How “Scan QR Code” Is Changing The Restaurant Business

QR codes, once considered a novelty in the business world, have finally begun making inroads into the daily flow of small businesses. Restaurant and other food service-based business types are finding that QR codes completely change the way in which they operate while giving these businesses a profitable way to improve the products and services they provide. There are several benefits specific to restaurants that properly-utilized QR codes can deliver.

A Scan QR Code Makes Contactless Experiences Possible 

Contactless experiences with businesses are being actively sought out by an increasing number of consumers. Restaurants are no exception, especially with many of them being forced to close dining rooms for extended periods over the last year. Click and collect, curbside pickup, or third-party deliveries have received new life, with many customers still opting for the safety and control of their dining experiences even with many dining rooms now open.

Placing scannable QR codes at every table can help ease many of these customers back into your booths and chairs by giving them direct control over how much contact they have with your servers. A QR code can be programmed to open an online version of the menu, from which customers can place orders, make modification requests, and provide payment. This drastically reduces the number of visits servers must make to a table, keeping contact to a minimum and safety at a comfortable level.

Reduced Wait Times and Improved Order Accuracy

The deployment of QR codes will do more to draw customers than just giving them control over their experience. Other benefits include:

Orders placed using QR-activated online menus add a new level of accuracy to the ordering process, eliminating mistakes caused by illegible writing or misunderstood notes made by a server. Online menus can be updated almost instantaneously as items become sold out, or if the chef decides to present a flash special to the current dining crowd.QR codes work towards reducing wait times through the same streamlined ordering process. Servers are able to cover more tables and the near elimination of mistakes when filling orders cuts time off of the dining experience that could be spent waiting for a remade meal. The ability to pay using the same QR code means customers can pay or order that next round of drinks without the need to get the attention of a server, contributing to improved table turnover rates

Staff Aided by Reducing Task Overload

If it looks like your servers are participating in a track meet while dancing between tables and the kitchen on a Saturday night, you are not alone. But while this looks encouraging based on the busyness of the dining room and the constant flow of action by staff, what you are actually viewing is a breakdown of your process. While being busy is good, too much will lead to task overload, which means that drink refills fail to be delivered and servers start to burn out while your reputation begins a downward slide.

Placing a QR code in front of a diner immediately reduces the workload on your staff, allowing them to better juggle the needs of their tables and to provide high-quality levels of service. Kitchen and bar staff get to enjoy these benefits as well, thanks to having a clear picture directly in front of them. This helps them to properly manage the orders that come into their stations and provides them with the necessary confidence that the information on the screen in front of them is accurate.

Virtual Terminals for Payments Become Realistic

But how can a customer pay for their meal using a QR code without having to painstakingly enter in credit card and billing information? Thankfully, the solution to the QR code payment problem has already been addressed by a handful of POS solutions providers that take advantage of the full potential offered by QR codes. The answer is to shirk off the payment terminals of old and to instead shift to the modern and convenient payment terminal of today: the virtual terminal.

Virtual terminals are a perfect fit for payments initiated through the use of QR codes. A virtual terminal will allow the diner to choose from multiple forms of payment, including those stored within their Apple or Google Pay wallets, or even one of several third-party virtual payment platforms, such as PayPal or Venmo. This presents customers with the payment method they want and demonstrates your grasp of using technology to make their dining experience more delightful.

Enlist QR Code Experts to Guide Your Restaurant Forward

The emerging nature of QR code technology in a business setting, although full of promise, may be hard to obtain from some POS vendors. But there is one company whose business model is built on helping the small business owner use all potential business technologies in creating a technology foundation that boosts growth. A POS provider like this will work with you as a business partner, helping you to build a stronger reputation in your community.

A business relationship with talech yields more than a quality technical solution to address the challenges faced by your restaurant. This relationship gives you a partner that understands the benefits of using cutting-edge technology where it makes sense, but while keeping costs and support needs to a minimum. Reach out to us today to sign up for a demo and to learn more about how talech can be your valued POS partner.