Most restaurants must function at 75% capacity in order to be profitable. With many restaurants now operating at 50% capacity or less, it’s essential to identify how they can make up the remaining 25 percent. Implementing contactless dining grants servers the opportunity to focus on the customer experience and work towards profitability.
Before the pandemic restaurant touch points included servers handing out menus, taking food orders, and delivering receipts. Focus CA contactless solutions transforms these touch points into non-engagement tasks and allows servers to focus solely on service quality, i.e. delivering the food and checking in on guest satisfaction.
Additionally, with more options for digital payment and checkout, you may be able to remove unnecessary equipment to make room for more socially distanced tables. The added tables can yield better profits in the long run and keep you in business.
FocusOnline – Allow guests to access your digital menu, place pickup orders, and pay for their check all from the comfort of their own device
FocusOn – Portable handheld POS that lets you take orders and payment from anywhere in your restaurant
Focus GoPay – Smartphone readable QR codes that prompts guest checks when scanned and allows for contactless payments
Get in touch with us today and learn how you can optimize your restaurant technology for contactless dining!
Given the unpredictability and volatility of global events in recent months, the only certain thing is that life (especially business) will not go back to how it was pre-pandemic — at least not in the immediate future. Therefore, instead of continuously reacting to the inevitable, we have put together tips and tools you as operators can implement to be proactive about your business.
Learn how to optimize your operations and pivot with the hospitality industry to keep guests coming in and survive the storm.
Re-Engineering Your Menu
One of the key areas you can adapt in order to cut costs is your menu. Offering fewer options with simple modifications as well as focusing on low-cost items can help you optimize your inventory costs. This also allows for more standardized takeout packaging, which helps to reduce prep times and order confusion.
Leveraging Sales Data
Diving deep into your sales data can reveal vital information that will help you reorganize your operational workflow. Analyzing sales and day parts lends insight into peak hours of traffic, and signals ways you can optimize hours of operation.
FocusCloud is a useful cloud-based management tool that will allow you to modify your menu offerings as well as create comprehensive sales reports.
Takeout & Contactless Service
With dining still very much limited to outdoor patios and off-premise service, focusing on your takeout and contactless payment game is key to optimizing your business.
Online ordering provides guests the convenience of ordering from their own mobile device or computer, while allowing you to manage the guest experience and minimize contact exposure. Setting up portable contactless methods of payment is also crucial as service expands to outdoor patios, parking lots, and curbside pickup.
FocusOnline and FocusOn are two restaurant technology tools you can take advantage of to successfully optimize your business for takeout.
Communication is Key
Lastly, and arguably the most important way to optimize your business post-pandemic, is communication. Ensuring that you are consistently letting your guests know of any changes to your operations is vital to keep them coming back.
Utilize social media to make announcements about limited menu items, ordering logistics and pickup locations, and hours of operation. This not only benefits you from a marketing standpoint, but also keeps your loyal customers up to date on latest developments.
We are always here to lend a hand where we can. If you or your business has been struggling to stay afloat these past few months, don’t hesitate to reach out to us and let us know how we can help!
Pandemic policies, guidelines, and predictions are changing by the week, if not the day. Restaurants must adapt new practices to keep business healthy and customers safe. Many operators are taking control of the situation by changing their business model, marketing efforts, scheduling and labor management, and community outreach. Your menu also requires flexibility because takeout and delivery requirements are different from dining in.
Benefits of a Modified Restaurant Menu
Remaining open for online ordering and delivery is essential in order to keep your business going; but you also want to maximize profitability as much as possible. Modifying your menus can help strike the right balance:
Optimized Inventory Costs
The fewer options on your menu, the less inventory required. Reducing the number of ingredients you use overall may lead to higher profitability by cutting out some purchasing requirements. Offering meals that share many of the same ingredients can optimize your inventory even more. Needing fewer ingredients will also help in the event of changes or disruptions in your supply chain.
Optimized Restaurant Labor Costs
A reduced menu allows the restaurant to fulfill orders with less staff than before. This especially helps when rearranging roles, as staff can more easily move around from food prep to front of the house as needed. This is highly beneficial to your bottom line, since labor is another one of the costliest restaurant expenses, along with inventory.
Providing New and Exciting Offers to Your Customers
Instead of promoting it as a “limited” menu, think of it more as a “specialized” menu. Many restaurants are switching up their menu each week to keep things interesting for their customers. Specials of the day or week, bundle deals, and more will keep your customers excited and engaged.
Tips for Optimal Restaurant Menu Modification
Prioritize fast-prep dishes to optimize delivery and takeout time
Consider items that will travel well in takeout packaging
Prepare dishes with common ingredients to reduce inventory costs
Offer bundled deals or family packs
Sell surplus non-food items such as toilet paper and cleaning supplies
Focus CA Resources
FocusOnline – a fast and convenient online ordering system integrated directly into your website
ItsaCheckmate Delivery – third party integration that sends delivery orders straight to your POS
FocusCloud – cloud based restaurant management tool that lets you adjust menu items and employee information from a remote location
FocusOn – accept contactless payments from anywhere in your restaurant and minimize exposure
eGift Cards – rally support and revenue for your business by offering gift cards online
With more Americans staying home and taking preventative steps to socially isolate due to the coronavirus outbreak, companies that offer online ordering and delivery services are seeing a surge in business. Curbside pickup, takeout, and direct door delivery options have dominated the means in which consumers get their food.
Consumers now more than ever are turning to solutions that simplify their dining experience and offer convenience. Implementing online ordering and delivery tools at your restaurant can help curb the drop in recent sales and keep customers coming back.
Online Ordering and Delivery Statistics
60% of U.S. consumers order delivery or takeout once a week
70% of consumers say they’d rather order directly from a restaurant, preferring that their money goes straight to the restaurant and not a third party
87% of Americans who use third-party food delivery services agree that it makes their lives easier
60% of restaurant operators say that offering delivery has generated incremental sales
Focus CA offers powerful online ordering and delivery tools that can help boost sales while providing an easy way for your local communities to gain access to food and beverages.
When news of the novel coronavirus first broke out, local restaurants initially responded with ramping up their sanitation policies and ensuring customers of their safety. However, the spread of the pandemic has brought on citywide mandated shutdowns of bars, nightclubs, and restaurant dine-in service in an effort to slow transmission. Merchants have since pivoted to takeout and delivery only, and face the struggle of unemployment and inadequate revenue.
Other local businesses have opted to close their doors entirely until further notice, leaving many staff members without a job or source of income. Efforts to provide curbside pickup and discounted menu items have fallen short especially for restaurants located in metropolitan areas, such as Los Angeles and New York, who rely heavily on constant foot traffic to stay afloat.
How can you support your local restaurants in their time of need while ensuring your own safety?
1.) Order takeout and delivery
Opt for curbside pickup to minimize contact and practice safe social distancing
Use 3rd party delivery apps such as Postmates or DoorDash who are now offering contactless delivery
2.) Purchase gift cards from your favorite local merchants
3.) Tell your friends and family to do the same!
The restaurant industry needs the help of their local communities now more than ever. Help us keep them afloat by taking on these 3 simple steps!
Helpful resources for restaurants/local businesses:
ItsACheckmate – A 3rd party integration that sends delivery orders directly to your Focus POS system
Contact our Finance Team for payment deferment options
HelpDesk Customer Support – Data reporting backup for Business Interruption insurance and other support related questions
More restaurants are realizing the benefits of order and pay at the table devices and have progressively started to implement the technology. These table-side handhelds are designed to maximize portability for your restaurant staff and minimize wait times for customers.
According to a National Restaurant Association survey, 61% of diners claim that handheld POS devices improve their overall guest experience. Read on to learn how investing in pay at the table technology can positively affect your business:
Added Convenience
Table-side devices make payments more convenient, especially when it comes to splitting the bill. With Focus On, our new table-side app, customers can use Split Pay to pay individually by seat number or simply tap Pay in Full to checkout quickly. This method reduces the lag of leaving out cash or several credit cards and waiting for a server to pick it up.
Faster Service
Table-side payments cut down on all the back and forth to and from the central POS terminal and allows your customers to checkout on their own time. This yields a better dining experience and faster table turnover, benefiting both those who have finished eating and those who are waiting for a table.
Higher Tips
Investing in pay at the table technology may help increase tips. On top of the shorter wait times that can result in happier customers and bigger tips, Focus On devices offer tip-prompting screens with fixed tip percentages (10%, 15%, or 20%) or custom amounts.
Secure Checkout
Focus On devices are compatible with all types of payment — including chip cards and contactless payments. That not only allows your customers to pay in whatever way they want but also means that you’re using secure, EMV-compliant payment methods.
If you’re ready to adopt pay at the table technology at your restaurant or bar or just want more information about its capabilities, our Solutions Consultants are here to guide you.
The development of Instagram, Snapchat, and other social networking platforms has molded a new generation of young adults who curate and share every aspect of their life online.
Gen Z, individuals born after 1996, are estimated to have a purchasing power worth $44 billion and represent approximately 40% of all consumer shopping. This new generation of consumers love to dine out and share their food experiences on social media, hence their mantra “The camera eats first.”
With this much influence, restaurants should focus on engaging this consumer group to gain positive publicity and word of mouth. Here are a few tips for getting Gen Z’s attention:
Have an active social media presence
Gen Z relies on the internet for all their information. They love their smartphones and have short attention spans, relying on visuals to stay connected and absorb new information. Establishing a strong social presence and building content is a great way to increase exposure.
Encourage guests to take pictures by creating a space that is aesthetically pleasing and share-worthy
Offer visually appealing dishes
Encourage geotagging and check-in by creating a unique atmosphere
Consider influencer marketing
Where previous generations responded to celebrity sponsors, Gen Z is much more receptive to relatable social influencers. They break them down into 4 categories:
Celebrities
Influencers
In-between cultural shapers
Micro-influencers
Micro-influencers carry the most weight when it comes to social media for restaurants. They are highly niche, localized individuals that sustain higher engagement rates than their macro-influencer counterparts. Leverage relevant foodie bloggers in your area and create partnerships that will generate brand authenticity and appeal.
Maintain a socially responsible experience
For Gen Z, everything is about the experience—but also of high importance is whether something aligns with their ideals about social responsibility and desire to make a positive impact in the environment.
Menu options that are health-conscious and help to sustain the environment
Sustainable food waste management
Supporting causes aligned with their business activities
Use of emerging technologies
Gen Z grew up with instant access to technology, so it would make sense that they support and look for the use of emerging technologies in their dining experiences. Anything that can be automated such as the use of table-side devices or online ordering attracts Gen Z.
Attracting Gen Z is half the battle, keeping them engaged with your restaurant long-term is key. Are you prepared to cater to the “want it all” mentality of Gen Z? The first step is to equip your restaurant with the right tools for success.
Thinking about upgrading your POS or just want to refresh some equipment? Read our tips below to learn the tell-tale signs that you may need a new system.
1. Hardware Headaches
Frequent hardware malfunctions, such as monitors that won’t power on or receipt printers that won’t print, may indicate that your POS system is at risk of failure and should be replaced. And if a repair is possible, the cost of replacement parts and lost business will eventually exceed the price of upgrading the entire POS system.
2. Payments Rejected or Delayed
Recurring payment rejections or delays may signal that your POS processing system is outdated and in need of upgrade. Rejected or delayed transactions are indicators that your current system is not setup to receive specific types of payment. If the problem persists, contact your payment processor as soon as possible to ensure minimal lost business.
3. Lack of Support
Initiating and executing tailored loyalty programs and promotions, engaging with consumers based on detailed records of their purchases and preferences, offering online order fulfillment in-store, and adhering to an omni-channel business model are all vital if restaurateurs are to satisfy the customer experience. Any POS system that does not allow for these features should be upgraded as soon as possible.
4. Keeping Up with Data & Analytics
Savvy restaurant operators constantly strive to improve their business—but doing so is impossible without actionable data and analytics from the POS system. Unless your system allows you to view store and web-related data while also yielding a holistic view of customers, it will be impossible to implement the degree of change needed to effect the growth of your organization.
Who is the next-generation customer and what are their expectations?
Today’s diners are well-connected, tech savvy, and expect a high-quality restaurant customer experience—whether visiting a five-star sit down, fast-casual, or the drive-thru.
As a restaurant operator or owner, understanding where the bar is set is the first step toward capitalizing on the customer journey. Approaching 2020, restaurants need to make a conscious shift toward offering future-facing operations with the ability to meet the expectations of their customers.
Menu and Order Customization
According to a consumer study by Deloitte, the number one factor that influences consumers when selecting a restaurant is menu options and order customization.
Employing the right POS systems for your type of restaurant can attract loyal customers. Self-service kiosks for example, engage customers and make them part of their experience giving them freedom to easily customize their own orders. In doing so, the opportunity to fast upsell and cross promote increases with all the menu options at their fingertips. In QSR, when technology is used to place an order, reports show it increases the frequency of visits by 6% AND a 20% increase to the average spend per visit.
Excellent service in-house and out-of-house
Guest experience starts with service. Tablets or kiosks can be used for line-busting rather than keeping hungry guests waiting. Offering flexible payment, like pay-at-the-table options, keep guests involved and frees staff to care for other guests needing attention.
Guests want a quality experience, but quickly. Enhance the speed of service with POS technology. Integrate your POS with mobile options so servers can accommodate guests right on the floor, adding on a dessert or ordering another drink from the bar when they ask for it. A KDS streamlines communication between front and back of house to ensure timely and accurate order prep.
Service isn’t limited to inside the restaurant, guests choosing your restaurant for takeout expect their experience to be seamless. Online and mobile ordering adds value and convenience to the customer journey— 40% of customers prefer to order online for quick pickup and delivery. When given this option, the average spend also increases by 26% in QSR and 13% in casual and fast-casual restaurants.
Loyalty Perks
Customers in 2020 are all about perks—87% of survey respondents belong to fewer than 3 loyalty programs each. If your goal is to attract new customers and turn them into returning customers, offer a loyalty program stuffed with rewards. Diners that can earn a discount (51%) or reward (44%) are more likely to choose that restaurant over another in order to continue earning.
Customers love the points but don’t want to keep track of them. Paper punch cards are in the past—our tech-savvy diners are demanding restaurant apps with features to track their loyalty points.
Payments
When it comes to payment, 53% drive-thru, 54% take-out, and 50% in-restaurant customers say flexible options are important to them. The ability to split checks efficiently and accurately makes taking care of the bill easy.
With so many applications to access our money, next-gen customers want the option to pay by phone—48% of drive-through, 46% take-out, and 31% in-restaurant—and of those, 50% say they want to be able to do so using the restaurant app.
Creating a satisfying customer journey is painless when equipped with the right tools for the job. The restaurant specific technology makes for smooth management and paves the way to a successful customer experience.
Mama’s on 39, a nostalgic multi-unit eatery serving comfort food classics in Huntington Beach, joined the Focus Family in September 2017. They wanted a restaurant point-of-sale system that could help them provide excellent customer service alongside a taste of home to their local community.
Focus CA equipped their restaurant with responsive POS workstations designed to keep up with the ever changing conditions of a busy kitchen. This in conjunction with quick processing kitchen video systems power Mama’s with the robust technology they need to serve their customers productively and efficiently.
Since Mama’s first went live in 2017, they’ve gone on to open two more locations in Orange County: Los Alamitos in 2018 and Newport Beach at the beginning of 2019, both powered by Focus CA point of sale.
“Mama’s kitchen was always the one spot in our home where we gathered to enjoy each other and our Mama’s amazing cooking. We cherished the sweet aroma of homemade biscuits baking in the oven, the sounds of sizzling bacon and farm fresh eggs crackling on the stovetop. The refreshing lemonade and Mama’s secret recipes for anything and everything good kept us so comfy. Mama always knew how to make everything alright, regardless of the world around us. We love Mama so much, we want to share her with all of you!” — Mama’s on 39
“We started with Focus a few years ago. We were looking for a POS company that would work with us in growing our business and our technology. Juan at Focus has been a great partner and we will be installing Focus at all of our future locations” – Robert Corrigan, Partner at Mama’s on 39 & Mama’s Comfort Food & Cocktails
