The world is increasingly turning to mobile solutions—from how we book ride services to how we shop for clothes and electronics, it’s all done in the palms of our hands. It’s only natural that restaurants are also turning to mobile tech solutions to solve common food industry headaches, improve profit margins, and provide a better overall experience for customers and staff.
A tablet point of sale (POS) provides countless benefits to both you and your customers. A few of the benefits are increased revenue, better customer experiences, and stronger payment security.
1. Increased Revenues
Ultimately the more parties your restaurant can serve, the more revenue you can expect to generate. Tablet POS allows for much faster processes, which means more tables served in less time, improving table turnover rates.
Orders are taken at the table, and entered directly into the tablet POS by the server. No need to take notes, walk over to the POS terminal and enter the order. Orders get sent to the kitchen faster, and less mistakes get made by staff entering orders.
Settling a traditional check goes like this:
- The server drops the check off at the table and waits for customers to get out a payment card.
- The server walks the card to a POS terminal to initiate the transaction.
- The server returns with the card and receipt so the customer can provide the tip amount.
- The server returns to the POS terminal to complete the transaction.
That process is time consuming and wasteful. With a tablet POS solution that includes pay-at-the-table technology, the check is paid in a single step—streamlining the process.
Customers are much happier with the reduced wait times, and that can quickly turn into higher tips. Plus, with less time spent on the order entry and check-out processes, wait staff will have more time to spend interacting with customers and ensuring they are satisfied with their dining experiences. Pay-at-the-table technology also allows for pre-calculated tip amounts based on percentages, which can encourage higher tipping as well.
2. Better Customer Experiences
Improving your customers’ experiences will always improve your bottom line. Better experiences increase the number of return visits, improve tips, and ensure better word-of-mouth referrals. Pay-at-the-table technology is a simple way to improve how your customers perceive your business.
In addition, a tablet POS offers your customers the same payment options as your stationary POS system. Patrons can split checks, pay with multiple cards, and more. It also provides customers with more control—they decide when and how to pay.
3. Stronger Security
Credit card fraud and identity theft are on the rise, with card-not-present transactions being particularly vulnerable. But even when paying in-person, customers are often still wary about handing their card over to a stranger. Tablet technology allows customers to process their cards themselves, and the card never leaves their sight.
Additionally, upgraded technology also includes tokenization and encryption, for an extra layer of protection for payment processing. You can assure your customers that your business is committed to doing everything possible to keep their payment data safe.
4. Bust Up Long Lines
With a traditional wired-in POS, you're restricted to taking orders at the front counter. But by switching to a tablet option, such as a Link 2500 paired with a Windows Surface Pro or Go, you can process orders from anywhere in the restaurant. So if the line is looking a bit long, simply break out the tablet and start line-busting. This gets orders into the kitchen much faster, significantly cutting down on customer wait times and improving your ability to handle sudden rushes of customers.
With these advantages in mind, a tablet POS is the next level of technology, adding mobility and improving on the benefits of traditional POS for restaurants. Find out what POS is right for you by using our handy free guide.
