The equipment and technologies that you have within your restaurants are crucial to how it operates. The restaurant industry is quickly changing as technology advances, and it's important that you keep up if you want to remain successful and relevant.
One of the important kitchen technologies available is a food safety management system, which can help you and your staff ensure food safety regulation compliance. These systems range from software and apps to connected networks of appliances that automatically check for food safety.
Because the information is now stored in a cloud, there is no more need for confusing paperwork, and it keeps an online record of your inventory. By keeping meticulous records of what's in your inventory and their good through dates, you can earn better health inspection results and protect both your business and your customers.
A kitchen display system (KDS) is a system that can be implemented in the back of the house of a restaurant to digitize the process of order taking and communication. More than ever, restaurants are turning to KDS to help their kitchen move efficiently. Restaurants choose to use the system because it is more environmentally friendly due to its digital nature, and it saves restaurants from certain costs.
The KDS is usually mounted to the wall or a stand to allow staff to view all the open orders on one screen, but there also tends to be a kitchen tablet that can be used by different kitchen staff. Because the KDS works in real-time to improve order speed and accuracy, it is one of the best kitchen Technologies available.
The restaurant ticket system can be a mess. There are different forms of receipts and orders that are used in kitchens, like kitchen printers, thermal printers, written orders, and digital receipts.
Thermal printers are generally used by the front of the house because they print receipts quietly and quickly, and it uses heat to create the correct characters on the receipt. Kitchen printers generally use ink, and they tend to be quite loud in order to catch the attention of kitchen staff. While both of these forms of printers are beneficial on their own, together, they can be quite costly.
Many kitchens are moving away from written orders, which are easy to lose and can cause confusion due to illegible handwriting. Instead, kitchens investing in a KDS are now using digital receipts, which show up in the back of the house for the kitchen staff to see. Not only does the order appear immediately, but because it's in digital form, it's easier to read and wastes no paper.
A POS is the point of sale, and they exist within the restaurant to increase efficiency. The interface of the POS is easy to understand, so staff can easily move through the different options, and new hires can quickly learn. Additionally, these POS terminals can make the order-taking process much easier, which can help you and your team Place orders faster.
Most modern versions of the POS system also have a screen that faces the guest so that the guest can follow along as they order, and they can quickly pay on the screen.
The onset of the covid-19 pandemic saw an increase in the amount of online ordering. Online ordering systems and delivery apps became the go-to option for ordering food, and restaurants that weren't using the technology before scrambled to be included before they could be left behind.
Customers are used to getting food when they want it, so it's likely this mode of ordering is here to stay. But not only is online ordering seeing an expansion but there has also been a boom in online reservations. When customers go to eat at a restaurant in person, it's not always known how long their wait is going to be. With the option to make a reservation online, customers can choose exactly when they would like to be and ensure that there is a table ready for them. Not only does this sort of system help restaurants reduce wait times, but it also makes the customers happy.
A kitchen technology that is becoming more popular is contactless payment. This is payment either made online or paid with a smartwatch, smartphone, or smart card through an app or touchless device. Since the pandemic, the growth of this trend has increased, as it is a hygienic and safe way to pay. No cash and no human contact are required, and the actual process of paying is instant and convenient.
Some of these kitchen technologies can be costly, but in the end, the benefits they provide for your business far outweigh their original costs, and they will soon pay for themselves.
Fresh KDS is an easy to use, tablet-based kitchen display system that helps you improve efficiency, eliminate errors, and increase revenue.
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