What Restaurant Owners Need To Know About Order & Pay Tech for Bars and Restaurants

If you've ever dined out, you're probably familiar with the scene: after finishing their meal, customers wait to catch the waiter's eye to request the check. The waiter brings the check in a billfold and walks away. The the customer has to wait for the waiter, to bring back the PDQ to collect the payment, and then return with the receipt. Let’s hope that the WiFi isn’t poor. Otherwise this could take a few tries. 

This process can take anywhere from three to fifteen minutes, leading to slowed table turnover, lower tips for servers, and lower margins for the restaurant. In fact, over 1 in 10 UK restaurant goers have reported leaving a restaurant, bar, or café without paying the bill due to long wait times or difficulty finding a member of the staff.

Enter "order & pay" technology, which allows customers to place their orders and pay for their meals directly from their phones. This "eat, swipe, and leave" experience can significantly reduce waiting times and improve the customer experience. In the UK, the growth of spending in restaurants is expected to slow down compared to this year’s figures, making it important for businesses to prioritize customer service.

One example of a restaurant adopting order & pay technology is TGI Friday's, which has deployed Verifone's NFC-enabled VX 820 and VX 680 DUET terminals at its UK locations. These terminals allow the restaurant to offer a quick and secure order & pay service, as well as support new payment options like Apple Pay. Smaller restaurants like Korrito Korean BBQ are also adopting cloud-based EPOS solutions like intelligentpos by Zettle.

Order & pay technology offers numerous benefits for restaurants and bars. Faster payments mean increased covers, and customers appreciate the security of not having to hand over their credit card. This can also reduce the risk of fraud, which has been a concern for UK diners. Additionally, order & pay technology allows restaurants to track customer preferences and purchase history, enabling personalized marketing efforts and increasing customer loyalty.

Overall, order & pay technology is a valuable investment for restaurants and bars looking to streamline operations and improve the customer experience. By adopting this technology, businesses can increase efficiency, reduce fraud risk, and drive profits.

‍