6 tips for improving order-taking in a food court

Do you run a food court or own a stall in one of these trendy eateries? Then you probably know that taking orders in such a dynamic environment can be a major challenge. From learning about the menu to payment, every stage of the ordering process can be optimized thanks to technology. 

Dive into the world of food courts with us and discover our 6 tips for improving order-taking in your restaurant. Satisfied customers and optimized service! 

‍

1. Simplify the decision-making process with intuitive, visual menus

The food courts are generally characterized by a wide variety of foods. From Asian cuisine to local specialties, this diversity, while attractive, can sometimes complicate decision-making and slow down order-taking. The question is: how can we make this diversity more accessible to optimize the ordering process? 

Whether they're accessible via QR codes, we recommend that you opt for visual and intuitive menus offering fluid virtual navigation between the various stands. Your customers need to be able to see the whole picture at a glance, thus facilitating their decision-making process. If you have the technology to record your customers' previous preferences, even better. This will enable you to make personalized suggestions and further simplify their choice.

‍

2. Save customers time with paperless order entry

In a food court, paper menus give way to digital menus. Customers benefit from a truly visual and interactive experience. They have access to the different options available to them via a terminal or a QR code. Navigation is fluid, allowing them to place an order in just a few clicks when they're ready. There's no need to wait for a waiter to bring the menu and come back to take the order - everything is done in complete autonomy. Once the order is ready, customers are informed by text message, pager (more on that later) or served directly at the table by a member of staff. 

Another advantage of these digital menus is that they can be easily updated to reflect seasonal changes, new products and any out-of-stock situations. 

👉 To find out more: How can you reduce restaurant queues? 

‍

3. Streamline the customer experience with remote control

We've just talked about online ordering when customers are on site, but what about when they're not? Your strategy for improving the order-taking process in your food court must also take remote ordering into account.

Whether delivered to the customer's home, picked up by the customer or eaten on the premises, it's important that your customers can order without having to go to the food court, by offering them online ordering and payment systems. Multiple outlets located in the same place, enabling customers to order food from different restaurants, collect it from a single location or have it delivered without having to pay delivery charges several times, is a very attractive proposition for customers! What's more, by making it easy to order from a distance, you can reduce waiting times throughout the customer journey and increase guest satisfaction. It also enables you to reach a wider audience, one that wouldn't have made the trip anyway. 

‍

4. Combine the offerings of several restaurants into a single order 

Put yourself in a consumer's shoes. Faced with all the stands opening their arms to him, his menu begins to take shape. It'll be gyozas for starters, truffle pasta for the main course and churros for dessert - 3 different brands. The mere idea of queuing, ordering and paying three times is enough to discourage him and encourage him to concentrate on a single stand. As a result, other restaurateurs don't benefit from the traffic in the food court, and customers don't come away fully satisfied, hence the importance of facilitating so-called multi-baskets orders .

QR codes placed on tables enable consumers to centralize their multi-store orders in one place. They can consult the menu, order and pay in the same place. Once the order has been validated, the production ticket is sent to each of the restaurateurs concerned, along with payment, all via the cash register software. Customers then simply collect their order from the various outlets, or wait for it to be brought to their table. 

👉 Going further: discover how the Marmites food court displays all its brands on an ordering solution

‍

5. Opt for common cash register software for better management

The food court concept is largely based on sharing. Common spaces, maintenance costs and the storytelling of the place are shared, and the idea is to apply the same logic to the cash register software. If you have one cash register software for all your restaurants, you'll benefit from..: 

• simplified, centralized management of orders, inventory and payments. 
• faster coordination. Orders can be transmitted instantly to the respective kitchens, reducing waiting times for customers and improving the fluidity of service.
• flexible offers and promotions, facilitating the creation and management of uniform promotional offers across the food court. 
• centralized analyses and reports, enabling you to personalize offers when placing orders.

From order-taking to payment and control, discover the most complete and innovative ecosystem of digital solutions on the market. Meet our experts to find out more! 

‍

6. Use beepers to boost your order intake

Another tool that could revolutionize order-taking in a food court: beepers. Available at the counter or at touch-screen kiosks, these devices start to vibrate or ring when the order is ready, alerting the customer who can then pick up his or her order. This win-win solution enables customers to pick up their order without wasting time. With beepers, cold meals are a thing of the past! They also enable restaurateurs to reduce the number of waiters in the dining room , and thus cut payroll costs. Last but not least, thanks to this technology, you can avoid too many customers waiting in front of the stands, and streamline service. 

In addition to the purely practical aspect of the beeper, it adds a dynamic, modern touch to your food court. It symbolizes the link and exchange between kitchens and customers. 

👉 To find out more: the 7 advantages of a customer beeper for your restaurant

‍

By revolutionizing order-taking in your food court, you can turn a simple transaction into a memorable experience for your guests. From QR codes to beepers, every technological addition simplifies the customer journey and increases satisfaction. So, are you ready to take up the challenge of optimized order-taking? 

-

You want to open a food court and are looking for a partner to help you digitalize your establishment? Innovorder is the only player in France to offer a complete ecosystem designed specifically for food courts: order taking, collection, preparation, delivery and management!

👉 Discover our solution for food courts: Innovorder Foodcourt