Restaurants thrive on positive customer experiences. Oftentimes, though, servers take this to mean they should only focus on making the ordering process run smoothly and the food comes out good, and forget about the rest: Guest experiences start when they walk into the restaurant and only end when they leave. The transaction is also a part of their experience with the restaurant, and it does affect their feelings and your reputation.
That’s why it’s so important to have state-of-the-art payment capabilities that cater to the modern consumer. EMV, magstripe, digital and mobile payments are all popular methods used in restaurant transactions today. Customers have spoken. Is your restaurant ready to listen?
Pay-at-Table on the Rise
Pay-at-table transactions are on the rise because they’re more secure and faster than traditional payment methods that restaurants are used to. Most customers use credit or debit cards these days, and it’s rarer to use cash; and now, restaurants are investing in technology that lets customers pay right from their seats. They equip each table with a tablet or other device that lets customers view, pay and even split the bill so they can get through the checkout process with ease on their own time.
Why is this kind of technology so important to guests and modern restaurants alike?
Faster Service
When they’re done eating, people usually want to leave quickly. You don’t want customers lingering over an empty table either as this prevents you from seating other guests, so why not hasten the speed of checkout? Instead of waiting for servers to get the check, bring it over, come back, take it to the PoS terminal, then return the card, make transactions fast and easy by having customers pay right from their seats when they’re done eating. Delays are especially likely when restaurants are busy, and you don’t want to leave guests with a bad final impression. Send them off in good spirits and increase the likelihood of repeat visits.
Table turn times speed up this way, too. Seating even just one extra table per shift can increase revenue as much as 20%, which means more tips and happier servers. Content workers, work harder.
Reduce Fraud
EMV, swipe, mobile pay and near-field communication payments are all safe and secure with pay-at-table devices. Advanced technology means more capable security, and since guests don’t have to hand their cards off to somebody else who then walks away with it, there’s less risk of fraudboth intentional and not.
Chargebacks are a big issue, particularly with restaurants. While this type of fraud is often intentional, sometimes it comes down to simple human error. Giving customers a chance to see the whole transaction and check the bill themselves inherently reduces the risk of chargebacks which end up costing your restaurant a fortune.
Happier Employees
It’s no secret that contented employees work harder. While there are many ways to ensure happier workers on shift, it doesn’t hurt to increase the size and frequency of their tips per shift too. That’s exactly what pay-at-table technology does: Make it easier to calculate tips so customers can give their 20% with one simple tap. A better customer experience also encourages them to leave a larger tip, while heightened table turn times means more checks collected overall. eatOS technology calculates tips by percentage or dollar amount automatically so guests can leave the math behind and end their meal with a great last impression.
Less Paperwork
Smart technology records and analyzes all your sales data easily and automatically so you don’t have to sweat over financial reports anymore. Don’t worry about calculating receipts and spending time pouring over data; let advanced devices do the hard work for you. It’s also better for the environment to digitize as many aspects of business operations as possible, so pay-at-table devices are a win for you and the planet.
Payment Made Easy
Customers will appreciate not having to fumble for their wallet to pay for a bill. When they can use a mobile wallet app, near-field communication or other digital purchasing methods, payment is fast and easier than ever. Watch customer satisfaction soar and, in turn, loyalty rise with it.
Pay-at-table transactions are getting more and more popular in the food service industry, and as a result, customers are coming to want and even expect these capabilities when they go out to eat. Upgrade your restaurant to meet the modern consumer by implementing the kind of advanced technology you get when you sign up with eatOS, including pay-at-table capabilities as well as other cutting-edge features that customers are hungry for. It’s time to meet your guests in the future of food service.
