There are many reasons why people go out to eat. Some people want to experience a night out with friends. Others go to restaurants to catch some quality time with their families. And some just don't have access to home cooking or don't have the time to prepare their own food. Whatever the reason, restaurant owners try to provide the best dining experience so they can capture as many of these customers as possible.
When guests are done with their meals, restaurant owners want them to leave with a good feeling so they'll want to return and recommend the business to others. Unfortunately, when it comes to paying the tab, diners sometimes have a difficult or confusing experience, which could leave them with hard feelings toward an establishment. So, in addition to providing good food, ambiance, and top-notch service, proprietors need to focus on pricing and payment processing as well.
Considering what restaurant management system you want to implement into your dining establishment is important in giving your restaurant-goers the best payment experience possible.
Transparent pricing on all menus and receipts.
From the get-go, you should ensure that all the pricing on your menu is clear and updated. This allows your guests to order based on their budgets or preferences, as well as prevent any surprises when they're ready to pay their tab. Of course, if you provide digital menus, this might be an easier task. But even if you have paper menus, it's worth the expense of updating them, even if only a few of your prices increase.
Also, make sure that the bill and receipts are always itemized so that customers know exactly what they're paying for with as little room for questions as possible. Then, if everything adds up, the customer will be satisfied even in instances where they might have miscalculated how much the final bill will be.
Update your hardware.
With the changing times, it is more important than ever for your payment processing system to offer multiple payment options. Many people are no longer comfortable with handing their credit cards to a cashier or server. In addition to being able to say, "I accept credit cards at my restaurant," your hardware should allow customers to choose between swiping the card, inserting their card and using the chip, or tapping the card to make a contactless payment.
Every customer has their preference, and allowing them to choose how to use their card is a subtlety that will make them feel more comfortable.
Update your point of sale (POS) system.
There are many ways to enhance your restaurant's dining experience with POS integrations. Regarding improving your payment process with an updated POS system, you can allow patrons to pay, not just in a variety of card formats, but also using contactless payment apps such as Apple Pay or Samsung Pay.
You can also make it easier for guests to split a tab. So, if you have a group of friends or two families who are eating out together, they can let you know at the end of their meal that they'll be paying separately, and with a few minor adjustments in your POS, you can produce two or several checks with no headache for you or the guests.
SALIDO can help you with your restaurant management and operations to ensure you provide your patrons with the best experience possible. Contact us to find out how we can be of assistance.
