Catering: paperless ordering at the table

You may already be interested in online ordering, but are you familiar with paperless tabletop ordering? 

Contactless order-taking at the restaurant table means a simplified, smoother, more modern customer experience, as well as optimized organization in the dining room and kitchen. Consumers, your staff and your establishment will all benefit. Want to find out more about this win-win solution? Innovorder tells you all you need to know about its installation and benefits. 

‍

The introduction of paperless table ordering

Digital ordering at the table is becoming increasingly popular with restaurateurs, who appreciate its ease of use. 

Creating the interface 

Dematerialized table-top ordering works on the same model as online ordering. The same site will be used, but the design will simply be adapted. The browsing experience must be both intuitive and fluid. The descriptions (ingredients, allergens, origin) of the dishes must be well informed, and the dishes categorized in a logical way to facilitate menu reading. 

The QR code

All you need to do is provide your customers with a QR code for contactless ordering at the table. This can take the form of a sticker on the table, on an easel, on placemats, etc. Once installed, customers simply scan the code with their cell phone. They are then redirected to the previously created web page.

To access the menu, they will be asked to create an account or log in with the account they already have. If you don't make it as easy as possible for customers to create an account, they'll turn to other alternatives and have bad memories of the experience. This step is a real boon, as it will enable you to collect data that you can then analyze. What's the profile of your customers? Which dishes are particularly popular? You'll soon have the answers. Provided they've given you permission, you'll be able to use your customers' contact details to keep in touch with them and send them e-mails with content that might be of interest to them. 

Another option to consider is to offer a "guest checkout in other words, not making the creation of customer accounts compulsory. 

👉 Why use QR codes in your restaurant?

How to order

Once logged in, customers are free to browse the menu, select their dishes and beverages, then validate their order, taking care to tick the takeaway or table order option depending on the interface. The order is then entered into your cash register software and passed on to the kitchen teams. It will be displayed on the production screen your restaurant has. To deliver the order, you have two options: 

• customers pick up their orders at the counter,

• your staff serve at the table, and your guests don't have to go anywhere. This assumes that they have specified their table number when ordering. 

Whether or not to adopt dematerialized tabletop ordering depends on the nature of your restaurant and the organization you wish to put in place. In the case of a food court, given the surface area of these spaces, contactless ordering makes sense, but it would be preferable for customers to collect their orders themselves. 

‍

Regulations

Having opted for dematerialized table ordering, customers can pay the bill by credit card or restaurant card online, when validating their order. They can also pay at the counter, using the payment method of their choice.

‍

The benefits of contactless tabletop control 

The aim of paperless order-taking is to improve service in the dining room and, more generally, the customer experience, but the benefits are far more numerous.  

Benefits for your restaurant

Centralized management and reduced risk of error

Orders placed digitally at the table are transmitted directly to the kitchen and taken into account by the cash register. The risk of miscommunication between waiters and kitchen staff is virtually eliminated, as are accounting errors at the end of the day. 

👉 To find out more: How can you avoid cash register errors in your restaurant?

Higher sales and average basket 

Thanks to digital order-taking, customers don't feel stressed by the presence of a waiter. They can take their time to consult the menu page by page, choose and even reconsider their decision before finally validating their order. As with interactive kiosks, the ordering interface can suggest additional sales. Suggest a starter + main course menu when the customer was only going to eat a main course, suggest a coffee, a sweet note to round off the meal, or a sauce for even more flavor. This will result in increased sales and a higher average basket.

More time for high-value-added tasks

Freed from their "order-taking" mission, your teams have more time to devote to other tasks that have a major impact on the customer experience, such as greeting, advice, service, helping to prepare meals, etc. 

Benefits for your customers

Reduced waiting time 

Introducing digital order-taking at the table is an excellent way to reduce waiting times in your restaurant. From now on, your guests no longer have to wait for a waiter to become available to order or pay. They can order and pay for their meal as soon as they like. The result? A much-improved customer experience, which will be reflected in your online reviews and encourage word-of-mouth in your favor. Table turnover will also be boosted!

👉 To find out more: 7 tips for collecting good customer reviews for your restaurant

Intimate dining

Whether your customers are in the middle of a business lunch, or enjoying a convivial moment with family or friends, the arrival of waiters inevitably disrupts ongoing discussions, negotiations or debates. With QR code ordering, this simply won't happen. Your guests can chat in complete privacy, without the risk of being interrupted .

Real-time stock information and easier reimbursements

Thanks to the digital menu, customers are informed of stock levels in real time. So there's no risk of them choosing one of the dishes that's out of stock. 

In addition to saving time throughout the customer process, these dematerialized receipts and expense reports are extremely practical for all guests wishing to be reimbursed. No need to scan and send them, business lunch guests will be delighted! 

‍

Understand everything about tabletop ordering via QR code

-

Did you like these tips? Don't hesitate to consult our other articles on our blog to help you develop your business!

Innovorder is the leader in digital solutions for commercial and institutional foodservice. Our team supports restaurateurs in their digital transformation with an all-in-one solution (cash register, kiosk, online ordering, KDS).