What Does It Take to Own a Restaurant? Top 5 Questions Before You Sign Your Lease

You have long nurtured a dining idea; one that has been nourished through an inner passion for culinary excellence. When the time comes to turn this passion into a reality, several important steps, such as finding the right location and obtaining kitchen equipment, are a given. But what does it take to own a restaurant?

How Much Space Is Needed for POS Hardware?

Determining the amount of dining room and kitchen space is a given, but how much time have you invested in the location of your POS hardware? The placement of your POS terminals is an essential piece for determining the workflow of your restaurant. The overall footprint of the necessary POS devices must also be a consideration, as devices that are too large or are prone to environmental factors such as condensation can impede the efficiency of operations.

Most of the space concerns can be mitigated by looking towards glass-based POS hardware. In layman’s terms, this means using mounted tablets, taking advantage of wireless connectivity, and minimizing your reliance on printers, including in the kitchen and for customer receipts. Using tablet-based kitchen display systems (KDS) and online invoicing presents you with several options to drastically reduce the amount of space required by your POS hardware.

What Would the Ordering Flow Look Like?

Going with glass-based, mobile technology as your hardware strategy presents you with almost limitless options for creating an efficient order processing flow. It eliminates the inevitable bottlenecks that can result from not having enough terminals for all of your servers and bar staff during peak meal rushes.

By using mobile POS technology, you can reduce the number of staff on the floor while quickening the pace and accuracy of filling orders. Servers can use tablets to enter orders into the POS system while standing at a customer’s table, using an online menu that reflects up-to-the-minute changes. Once placed, the order is sent immediately to your KDS so the kitchen can work on the order right away. At the end of the meal, the same tablet is used to accept the payment and send out a digital receipt.

Where Are the Ideal Placements for the Hostess or Takeout Stands?

Utilizing a mobile POS solution in your restaurant gives you more freedom in another area that can be responsible for bottlenecks. The hostess stand has traditionally been a fervor of activity; ringing phones, table diagrams, and dispatching clients to open tables are just a few examples. An mPOS system presents you with technology-driven solutions that put an end to the hostess station backlogs of the past.

Table bookings can be managed and monitored using an online booking site. Through this, customers who have reservations can be notified that their table is ready or if there is a delay, reducing traffic at your front door. Online ordering will also take the lead in driving your takeaway business with customers having the ability to schedule third-party delivery or contactless pickup of their orders.

Can Contactless Service Work in My Building of Choice?

This question can be a tricky one to answer, especially in light of today’s business climate in the restaurant industry. Contactless can mean a number of things, and mPOS technology takes the lead. Internal diners can utilize QR codes placed at the table to scan and open your menu. From here, orders can be placed, status followed, and payment submitted. This, when combined with an online booking system, can drastically reduce the contact time between server and diner.

Wider aisles are necessary to implement a contactless experience in your restaurant. Orders can be placed using an online-ordering portal that is integrated into your mPOS system. But you need to have a parking lot that is conducive to the safe comings and goings of the increased traffic likely to be seen. Also, you will need a secure and climate-controlled place to store the meals for ease of access during the takeout or delivery process.

Is the Storage Space Large Enough for Your Inventory Requirements?

Inventory–for many businesses, this word signifies stress, time, and costs. But as a restaurant owner, you understand that this is of vital importance to your success. It is important to have enough climate-controlled space to house enough ingredients to meet the demands of your restaurant. But it is also important to leave enough space for staff to access your inventory.

An mPOS platform has the advanced data capabilities to allow you to maximize the most out of every square foot of storage space you have. Predictive analytics makes the just-in-time ordering philosophy a realistic goal. This not only assures you’ll have enough ingredients to get through the weekend, but it maximizes product rotation to ensure the highest quality and freshness, and reduces the costs associated with products reaching their expiration or use-by dates.

What Does It Take to Own a Restaurant?

A great idea; an exciting new culinary twist; a passion for exquisite customer service–these are all important elements that go into running a successful restaurant. But you must also consider the support and encouragement of your staff, so they too see your restaurant as being less of a job and more as a partnership. Giving them the technical tools to enable them to become proactive in the service they provide will do more for your reputation than any color of paint.

What does it take to own a restaurant? A talech consultant is here for more than guiding you to a robust POS solution. They stand ready to make their business experience available to you in order to push your restaurant to the next level through modernizing your business approach using a blend of modern practices and innovative technology.