How to Choose Restaurant Software
The US food and beverage industry is worth a staggering $789 billion, a 19.7% increase from 2020. In this thriving market, everyone’s itching for the $780 billion dollar cake. That means that if you want to work in the restaurant industry, you should be prepared for fierce competition.
That said, smart restaurant owners use restaurant software to get the edge over their rivals. Not only does it automate processes, but it also makes restaurant management a breeze. However, with so many options to choose from, how do you choose restaurant software to take your restaurant to the next level?
The first thing you want from a restaurant software solution is an actual demonstration. Demos are important because they give a clear picture of what the software can do for your business. Most software vendors would be happy to demonstrate how their product works in real-world scenarios. Online demos are the most common demo type for most software vendors.
There are many options for software, but they won’t be the same. Some restaurant software solutions give more features than others. However, that doesn’t mean you should get the software option with the most features.
Software vendors will have different pricing for their software. It’s vital that you get software that aligns with your financial situation. Don’t spend too much on expensive restaurant software that will hurt your restaurant’s finances.
Online reviews and testimonials will give you a glimpse of what to expect from the company. These reviews are first-hand accounts of previous clients’ experiences with the software in question. You can learn tons about the software just by reading a handful of reviews. For honest and unbiased reviews, check out online forums, and authoritative tech sites that discuss the software. These reviews allow you to learn volumes about the software and whether it’s a good fit for you.
You want to work with a restaurant software solution that’s making your life simpler and not more complicated. That means the vendor should be reliable and trustworthy over time. You can find out whether they fit this description by researching their background.
Quick order customization is a feature that enables staff to hit the ground running on customized orders. Customers can personalize their combo deals and the staff will get them their order in record time.
Connect payments provides a quick and effective way to manage your payments. It also ensures you don’t have any inconsistencies between the front office and the back office. It will bridge the gaps between your payments, vouchers, and other price incentives.
Restaurant Operations is much easier to execute if you have the right tools. You need instantaneous insights into what is happening in your restaurant or across all store locations. Prep lists, opening/closing checklists, food temperature logs and everything store related needs to be done according to your brand standards so you can give consistently great customer service and employees are equipped to do their jobs well.
Self-serve options are all the rage, and you should consider embracing them to satisfy customer demands. If this is in your plan, you’ll need software that can handle self-serve capability. That way, you can seamlessly integrate this option without any hitches along the way.
