Time is the one thing that none of us can buy no matter how rich we are. A day will always end in 24 hours, and as a restaurant owner, you have to ensure your establishment can make the most out of those hours.

Face it. You didn’t open your own one just to waste your time at the back taking inventory and tax returns. You are in the industry because you love your customers and want to ensure they keep returning for great experiences. With restaurant automation, you can spend more time on that goal and ensure your diners have a memorable time.

Restaurant Automation Opportunities You Can Avail

Here are some of the best ways you can streamline operations at your restaurant with automation options:

1. Programs That Can Integrate With Your POS System

As Covid-19 wreaks havoc across the globe, there has been a significant change in the way people get and consume food. Delivery has been a growing trend in the last two years, and it is predicted to remain so for years to come. Plus, consumers now rely on a range of channels to get their food, whether it’s from a delivery app or a restaurant’s website.

With so many different channels to keep tabs on, restaurant owners have their work cut out for them. There are only so many iPads and software you can track at a time. Multitasking can increase your margin of error. Even a single incorrect entry can throw off your data for the entire day.

You can prevent that from happening and save time with software programs that can integrate with your POS system. For example, a program that handles all of your online orders (such as UberEats and Just Eat) can be set up to direct them into your POS. This way, you can go over all of the orders in one place, track which online marketplace is sending you the most and which ones are making you the most money.

These delivery options don’t come cheap. They have a usage fee that can eat into your bottom line if your restaurant is not doing so well. In that case, consider setting up a website and an accompanying app for your establishment that can integrate with your POS system.

2. Consider Contact-Free Ordering Solutions

As your competitors reopen their own restaurants, you should consider new ways to limit human contact and make the ordering process more convenient for your customers before they do. Consider mobile ordering platforms such as Wi-5 that allow users to view menus and order directly from their mobile phone.

This solution can maintain social distancing protocols, make your customers feel safe, and can also increase your sales. Similarly, kiosks that allow contact-free ordering that is fast, private, and hygienic - three benefits that consumers appreciate whether they are introverts or not. Add special merchandise such as branded shirts, mugs and even utensils to your website and you can make a profit off your offerings.

3. Reduce Hiring and Training Costs with the Right Automation Technology

The restaurant industry is known for its high turnover rate. Most owners claim that hiring and retaining good workers is the biggest challenge they face. While you may not be able to change this trend, you can make it easier to manage with automated solutions.

Reduce staffing costs and pay existing staff a good salary by using dishwashers and by replacing cashiers with automated devices. A robot can’t quit when you have a line out the door of hungry customers, and an automated cashier system cannot leave in a huff if orders are coming in hard and fast. This way, you won’t find yourself trying to fill empty positions on short notice or hiring new employees every few weeks or so.

Training new employees will also be much easier and faster with automated technology such as SpeedLine. This software can recognize qualifying coupons and provide prompts for add-ons. In other words, with this automation system, new staff members will not make as many mistakes whether they received extensive training or need to learn on the job.

Providing new employee with restaurant automation solutions that can streamline the onboarding process can help you save nearly $6,000. The system itself will only cost you $1,000 to $2,000 to maintain on an annual basis. Use the rest of the money on expanding your restaurant and add more staff without worrying about the costs. Plus, you can save time because you won’t have to waste precious hours making and providing training lessons.

Will Restaurant Automation Solutions Replace Human Staff?

As more and more restaurant owners adopt automation solutions to make their jobs easier and save money, you would think that the need to keep human staffers will become redundant. However, that is far from the truth. Restaurants will not solely depend on software anytime soon. We just have to look at the ongoing labor crisis in the industry to see that.

As they reopen during the pandemic, franchises and independent restaurants are struggling to hire workers. This is understandable as to make up the money they lost during lockdowns, owners are raising prices, slashing opening hours, and even returning to the kitchens themselves. Many are unable to pay staff the money they need to survive with several foregoing salaries for months on end as they try to make ends meet themselves.

It is safe to assume that while technology has advanced enough to make certain jobs easier and faster, it is highly unlikely that they will rise against their human masters. That’s because they cannot match the personal touch and service that is essential in creating lasting dining experiences that customers return for. Perhaps robots can get more advanced in the future, but for now, they are essential in helping struggling restaurants survive and thrive.

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