Gone are the days of flipping through thick menus and unsuccessfully trying to call the waiter to come and take our order. The digital age brings transformations to every industry, so it has crept into restaurants as well. Different ways of digital ordering are being introduced more and more often in order to achieve simplicity, but also greater efficiency, and this article will explore some aspects of this new innovation.
Self-service ordering and payment
When talking about digital ordering in restaurants, one of the first associations is self-service kiosks. They represent the restaurant’s digital interface through which you can place your order and pay immediately. This alone eliminates the need for traditional interaction with the waiter, but they can still offer additional help with the order. The kiosks stand out for their practicality, considering that customers can customize their orders, set special requests and execute transactions at their own pace, while at the same time the accuracy of the order itself is increased.
Self-service kiosks are an advanced method of contactless ordering that is starting to be adopted more and more quickly in restaurants since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world. Contactless payment systems increase security by eliminating unnecessary human contact, but also improve efficiency and reduce waiting times.
Integration with tabletop tablets
It happens more and more often that a customer arrives at a restaurant or cafe and finds a tablet placed at the table. Many restaurants and similar hospitality facilities are starting to use tablets as an innovative way to view menus and order. Via the tablet, it is possible to access the menu, which usually contains pictures, and it is also possible to further improve it with a detailed description of the ingredients of each dish or by adding filters.
Desktop tablets also eliminate the need for traditional ordering by allowing the entire order to be placed through the device itself. You only need to select the desired dish and the order will be automatically sent to the kitchen. The interaction with the waiter will mostly only take place when they bring the dish, but some places eliminate the need for even that, instead introducing conveyor belts that take the order to the table. Via the tablet, however, it is still possible to call the waiter to the table in case it is necessary to ask for additional help.
Flawless delivery
Digital ordering has also simplified the ordering process for delivery. Today, there are a number of delivery apps that have listed menus and you only need to select the desired dish and pay and then wait for the order to arrive at your doorstep. Many restaurants have even integrated their own delivery and ordering systems into their websites and apps.
The growth of digital ordering in restaurants is still there. It has transformed the ordering experience by offering convenience, personalization and efficiency. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more innovative solutions that will further improve the way we dine out. The benefits of digital ordering in restaurants have made it a fundamental part of the modern dining landscape, offering a taste of the future.
