We know that 2020 has had its unique challenges, and with a lot of uncertainty it seems there might still be some difficult times ahead. But we’re here to tell you it’s not’s all negative! With challenges, comes opportunity, so we’re here to highlight some opportunities for restaurant success this winter and holiday season.
Online Ordering
Do you have an Online Ordering platform integrated into your point of sale system and functioning on your website and social media?
With consumers looking for speed, convenience and safety, integrated online ordering provides both. With the ability for customers to order online, they can easily enjoy a restaurant experience with their favorite meals in the comfort and safety of their own home.
With a Cervion Systems Online Ordering Solution, there is no need to use third party service with additional fees or expensive commissions. Our Online Ordering Solution is commission free, easy to set up and integrates right into your Cervion iPad based Point of Sale System.
Best Practices for Online Ordering
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Include images of your dishes for each menu item
People make buying decisions with their eyes, let them see what they are about to enjoy. -
Use correct labeling / descriptions
Detailed descriptions entice customers to try new items and add more to their order. -
Perfect your packaging
Make sure you are using packaging that helps retain meal quality through transit.
Contactless Payment Solutions
While enjoying an indoor / outdoor dining experience, guests are looking for minimal exposure and touchpoints so they can stay as safe as possible. Contactless Payment Solutions can be implemented with Scan to Pay, ApplePay or using a tableside handheld to process a guest’s credit card. Besides guest safety, when credit cards don’t leave guest hands, they are in more control of the payment process, reducing other mistakes. Bonus! It also reduces the number of complaints of a long wait times waiting for their credit card to return.
Change up Your Menu
Review / Analyze Your Menu
We’re not suggesting a complete overhaul of your menu. But it’s time review your menu and analyze what is working and what is not. Continue with popular menu items that are working and perfect them, discontinue items that are not so profitable. You can easily access this information with the reporting provided your point of sale solution.
Offer Catering / Family Style Menu Options
With most holiday parties cancelled this year; doesn’t mean you have to lose all holiday business. With smaller gatherings still happening within people’s homes, offering family style or catering style meal options make it easy for guests to serve larger meals easy and stress-free! Don’t forget to include these items in your online ordering menu’s for even easier access.
Winterize Your Menu
Do you have specials, like hearty soups and entrees or hot drinks during the season that are a big hit? Make them semi-permanent and add them to your menu for the season.
Add Cocktail Kits
Not only is now the time to add hot drinks and cocktails to your bar menu – but with the increase of online ordering, make sure you can also offer your drinks in to-go kits. Guests can enjoy their favorite cocktail in the comfort of their own home, they just have to mix/shake/stir, serve and enjoy.
Increase Your Marketing Efforts
So now that you’ve pivoted to enhance your guest experience, you have to let them know what your doing by increasing your marketing efforts. With a relatively small amount of effort and cost, you can communicate with your customers digitally. Keep your website updated when you make changes, post to social media often with new information and images of your delicious food and drinks and send out emails to your customer list. You can also make your offers more enticing by offering special promotions for online ordering or catering.
With the right technology, you’ll meet, even exceed customer expectations, which results in repeat business and higher profits. It’s a win-win! Your customers are happy and you are increasing your bottom line.
To find out if Online Ordering or Contactless Payments are the right technology solutions for your business, schedule time to speak with one of our trusted experts by emailing us at sales@cervion.com, or calling 877.476.7246.
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Cervion Systems is a Point of Sale provider with offices in New York, Pennsylvania and South Florida. Founded in 1996, with over 20 years of professional POS service experience, Cervion is the leading VAR (value added reseller) offering restaurant Point of Sale. Cervion provides restaurants and bars with local sales and service, modern Apple iPad point of sale systems and affordable programs for new and existing restaurants. Please contact Cervion Systems at 877.476.7246 or sales@cervion.com.
