Ingredients price fluctuations, sales index and analysis, customer preferences (as to what are the most popular items chosen by consumers), and the age and goodwill of the business are some points that need to be considered while determining the prices of items on the menu.

1. Getting diners engrossed with charm pricing

Charm pricing is very famous, and one of the most effective pricing techniques used across several industries. A small number game can hugely influence the psychology of diners and the kind of inferences they make about the prices of items. An example of charm pricing can be pricing an item at $24.99 instead of its previous round-figured pricing at $25.00. A single change in the rightmost digit is the main strategy of charm pricing and it’s a very effective pricing strategy.
The brain deciphers facts subconsciously before we consciously register a fact. So the figure “24” which is less than “25” is considered to be a lower price, even though the difference in actual terms is almost negligible.

2. Attractive and intelligent menus via digital menus

Explore and indulge in creativity while pricing and designing the menu of a restaurant. A unique digital menu needs creative inputs and modern technological applications to attract diners and subsequently boost sales and revenue. Digital menu is endowed with advantages like dynamic pricing, removing unavailable items at a go, flexibility to change the design and theme of the menu. For example, the inresto DineIn menu offers the unique ability to customise a menu as per the restaurant brand needs

3. Menu aesthetics and psychological effect

The font you use on the menu is essential in creating an impression amongst diners. According to research, typeface plays a major role in how diners perceive dishes on the menu of a restaurant. For example, the use of italics usually emphasises on higher cost and quality of a certain item. Removing the dollar sign or currency symbol and removing the double zeros after the decimal point is also an effective strategy that is said to send the brain a subconscious message that the dishes are less expensive and are said to make diners spend more money.

Digital menus are a recent form of technological advancement. Animated menus on a digital platform can create a great impression on the customer and also attract more diners through vivid and attractive visuals.

4. Appropriate name and illustrative description

Naming and description of food items on a restaurant menu can greatly improve the impression and sales of a restaurant. Proper naming of the dishes and providing a creative description is an effective sales tactic. It creates an impression of a high-quality experience. Including the ingredients, the story behind a dish, and the preparation of the dish paints a beautiful picture in the minds of the guests and tends to present the items in a more delicious way. Thus, guests can be made to feel welcomed. A descriptive and creative item title and description help in better brand perception for a restaurant business and thus the price can be quoted higher.

5. Assessing demographics & setting the right target audience

The kind of diners who visit the restaurant must be observed and analysed for the effective optimisation of the pricing on the menu of the business. The location of the restaurant and who are the frequent visitors must be documented and analysed. Their age group, their profession, their preferences must all be carefully noticed to device effective sales and promotion strategies through the restaurant menu. It also helps enterprises compete in the market with other restaurants offering similar services and dishes. Seasonal pricing must also be done on the basis of preferences and demands of guests. Popular seasonal dishes can be conveniently offered to boost sales and popular dishes of certain cultures and regions can also be customised into the menu based on demands and preferences.

6. Promotional offers & competition mapping

Offers and discounts send the message that diners are saving money which is an effective sales strategy that helps boost revenues and sales of a restaurant. Offers and discounts naturally attract diners to any business in any sector. A variety of payment methods and their branding on the menu, like Paytm, PayPal and Dineout Pay options can provide convenience to diners making the restaurant more popular and preferable in the market.

Digital menus can help diners avoid long queues that might lead diners to prefer the restaurant as most people do not like waiting.

Following the rule of three and the decoy method while designing a menu can be an effective sales strategy. Creating a competition within one’s own menu by offering diners three different variations of the same dish and a few options to customise the dish can make the customer get involved in choice making instead of a yes and no answer which could have led to the direct rejection of the dish. This has been a widely used strategy in the restaurant industry.

Tracking the progress and strategies of competitors and their prices and offerings is also essential in designing the menu of a business and the pricing of the items. Pricing of the menu of a restaurant is an effective and essential sales strategy that is quintessential to the boost of sales, revenue and reputation of the restaurant business.

Targeting Customers for Your Restaurant

Posted on 29/06/202008/07/2020 by inrestoblog

So, you have finally decided to start your restaurant or branch out into the delivery and takeaway space, and are super excited about it? Initially, you might want to target almost everyone around you, but that won’t be effective in any aspect. By going towards a more specific niche, you can finally concentrate on better servings, with lesser items to deal with, and above all, you shall be left out with a huge profit margin.

This is exactly what we define as your restaurant’s target customer, where you shall be putting all of your time and effort.

What Exactly is a Target Customer?

The person who is most likely to visit and support your restaurant can be defined as your target customer. Be it your menu, restaurant’s vision, or your overall guest experience; you can satisfy your target customer in numerous ways.

How to Identify Your Restaurant’s Target Customer?

Targeting your restaurant’s customer is very crucial in order to increase your revenue and expand your business. But, in a market where restaurant business is always over-saturated, you need to find effective ways in which you can generate repeated sales.

Down below are some of the most efficient ways of tapping the targeted audience that can help your restaurant:

Make sure to understand which age group is visiting your restaurant more often. Whether your restaurant is famous among teenagers or for the corporate people to carry out their meetings in fine cuisine.

Now, expand your customer base by targeting the same group of customers for potential growth.

Make sure to train your staff so that they can identify repeating customers and customise their services according to them. By treating your regular customers well, you can always expect brand loyalty from them.

Make sure to identify your competitions with a similar target audience, and figure out the ways in which your restaurant is better from them in terms of serving quality food and extending mind-blowing customer service.

Always work on your menu and collect feedback, especially inresto feedback, from your customers for the betterment of the same.

If possible, run relevant promotional ads, including inresto campaigns, which will improve your overall foot-traffic, in turn increasing your sales.

Don’t forget to ask for word of mouth from your loyal customers, while catering intimidating online reviews.

With all the different ways we have talked about, you need to understand that it all comes down to your time and effort, along with the resources you are willing to spend for your customers.

Determining Your Restaurant’s Target Customer

Utilising our application’s state-of-the-art digital booking channel facility, you can always explore the vast domain of the customer base.

1. Look for the Demographics

Demographics can help you a lot with properly targeting your customers. You can easily identify the people who work and live around the same neighbourhood where your restaurant is located. Further, by properly studying their behaviour, you can easily understand your customers’ mindset, for example, their preference for cuisine and dishes.

2. Look into your Restaurant Point of Sale

Your restaurant’s data can describe a lot about your customers. You can easily differentiate your customers, in terms of their spending capacity, based on their frequency of visits and the amount they are spending on each order.

Your restaurant’s point of sale system can provide you with the truest picture of the buying data including the busiest business hours, the most saleable item on the menu, the most frequent visitor list and the customers who fill the highest average bill on every visit.

3. Understanding your Customer through Interaction

Interacting with your customers can give you far better insights as compared to that of any analytics or number. Make sure to tell your house staff to keep an eye on the behaviour of your customer and respond accordingly. This gives your customers a sense of good customer service. Thus, they are motivated to return to your restaurant more frequently than ever.

Final Takeaway

Now that you have finally identified your target customer, it is the time to put good use of them and further increase your sales and overall profit. The inresto campaigns help you run targeted marketing campaigns after understanding and analysing the customer wants and needs. Thus, you can conduct and tackle all your restaurant’s operational needs with a systematic approach. Whatever we have discussed earlier, once you get that right, your business will boom in no time.

Top 10 Shows and Movies from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video for Restaurateurs

Posted on 25/06/202008/07/2020 by inrestoblog

In the modern era of the internet, gone are the days, where you had to wait for days and months in front of your television, just to catch your favourite show being aired. You don’t have to be waiting and frustrated either if by any chance you have missed out on a particular episode.

Here are the days, where you can easily install your favourite streaming service like Netflix or Amazon Prime, and continue with your show. With such great convenience, entertainment is just in the palm of our hands and only a few clicks away. You can get started, wherever, however, and whenever you want.

So, if you are a restaurateur or a foodie and having a hard time figuring out what to watch? Here is our list of the top 10 movies and shows on foods that you are certainly going to enjoy:

1. Chef’s Table

Chef’s Table is all about being a successful chef and restaurateur, featuring thirty chefs from all around the world. Till date, the Chef’s Table has six volumes of the documentary, where star chefs like Dominique Crenn, Gaggan Anand, Asma Khan and Alex Atala played their respective parts. The documentary in Chef’s table is all about the incredible adventures of these chefs and their journey so far.

Watch on: Netflix

2. Salt Fat Acid Heat

Salt Fat Acid Heat is a show that Samin Nusrat owns. This documentary portrays the chef and food writer’s argument of salt, acid, fat and heat being the four elementary and essential elements that back each and every food. The show touches upon the four elements through the perspective of the energetic chef and is a great guideline for the one’s starting their culinary journey.

Watch on: Netflix

3. Masterchef Australia

Masterchef Australia is a cooking competition show that brings massive bliss to all the watchers. The 752 episode series is enough to keep you hooked for long. The competition show is open to all the cooking lovers from all over the world. Masterchef Australia is a fair platform where the competitors showcase their cooking talent under-challenged filled guidelines. The show has chef and restaurateur Gary Mehigan, food critic Matt Preston and chef George Calombaris as the precious judges.

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video

4. Sugar Rush Christmas

Sugar Rush Christmas is one of the Netflix Originals that won the heart of millions. This is a series where a baking competition takes place between four teams, with each team having two members. As the name suggests and indicates, the competition is all about preparing sugary delights which shall be judged by the guest over the course of three rounds.

Watch on: Netflix

5. Cooking On High

Cooking On High is a cooking competition show with a difference. The show has an outstanding element of humour and quirkiness that has drawn a large number of audiences. The show has beautifully indulged cannabis in cooking beautiful dishes. The next part is the judges tasting the food and here comes the surprise of getting high on the food!

Watch on: Netflix

6. Eat Pray Love

Eat Pray Love is the movie adaptation from Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir, which has the same name. The show has elements that everyone can relate to. And the best thing above all, once you watch this fine masterpiece developed around Elizabeth’s travel journey to different countries and her discovery of various cuisines and culture, you are sure to fall in love with it.

Watch on: Netflix

7. Highway on my Plate

Indian food shows are quite popular. Especially because of the splendid blend of travel and discovering food is simply blissful. Highway on my Plate shows Mayur and Rocky, two food enthusiasts, travelling to different parts of India and discovering the native and authentic food of the remotest places whose existence is not popularised. The show is just the right mix and balance of fun and food expedition.

Watch on: Netflix

8. Street Food

Street Food, as the name suggests, is all about showcasing the delicious food popularly dominating the street life culture. Be it the spicy chats from the streets of Delhi or the soy-marinated crabs from South Korea; this show features all the mouth-watering street foods throughout the world.

Watch on: Netflix

9. Zumbo’s Just Desserts

If you are a dessert lover Zumbo’s Just Desserts is just the perfect companion for you. The show is definite to satiate your extra sweet tooth. The conceivers of My Kitchen Rules have developed the show in line with a baking competition reality format. Contestants create marvellous desserts and try to impress the judges.

Watch on: Netflix

10. Nailed It

Among the crowd of professional cooking shows, Nailed It brings in a breath of freshness. The show focuses on struggling home bakers trying to deliver delicious flavours. The massive catch of the show is the imperfect attempts made by the contestants. It gives you the guts to try out new things. The light-hearted show is all about taking you through a real journey of baking!

Watch on: Netflix

Final Takeaway

Before wrapping up, understand this, the entire list consists of our preferences for the best shows. There are certainly other restaurant TV shows and movies which you can enjoy. So, there’s no need to restrict yourself anymore, follow the list and enjoy a fun and relaxing weekend like never before.

Android POS Systems v/s iPad POS Systems: Which one to pick?

Posted on 25/06/2020 by inrestoblog

Introducing the POS Technologies

Cloud-based POS systems are considered as one of the astonishing path-breaking inventions in the restaurant industry. Several businesses, including restaurants, use the cloud-based POS system to improve mobility, save the overall cost and access the bulk amount of securely stored data regularly. With the evolution of technology, mobile tablets have effectively swept in to increase efficient interactions between the restaurant staff and the diners. The restaurant authorities utilise the Android POS system or the iPad-based POS system exhaustively. This further helps in accelerating their business performances. The precise details of the billing, receipt, employee data, customers’ purchasing behaviour, order tracking and other operational details can be easily monitored.

Android POS System is considered as a cloud-based system whose merit has proven to be advantageous across industries. The implementation of the POS system thus benefits the entire technical unit of the business operation. POS actively helps in channelling the sources of resourcing and controlling the data of the population of customers. In the case of restaurants, POS helps in creating a customised database with details of the number of items sold, products purchased, stock value, employee management system and staff salaries. iPad-based POS system, on the other hand, is concerned with tracking all the payment related issues. Thus, producing receipts and tracking the full purchasing procedure including the ones done via scanning barcode is easier. With an iPad-based POS system, the sales procedure can be streamlined effortlessly.

Comparative analysis between Android POS and iOS POS system

The functional differentiation of the two systems can be jotted as follows.

1. Customizable Features

The Android POS system is a flexible and open operating system. It focuses on usability extending blissful user experience and easing customization of the bill. iPad-based POS systems have limited flexibility. Thus the customisation features of Android POS facilities organisational activities of restaurants massively.

2. Flexible Factors

Android POS comes with the advantage of being extremely compatible with a variety of hardware. But iPad based POS system is friendly with only a handful of hardware devices.

The flexibility of adoption of the hardware system of the Android by the restaurants completely depends on their nature of the operation. For quick-service restaurants, the focus is majorly to elevate the profitability. They usually adopt large hardware form in order to fit into a single screen multiple operations. In the case of dine-in restaurants, the concentration is more angled towards customer preference and services. Thus they use a portable device that is installed with an Android system to gain substantial control over the restaurant operations.

3. Durability

Android POS devices have high durability and resistance quotient. Further, the software system of android technology can be easily installed. The iPad POS devices, on the other hand, being sleeker demands extra care in extreme temperature conditions. Therefore in restaurants and other business industries, the preference for Android devices is high.

4. Affordable Price point

Android offers a huge range of prices that makes their devices affordable in every aspect. The easy user interface of the Android POS system makes it more popular among users of all age groups. On the contrary, iPad POS is much more expensive. Thus the preference of Android for business improvement is pretty high.

5. Speedy updating of Software

The process of software installations in android devices is simple in comparison to the same in iPad based technologies. Updating the software regularly is important to be consistent with the newly invented forms. Updating the software in Android device consumes less time and is easier than that on iPad. iPad phones go through an elaborate stage of review and approval, thus consuming more time. The users face no such difficulty in the case of the Android system.

6. Integration

The unique customization process of the Android devices facilitates easy adoption of the programs as per the choices of the users. Additionally, several advantages like the cost-friendly hardware programs and the affordable software prices installed in the Android devices makes it more popular.

Restaurant representatives companioned by Android POS can access important information easily. Unique combination of the inventory management system, customer’s database integrated with the entire purchase and delivery of the products add to the convenience.

7. Better User Experience

The portability of the POS system of Android makes it more user friendly. Android facilitates comfortable customer interaction alongside extending complete information to the customers. Thus there remains no doubt regarding outstanding user experience. Moreover compared to the iPad-based POS system, the Android devices successfully pull greater audiences for the users.

To improve the business functions there is an ever-rising need of adopting advanced technology. It not only helps the procedures to fetch profitable growth but also assists in the retention of the business for the long term. The restaurant and other business domains try to undertake the best application with the help of effective technical assistance that is sure to aid better functionality of the business procedures. Comparing both the advanced POS technical system it can be stated that the Android POS system is the best option available.

Restaurant Billing Machine – All-in-one Billing Considerations

Posted on 23/06/202010/02/2021 by inrestoblog

Technological disruptions have led to a drastic change in the patterns of day-to-day business operations across industries. The food and beverages industry is no different and the function that underwent a major transformation is the restaurant billing system. The sole purpose served by the conventional cash register or a restaurant billing machine was to keep a track of the daily cash inflow and outflow at the restaurant.

However, the time has changed, and we have witnessed the quick shift from the manual cash register to restaurant billing machine and recently to state-of-the-art virtual Point Of Sale (POS) systems.

Major Drawbacks of the Conventional Restaurant Billing Machine

There should be some solid reasons for you to switch from your existing billing system. First, let’s take a detailed look at the major drawbacks of your conventional cash register and restaurant billing machine:

1. Prone to Errors

Since conventional billing systems involve more human dependency, there are higher chances of making mistakes. Hence, it’s quite difficult to investigate the mismatch in cash balance at the end of the day. It can happen due to a lack of concentration or inability of your employees to handle the rush at the cash counter during peak times. However, you cannot overlook the fact that it’s your hard-earned money that goes wasted due to an inefficient process.

2. Fear of Theft

The last thing that you would want to happen at your restaurant is the stealing of cash. In the case of conventional cash registers that lack accountability, there is no such option to find out who was in charge of the billing counter at a particular time. As multiple people handle and be around the cash counter during different timings, there are more chances of misappropriation of cash.

3. Non-compatibility with Digital Payments Systems

The conventional billing system was designed in such a way that it accepts only cash payments. Later, with the advancement of technology, these cash registers were connected with credit/debit card readers. However, the major drawback of the system is that you cannot integrate the digital payment platforms such as Google Pay and Paytm with the conventional systems.

As per the survey conducted by Economic Times, the highest adoption of digital payments was witnessed in the Food and Beverage sector (25%). Hence, you cannot afford to miss a major chunk of the business just because you have not implemented a modern POS system.

How does a Restaurant POS System Work?

A restaurant POS system is a futuristic technology that is gaining more popularity than ever before. The utility of the system is not just limited to book-keeping and recording purposes. It is multifunctional and analyses the transactions at your restaurant to provide valuable insights for enhancing the profits.

With the help of leading digital platforms such as inresto POS, you can manage billing, reservations, inventory management, customer feedback, handle table and queue management using a single platform. The system also lets you integrate other modules such as inresto reserve, inresto feedback and customer loyalty programs into the POS platform effortlessly.

5 Top Reasons to Switch to Restaurant POS System from a Simple Billing Machine

As a restaurateur, it’s quite natural for you to compare benefits before investing in the modern day POS system. Let’s explore the key benefits one by one.

1. Less Scope for Errors

The need for manual cash handling is eliminated to a great extent under this system. Hence, the chances of making errors are quite less when compared to the conventional cash register system. The major advantage is that billing and real-time payment status can be tracked and recorded from a single dashboard. You can easily infer the details of the employee who was in charge of the cash counter at a particular shift timing. The POS system is preloaded with input to calculate net amount based on the current tax system.

2. Real-time Alerts to Keep Theft at Bay

Receiving real-time alerts based on cancelled and non-chargeable bills keeps a check on stealing of cash, it’s quite easy to figure out the exact amount of cash inflow and outflow. Timely alerts also help to curb the stock pilferage and theft can be cut down by aligning your orders with the inventory.

3. Ease of Integrating Digital Payment Platforms

With the advent of the POS system, it’s pretty easy to integrate the digital payment platforms such as Google Pay and Paytm. Due to the outbreak of Covid-19, dine-in customers have become more cautious about safety than before while visiting restaurants. Hence, the majority of the customers prefer contactless, digital modes of payment over cash payment.

The POS system also integrates CRM systems and seamlessly processes orders from third party online ordering aggregator platforms. Reservation bookings from multiple channels are punched-in on the same platform which makes monitoring pretty easy.

4. Valuable Insights on Customer Choices and Preferences

A wide range of detailed reports provides valuable insights on the preferences and tastes of customers. The menu at your restaurant can be tweaked based on this information. Based on the insights, you can also analyse the performance of your staff.

5. Access your Data Anytime from Cloud Platforms

The beauty of a cloud-based platform is that you can access the data anytime on any device. You can track the performance metrics and make changes from anywhere in the world. The data stored in remote servers are more secure when compared to that of local servers. The data stored in the POS system is critical as it stores information about clients, analytics and trade secrets.

Parting Words

Gone are the days when the restaurant billing machine used to function as a standalone system. In an era where technology has made path-breaking changes, an all-in-one POS system like inresto is imperative for your restaurant. Customers have become more demanding and to meet their requirements, it’s quite essential to switch to an integrated POS platform. The intelligent insights and detailed reports definitely help you to serve customers better and gain an edge over your competitors.

Also Read: The need & importance of inresto restaurant POS system.

Instances of Stunning Restaurant Social Media Marketing

Posted on 22/06/2020 by inrestoblog

It has become a trend nowadays to post what you dined and wined on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Anyone and everyone from individuals, business owners to large brands are on social media showcasing their presence. This means that even if you are not actively maintaining a profile for your restaurant on social media, it is still being talked about. When you are engaging one-to-one with your prospective diners, you are actually creating a diner-centric brand image that is sure to drive good business in the long run.

As social media sites become the go to platform for sharing every aspect of life, marketing on the same has gained momentum. Restaurateurs are now investing substantial amounts of time, money and effort in social media marketing. In fact, many take it upon themselves to manage the social media profile of their restaurant. The big players are taking it a step further and hiring marketing professionals to look after the marketing strategy of their restaurant, including social media. Having a social media platform for your restaurant is like inviting users to visit your restaurant, take a look around and chat with your people, but virtually.

As you read on, you will be amazed by the simple yet clever ideas that you can adopt to create a compelling narrative for the marketing of your restaurant. Each case is supported by an apt example, what they are doing, why it is awesome, and in some instances where it is required, how to pull it off.

10 Social Media Marketing Ideas for Restaurants

1. Build up the hype with a BTS reel

Wave Asian Bistro & Sushi in Mount Dora, FL

What are they doing? It is usual for restaurants to showcase on social media what they have prepared. But Wave has taken it a step further by showing what happens one step back – they often post behind-the-scenes photos and videos of the kitchen activities.

Why it’s become awesome?

Food shows and YouTube series showcasing the procedure of food preparation in a restaurant are always trending. The shows hosted by celebrity chefs like Ranveer Brar and Vikas Khanna have millions of viewers. So by putting up BTS posts, you are cashing in on an already popular show format. Such posts intrigue guests. Thus, drawing them to your restaurant becomes an easy affair as they are already virtually familiar with the experience. In fact, you do not even have to put any extra effort as these scenes are anyway set up every day in the kitchen. All you have to do is film it aesthetically and you are good to go.

How to make it a success?

When we said aesthetic, we also meant that the kitchen must look professional, clean and organized. Choose to show your signature and most popular dishes. You either post a long clip of the entire process on suitable platforms, or you can do shorter clips, like a time-lapse video or a series of prep leading up to the finished dish. Your goal should be to highlight the credibility of your kitchen staff and their skills.

2. Tie up with a theme

Who are they? Sweetgreen (America), national chain

What are they doing? Sweetgreen is a brand that sells fresh, sustainable food, and its theme aptly represents the idea. The aesthetic presentation of the food is truly portrayed in their stores, smartphone apps and even their social media posts. Their use of rich and bright presentation themes creates a recognizable vibe. All their quirky posts are enough to highlight their presence even without their logo.

Why it’s become awesome? Sweetgreen obviously took the help of a digital marketing agency to come up with such a well-thought-out social media strategy. But even if you do not hire a marketing manager, you can use this tactic for your restaurant. Just ask yourself what the true essence of your restaurant is and use that to extend your brand identity beyond its location.

3. Set up a Strong Communication

Who are they? Chop Shop, three locations in Colorado

What are they doing?

The Chop Shop people use the power of two-way communication technology to personally engage with the diners. They create a diner-friendly image by responding to each and every review on their Yelp business page. Virtually, all the reviews, good or bad, are answered with a personal reply addressing the matter of discussion.

Why it’s become awesome?

Replying to reviews assures the diners that you are listening to them. Chop Shop comes off as earnestly trying to improve themselves by publicly attending to the negative comments. At the same time, by showing gratitude for the positive ones, they display utmost care for diner satisfaction. This way, they turn both the satisfied and dissatisfied diners into patrons and brand ambassadors. You can also follow their example, and at least address the aggrieved diners to bring them back.

4. Encourage signups via email

Who are they? Steak ‘n Shake (America), national chain

What are they doing?

Steak ‘n Shake uses the lure of a free “Double ‘n Cheese ‘n Fries” to all those that sign up for their eClub. The link to their email signup is added in their bio on social media platforms so that visitors can access it while they are still in the rapture of the offer.

Why it’s become awesome?

Email newsletters are the most personal access you will ever get to your diners. You can drive targeted promotions using email marketing. You can share birthday discounts, coupons, special events or any other offer this way to cater personally to their demands and urge them to return.

5. Utilize User-Generated Content

Who are they? Wingstop, national chain

What are they doing?

User-generated content is a veritable weapon of any brand, especially restaurants. UGC can include anything from photo and text posts to any social media content made by diners to show off your brand. As a restaurant-owner, reposting UGC posts with credit lets others know how favored your brand is. Wingstop does just that, using clever graphics and memes or food images with an inset of the post.

Why it’s become awesome?

UGC is a win-win situation. Your fans are performing the actual marketing work for you, and you are earning the adulation of both these loyalists as well as perspectives. When you repost UGC, you not only convince prospective diners better, since the post came from one of them, but you also maintain a relationship with the existing community in which both sides are hyping each other up.

How to make it a success?

When you re-share posts, make sure they are relevant to the theme you have already established on your social media profile, to maintain consistency. Never forget to give full credit, as this is not only in accordance with data property rules but also the whole point of UGC marketing.

6. Let your employees take the centre frame

Who are they : Sandwich Hag

What are they doing?

Putting the spotlight on your employees has two important advantages. First, it assures your guests that you do take care about them deeply enough to celebrate them, and nothing unethical goes on behind the doors. Second, it creates a personal connection between you, your staff and your guests, which everyone wants. Sandwich Hag- employs a team of staff members with different abilities, including brother Sang, who has Down syndrome. Her Instagram posts are often about them and their strengths.

Why it’s become awesome?

When you show off your employees as normal people with very real lives, it humanizes them to your diners. It sends a strong message that you look after them like your family. Not only that, but it also makes diner service a better experience for your staff, because guests will think twice before being harsh to them. Reyna taps into that side of her diners wonderfully when she makes a significant announcement for her restaurant. She puts forward a heart-warming reason for her decision, knowing her diners will relate to it instead of being upset.

7. Engage followers with interactive questions

Who are they? Mei Mei

What are they doing?

Interactive, no-obligation social media engagement has many advantages. For one, it is better at bringing prospective diners on board and intriguing them enough to warrant a visit. For two, interaction is a great way to introduce or revive something, as guests are far more certain to recall and ask for it if they had something to do with it. That is exactly what Mei Mei does right here.

Why it’s become awesome?

Questions on social media have great potential that brands can tap into. You can use questions to introduce something using pre-release hype, you can ask for the opinion of your followers and you can exponentially increase the engagement time of social media users with your posts. Using questions essentially shows diners that you value their judgement, and putting them at the centre is one of the best ways to augment brand value in their minds.

8. Hop on to the trend wagon

Who are they? Upper Crust Pizzeria

What are they doing?

Using trending hashtags has been one of the most infallible methods to improve visibility on social media, and Upper Crust Pizzeria does it in style. During the rampage of the Nor’wester Stella in Boston, the Upper Crust crew newsjacked the local weatherman with the hashtag #openinBOS that was trending at that time.

Why it’s become awesome?

Newsjacking is a popular trick for most digital marketers. Since a huge population is already following the tag, restaurants have a great opportunity to ride on it, especially if they have a unique way to associate it with their brand. Upper Crust Pizza did just that. In fact, they hit two birds with one stone as they also highlighted their staff here, which we talked about in the sixth example.

9. Contests aka the endorphin of diners

Who are they? Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop in Las Vegas, NV

What are they doing?

Who doesn’t like complimentary free stuff? Capriotti’s knew what they were doing when they partnered to run a contest for their catering trays. Participants just had to order online to enter the contest!

Why it’s become awesome?

There is no end to the clever ways you can host a contest. Some common ideas are riddles, fun trivia questions, photo contests, fill-in-the-blanks, caption contests and tagging friends. This method is a fast one to generate buzz and expand your online as well as your offline community.

10. Highlight your Vendors

Who are they? Donna’s Toronto in Toronto, Canada

What are they doing?

Just as showing off your staff created a personal connection with your guests, putting the spotlight on your vendors does the same. It assures them that you are using the best quality products to cook your meals. It also promotes the two brands together and helps send patrons of one to the other. Donna’s post is a great example, in which they mention Harbord St Bakery, a local bakery, as the source of the bread for their Reuben sandwich. Returning the favor, Harbord St Bakery also posted about their association with Donna’s for their special.

Why it’s become awesome?

This method is the epitome of symbiosis. Both companies rub each others’ back by letting their diners know of their support of each other. This way, diners that trust one brand will also try out the other, and partners of one may be interested to work with the other. Additionally, there is a trend nowadays where diners want to know exactly what goes into what they eat, and this is a great way to let them know.

The restaurant business is highly centred around diners. In a day and age where people are giving maximum support to brands that personally engage their clients, restaurants have an even greater responsibility to propagate their diner-friendly image. Social media sites are the optimum platforms for this. These innovative ideas of some restaurants for managing their social media profiles will surely inspire you in your quest for a unique social media marketing strategy for your restaurant.

Enabling #SafeToEatOut with inresto

Posted on 19/06/2020 by inrestoblog

All geared up to serve your customers with Unlock 1.0 but confused on how to go about it? We understand the chaos the industry is facing right now. There is a dilemma on how to gain the diners’ trust and create a safe environment for them to dine out. However much one orders in, the personalised experience of dining out can’t be replicated.

When times are tough, all we need is that one guiding hand to point us in the right direction. And thus, inresto is helping the restaurants become a #SafeToEatOut place. This can be achieved through a series of technology products under the umbrella of Contactless Dining. Also, to ensure a safe and hygienic environment at the restaurant, inresto is providing safety measures and PPE kits.

‘When going gets tough, the tough get going’

Contactless Dining: The future of the F&B industry

From discovery to reservation, digital menu to digital feedback our Contactless suite of products has everything a restaurant needs to operate in the new normal.

Pre-booking & ordering– No one likes waiting. Period. Using inresto’s Whitelabel solution, restaurants can enable their Pre-booking and Pre-Ordering widgets on their website and social media handles

Digital Valet– Digital Valet will cut short the time spent by diners waiting for their cars and will also help in maintaining the social distancing

Guest and Reserve– inresto’s Guest and Reserve technology will ensure that restaurants are not reserving more than what the social distancing norms dictate. They will also be able to effectively manage the seating capacity

Contactless Menu– To avoid high touch elements like a physical menu, diners can now order directly from their phone by scanning a QR code. With inresto’s Digital Menu, diners can place their orders seamlessly. The technology also enables the use of Data Analytics and AI to offer dynamic pricing and customised offers

Contactless Payments– The Digital Payment option enables the diners to opt for cashless payment. This minimises contact between diners and the restaurant staff and creates a safe environment

Contactless Feedback– inresto’s digital feedback helps with instant grievance redressal and expectation management, in turn increasing the Net Promoter’s score for the restaurant. Digital feedback will also eliminate unnecessary touchpoints like pen and paper

‘Trust is earned when actions meet words’

Diners are longing to come back to their favourite restaurants, but they fear for their safety owing to lack of visibility of the restaurant’s hygiene and safety standards. inresto is enabling restaurants with safety measures and PPE kits which will help rebuild diner confidence.

Equinox Labs Accreditation for Hygiene Ratings and Audits- Gain the diner’s trust with Equinox Labs Accreditation (A FSSAI notified laboratory). Restaurants can now proudly display a “Safe To Eat Out” tag on the restaurant detail page

Sterifume Disinfection Services- Maintain kitchen and dining area hygiene standards through best-in-class service providers like Rentokill & Zoono

Restaurant Safety and PPE kits- Open your doors with confidence using PPE kits including sanitisers, thermometers, visor, gloves, face masks and headgear

Monitoring Employee’s Health- Employee health and safety is paramount. Ensure routine health check-ups through healthcare service aggregators like QubeHealth

Monitoring Safety and Hygiene checks- Through AI-powered CCTV/Video analytics services, restaurants can now monitor the compliance of safety and hygiene measures

With our contactless suite, we are constantly preparing for the future to enable the F&B industry to evolve and grow. Technological innovations have helped the world sail through the biggest storms and with the right product and safety measures, restaurants can easily adapt to the ‘New Normal’ and serve the diners in a safe environment.

Get in touch with us at inrestosolutions@dineout.co.in to make your restaurant a #SafeToEatOut place.

How to Create an Online Ordering Menu with the Food That Travels Well

Posted on 12/06/202006/05/2021 by inrestoblog

The outbreak of the COVID19 pandemic has put a stop to dining out at restaurants across dimensions. Therefore, orders are placed mostly online, and delivery services are a significant part of running a restaurant now. As a result, many restaurants might face the necessity to hire extra help or use existing delivery services. Additionally, the existing staff are engaged more to assist in the process of deliveries and food packing.

There are many challenges included in this process. For example, these third-party delivery services have to be paid commission out of the order value. If any restaurant is not willing to modify their services, but are more focused on on-site food orders, chances are they will have a tough time sailing through the pandemic. Most people want food to be delivered in their homes at present. This has stimulated the restaurants to adopt new strategies to cope with the situation.

Another challenge in this respect is to maintain a standard in online reviews. Nowadays, most people carry out a preliminary research of the restaurant on Google and other discovery platforms before placing the order. The customers even lookup for reviews and ratings of the restaurants. Most of these reviews are focused on the restaurant service, ambience and most importantly, the food. Sometimes the factors determining these reviews are not in absolute control of the restaurant. For example, the probability of customers negatively rating a restaurant is high, even if the 3rd party delivery service is at fault.

What is the solution?

It is recommended to provide a unique online menu where users feel elated when ordering. Modification of dishes so as to facilitate them to travel while staying fresh for longer hours is the need of the hour. Complementary safe and secured packaging will ensure smooth delivery of the food, thus, mitigate the negative reviews.

In addition to providing tasty and healthy food, secure packaging, the presentation of the same in the online menu must be aesthetically pleasing to hook customers.

Steps for keeping the freshness of the takeout food intact

1. The Sauces Should be Separated.

The first rule for food delivery is packing the sauces separately, thus, preventing. Non-segregation of the same elevates the chances of the main dish being mixed inappropriately with the sauce. No one likes that. Any liquid or moisture-filled substance should be separated and packed on the side

2. Piercing the Containers

Another way to prevent hot food from getting soggy is by making small piercing in the container. This makes way for the steam to escape. As a result, the dishes are to retain their texture or crispiness perfectly. However, this technique is inappropriate for containers comprising liquid food items. Piercing the container is specifically recommended for those containing hot and dry food such as rice dishes, Chicken Tenders and French Fries.

3. Separate Packaging of Cold & Hot Food

Hot and cold food items must never be carried in the same bag. For example, frozen desserts and hot soup should always be separated into different bags. In the case of longer delivery time, keeping hot and cold foods in the same bag can diminish the taste or texture of the same.

4. Provide Instructions for Reheating

Some food items lose heat very quickly. Thus, when the customer gets the delivery, the food is not as tasty as it was supposed to be. Warming the food can lead to the recovery of its former glory. There are many ways to do so, and these heating instructions are specific to food items. Heating can be done on a microwave oven or even a pan. The exact reheating method should be clearly mentioned. Such reheating instructions can be provided in the order notes, as a part of the packaging or in the email receipts. In this way, the customers will also be satisfied with their needs being taken care of.

5. Compartmental Containers

For delivering sensitive foods like the ones made out of dairy products or when the orders are of high priority, try using compartmentalized containers for the packaging and delivery. These enhance the customers’ experience by ensuring that the food items retain their freshness and are not mixed or damaged in any way.

6. Set a Special Delivery Menu

Fixing a specific delivery menu is absolutely essential. Everything available on-site should not be available for delivery. The emphasis here should be on the food items which have a high chance of remaining fresh in transit. The online ordering menu should be more focused on the travel-friendly dishes without compromising on the taste and quality.

Some special food items can also be termed as exclusive delivery orders. These dishes should be promoted online to attract as many customers as possible.

7. Start Small & Make it Big

If you are trying out taking online orders as a beginner, it is advisable to start with a small menu. The menu should be selective, and it should contain only those items that consume less cooking time and can withstand travel. At the same time, you can pay extra attention to packaging details like napkins and appropriate cutlery. This is definite to provide a complete customer experience.

Once they are pleased by the services, they are sure to repeat orders and subsequently be a regular customer at your restaurant.

8. Keep a reasonable food delivery radius

Usually, you would like to take the orders of as many customers as possible, even if they are far away. However, the larger the distance you travel to deliver, the higher are the chances of food quality degradation.

Hence, keep the delivery radius at an optimum level such that delivery time does not take more than half an hour. For priority delivery, a maximum of an hour’s delivery time could be maintained. This will ensure the customers get the food on time without delay. Further, the freshness of the food, when delivered, stays intact.

5 Ideal Travel-Friendly Food Items

By now, you are aware of the tips of keeping your food quality intact. Now, you should know about the special delivery items and how to plan them out. The below mentioned 5 items are sure to be the optimum choice of travel-friendly foods.

Penne arrabbiata Pasta

These are plates of pasta that need to be cooked quickly. They usually are in a dense state. Once finished, they take time to settle down. Therefore, the travel duration can act as the perfect time to make this dish settle down properly.

Chicken Korma

This is a special Indian curry, with chicken being the main ingredient used along with a variety of aromatic spices, which can travel very well. Reheating on a microwave is an excellent way to bring back the fresh taste. The dish should be accompanied with roti, naan, parathas or rice.

Chicken Noodle Soup

This dish comprises soups and cooked noodles. It must be delivered in spate containers. Otherwise, the noodles may turn all mushy. Customers receiving the dish can easily mix the two main components and enjoy the meal.

Fried rice, Paella, Pulao, or Biryani

These dishes are mainly rice dishes and all of them being dry are travel-friendly. Reheating these dishes can be done very easily in a microwave.

Pizza, Breakfast Pizza, Flatbreads, or Flammkuchen

These dishes are crust baked with diverse toppings. Even on long delivery, the crispiness is well retained. Hence slight reheating is enough.

How can your POS boost online orders?

1. Easy Modification of Menu

Menu modification should be easily allowed by your POS. It should be applicable for both your on-site and off-site orders. Make the interface of the POS in such a manner that changing an item in the menu is quick and hassle-free.

2. Ordering Online on the Restaurant’s Website

Creating a website for your restaurant can facilitate major business activities with ease. Even at instances of non-operation of major third-party apps or delivery services, you can still connect with your customers with ease. All you need is to feature delivery services. All your orders will be processed with a very marginal cost. Connect the online orders through the website directly to the restaurant POS system.

Further, being active on social media will help you in promoting your website effectively, leading to an increase in customer engagement.

3. Fitting in Trend and Closely Monitoring the Customer Complaints

You should incorporate your POS system in such a manner that tracking the discounts and the customer complaints are smooth. Regular reverting to customer reviews can add to your restaurant’s credibility.

The POS data is definite to highlight the case of multiple complains against a particular dish. Thus you can accordingly modify or change the ingredients and update the item. This move is sure to elevate your restaurant’s popularity among your customers.

The POS system is extremely handy at keeping the phone numbers and emails of the customers updated. Which, in turn, helps in creating loyalty programs, sending discounts & offer coupons to all kinds of customers is no more a headache.

Running a restaurant is full of challenges. Yet that satisfied smile on the customer’s face as an after-effect of your food satiating their taste buds is worth cherishing. Adopting online modes of serving customers is the need of the hour and must be incorporated for lubricating the operation of the celebrated service industry.

Cloud Kitchen Business Model (Ghost Kitchen) – Advantages, Types, Costs of the Concept

Posted on 10/06/202013/07/2021 by inrestoblog

“Cloud Kitchen” or “Ghost Kitchen” was inevitable. In this age of consumerism, people prefer everything served onto their platter for instant gratification. With the advent of the internet, there has been a paradigm shift in our lifestyle and choices. People have become overly dependent on the internet.

In recent years, cloud computing has enabled people to access almost everything they need in their lives. Nowadays, people seem to have shied away from the traditional dining out experience. Especially with the onset of the COVID 19 epidemic, the trend has seen a spike. With several modes of entertainment at a finger-click away, the customers prefer to stay at home and enjoy their food.

Cloud Kitchen Concept

Cloud Kitchen acts like a virtual kitchen that has no physical existence for dining but offers the same services as a regular kitchen would do. This service is of massive help especially for the elders and the ones unable to cook in times of such global pandemic like the COVID 19. They can be accessed through the restaurant website or via third-party food delivery applications. People place their food orders over the internet through their choice of the portal and the food is instantly prepared and gets delivered at their doorstep.

Dineout, India’s largest dining out platform, offers a one-stop cloud-based technology system called the inresto Point of Sale (POS) system. The customer books his order using inresto DineIn. He can also place the order through either the restaurant website or through third-party apps. All the orders reflect on the inresto POS.

Cloud Kitchen Model’s Advantages

Even the age-old restaurants are embracing the advantages offered by a Cloud Kitchen these days. It has low start-up costs and requires minimal infrastructure to set it up. No need to worry about sky-high rental payments and the hassles of maintaining a tangible establishment.

Some of the benefits of a Cloud Kitchen have been jotted down below

Higher Operating Profits
Savings in Capital Expenditure
Quick and Efficient Service through Diversification
Deeper Insights

1. Higher Operating Profits

There are a lot of operating costs and overhead expenditures that you will have to bear when you are running a traditional restaurant. These include a truckload of administrative costs like salaries and utilities like water, gas, sewer, electricity services.

In the case of Cloud Kitchen, you just have a small set-up to worry about. While the delivery costs may increase, you will save a massive amount of overhead costs. Such savings will ensure a higher profit margin.

2. Savings in Capital Expenditure

The land is the only asset that goes through capital appreciation. One of the major headaches in running a full-fledged restaurant anywhere is the exorbitant rental payment that seems to increase exponentially as days go by. A Cloud Kitchen concept saves you the rent as there is no tangible space for dining. You just need to pick a modest space to open a kitchen only. The only thing you need to take care of is that your kitchen is located near to where your target audience is.

3. Quick and Efficient Service through Diversification

One big advantage of such a nouveau concept is that high customer demand can be handled easily. The idea is to open several kitchens spread across multiple locations in the city that could satisfy varied customer demand. You can expand your existing kitchen too using the same equipment and infrastructure. This allows you to cater to diversified taste buds. You can have varied items on the menu of different brands with all of them sharing the same virtual space. Speedy and efficient service will keep your customers satisfied that only bodes well for the business.

4. Deeper Insights

Through your online ordering system, you will gather valuable information about your customers’ choices, preferences, and habits. With the help of the POS technology, you can save data related to such crucial parameters that will determine your future courses of action. Understanding the pulse of your customers can help you tinker with the menu and innovate new ways of attracting new clientele.

5. Flexibility

It’s easier to make changes and experiment with the menu when it comes to a Cloud Kitchen. Since the entire menu is always online, you can introduce an item and take it off at your will depending on the demand. Luring the modern-day connoisseurs with experimental fusion food is a great way of gaining popularity and attention.

Types of Cloud Kitchens (Ghost Kitchens)

Independent Cloud Kitchen Model
Faasos Business Model
Freshmenu Business Model
Swiggy Access Business Model

There are various types of Cloud Kitchens that you can opt for. It depends on your entrepreneurial acumen as to what specific model is best suited to your business. Several types of Cloud Kitchens have been discussed below.

1. Independent Cloud Kitchen Model

The classic model serves one restaurant per kitchen. It has no tangible dining space or seating arrangement. It is the first and foremost online food delivery model that started gaining popularity in the last few years.

2. Faasos Business Model

In this type of Cloud Kitchen model, multiple brands are offering numerous cuisines spread over several outlets across the city. A lot of research goes into this particular model as the kitchens are opened based on several parameters. The most important parameter is the preference of cuisine among people of a particular neighborhood. The costs are minimized as there is one mother kitchen umbrella with numerous brands under it. Like the previous model, there is no dining space here either.

3. Freshmenu Business Model

It is a mix of both the afore-mentioned models. There is one kitchen with multiple outlets but used by one brand. There is a shop front with display windows that makes it more interactive for the customers. Additionally, the availability of takeaway options adds to the convenience of the customers.

4. Swiggy Access Business Model

This particular business model is owned by Swiggy. It is a ghost kitchen that has a space equipped with all the infrastructures. Restaurants can rent the space and take advantage of Swiggy’s online delivery platform and promotional schemes. This gives the restaurants a huge exposure and introduces them to a large batch of customers. Swiggy’s online ordering platform is featured with numerous advantages including its marketing strategies apart from its delivery fleet. All in all, the restaurant only needs to focus on providing quality food. Swiggy is here to take care of all the other aspects of business making.

Cost of Setting Up:

The first thing to note is that unlike traditional restaurants, where you have to keep in mind the décor, the neighbourhood, the ambience, etc., in the case of a Cloud Kitchen, all you need to know is whether your target customer base is located within your estimated radius or not. The determination of radius depends upon you. A kitchen doesn’t need a lot of space but rental payments for commercial purposes are a bit higher than in general. The restaurant POS system should be high-tech and in sync with the current technology. The cost of such would be around INR 60,000.

Compliances to be observed include FSSAI License, Tax Registration License, etc. The cost of such compliances can be expected to be between INR 15,000 to INR 20,000.

Kitchen assets include crockeries and other items like refrigerators, ovens, etc. You’d need a head chef, a sous chef, and other helpers. It’s important to exercise great care while choosing your chefs. The equipment and staff would cost around INR 10-12 lakhs.

For marketing purposes, you’d need to choose the correct platforms that will reach out to customers. There should be a definite strategy in place or else a haphazard approach will never yield good results. Digital advertising is very effective these days and promotional costs for such should be around INR 50,000. Sponsored adverts, paid collaborations with bloggers, and online e-newsletters can cost around INR 2 lakhs.

For Cloud Kitchens, packaging of food is a very powerful tool. Since all the food will be delivered, the packaging is key and must satisfy the customer. Attractive and innovative ways of packaging are always a hit with customers. Different food items require different methods of packaging and prudence should be exercised while deciding so. The cost of packaging can be expected to be around INR 50,000.

Compliances:

There are several compliances for any business. A Cloud Kitchen does have lesser hassles than a full-time restaurant. But still, there are some rules and regulations that need to be fulfilled. You need a Food license provided by the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI), an Eating House License provided by the Licensing Police Commissioner (if there is an eating-house in plans), and a Shop and Establishment License within 30 days of the start of the business. Environmental concerns need to be addressed also by obtaining a Certificate of Environmental Clearance. So, even though it is not as complicated as a traditional restaurant with dining space, a Cloud Kitchen still has to meet all these compliances.

Read more : inresto’s cloud kitchen software here

A Restaurateur’s Detailed Guide to Mobile Payments, Contactless & More

Posted on 09/06/2020 by inrestoblog

With the advent of the internet, there has been a paradigm shift in the daily lives of human beings. Modern technology resulted in advanced modes and mediums of communication. Smartphones are one such creation that functions much more than just a communication device. It has become a one-stop solution for using different applications for a variety of purposes.

Mobile phones store information related to your credit cards, commuter passes, loyalty cards, bank accounts, etc. Thus, payment for food through mobile phones is not something to be surprised about. Anyone and everyone can do so. Everyone is replacing their wallet with their electronic device to pay for their meals at restaurants.

The technology known as Near Field Communication (NFC) facilitates the transaction between the mobile phone and the payment terminal that is present in every restaurant. Customers, at large, use mobile wallets and money transfers to pay for their restaurant bills. Research suggests that the percentage of customers will increase as days go by.

The ease of access is one of the primary reasons behind this ever-growing popularity of mobile payment. One of the most popular and best payment solutions is Dineout Pay. Dineout Pay can be accessed through the Dineout App. A customer can use Dineout Wallet and pay through the MyCash option. Customers can get PromoCash which can be earned via promotional offers like cashback. It is easy, convenient, and supports various modes of electronic payment like credit/debit cards, net banking, Paytm, GPay, etc. With a few clicks on the Dineout Pay app, you can make the payment for your bill with immediate effect and also earn exciting cashback offers.

Both the customers and owners of restaurants are benefitted from the use of mobile wallets like Dineout Pay. Restaurateurs get additional loyal customers through marketing and promotional strategies using Dineout App. Dineout Pay offers a lot of cashback incentives. This has a psychological effect and encourages customers to spend more at restaurants.

A few reasons as to why restaurants should adopt mobile payment terminals and accept mobile wallet payments:

1. Secure Payment

As explained above, mobile phones store all sorts of data. Security concerns over leakage of such information leading to theft and embezzlement have subsided a bit these days, but still haven’t completely gone away. Technologies like Near Field Communication (NFC) and Europay, Mastercard, and Visa (EVM) ensure ample security to your data. EMV cards are difficult to hack into as they have an extra layer of protection with the microprocessor chip in addition to the traditional magnetic stripe on the back of the card. NFC offers seven layers of security, like user authorization connected to biological data as compared to EVM.

Mobile payments require a few authentication steps and are safer than online payments. It is impossible to clone a card and use it for fraudulent purposes with such a security mechanism already in place.

2. The Shift of Focus to Mobile Payments

All start-up restaurants are equipped with EMV and NFC mechanisms these days. The existing or age-old restaurants have also moved on with the tide by installing the necessary software for facilitating mobile payments.

The promotions conducted by the mobile payment providers are inviting the customers to the restaurants equipped with such technology. Therefore, customers demand and prefer mobile payment these days.

For e.g. Dineout Pay is provided by Dineout, that is the most popular dining out platform in India. With Dineout Pay, customers can effortlessly connect with the point of sale system and make the payment. Dineout promotes the usage of Dineout Pay through its various promotional campaigns.

3. Mobile Payments are fast and easy

Mobile payments involve additional authentication steps, but still, it is a faster mode of making payment in comparison to credit or cash. As soon as your mobile phone is connected with the payment terminal via NFC, you can make the payment immediately after registration. Research suggests that it takes 30-40% less time to make payments through mobile wallets than through credit cards or cash. So, in comparison to cash and card payments, mobile payments are much faster and easier. And as mentioned above, mobile payments are safer than EMV transactions. It provides an extra layer of security.

4. Mobile Payments Create Loyal Customers

A loyal base of customers is created as most people prefer the restaurants equipped with such modern-day facilities that make payment easier and faster and involve lesser hassles.

Customer loyalty and reward programs attract more people. Thus customers prefer some restaurants over the others. For e.g. Dineout Pay offers a lot of cashback benefits to its customer base. Therefore, when a customer sees extra earnings in his Dineout wallet, he/she is encouraged to visit the restaurant and spend more. Dineout Pay offers an exciting Super Saver Guaranteed Rewards Programme that benefits both restaurants and customers. Customers can avail a discount of 40% (an extra 20%) of their bill amount as Dineout Promocash and restaurants are assured of 3 times the business for the amount paid within 2 months. Failure to do so will result in reimbursement on a pro-rata basis.

These programs help restaurants to gauge the trends among customers. They form a unique tacit connection between the owners and customers paving the way for better experiences for both.