5 technologies that will make your restaurant staff happier and more productive

Attracting and retaining employees in the restaurant industry has become a constant challenge. According to recent data, staff turnover in restaurants has had an annual turnover rate of almost 80% in the last decade. But hiring employees just for them to leave soon after doesn’t just affect your employee’s productivity and quality of work – it also leads to poor customer experiences. Fortunately, restaurant technology can help weather these staffing storms with solutions to assist and enhance the service.

Which technologies can improve staff productivity?

Here are five pieces of technology that can help make your restaurant staff happier and more productive.

1. Self-service and tableside ordering

It no longer makes sense for you to have your front of house staff take orders on a notepad and run from the table to the register, to the kitchen with a piece of paper that risks getting smudged or lost. Today, self-service kiosks, tablets, and QR codes are commonplace at restaurants, allowing customers to easily browse through menus and order at their own pace. A recent survey from PYMNTS of 2,500 U.S. diners found that 34% feel content with ordering via QR codes at restaurants, while 31% prefer to order through self-service kiosks.

Self-service technology makes work easier for your front-of-house staff, as they can shift their focus to other tasks, such as delivering orders, handling potential issues, and bussing tables without trying to remember who ordered the steak medium rare vs. well done. And when you empower customers to order exactly what they want on their own, you also minimize the risk of their order getting mixed up, delivered incorrectly, or lost entirely.

Added bonus: If you are using a unified software solution where POS, self-service, kitchen, and head office are connected, your staff (and your customers!) can always be sure that the information on each device– from prices, to ingredients, to product availability – is complete and up to date. For example, your employees will never have to return to the table to deliver the unfortunate news that, sorry, we are out of the fish of the day – or that, oops, the risotto does include dairy because all your stock and ingredient information gets updated automatically at every touchpoint.

2. Kitchen Display Systems (KDS)

If you are using a modern restaurant management software, the POS in the servers’ hands is connected to the kitchen via a two-way communication system. This means that your front of house team can send orders directly to the kitchen, where they are automatically routed by the system to the Kitchen Display System (KDS) screen at the appropriate station. As each kitchen is laid out differently, you can customize the KDS to include any grill, oven, fryer, broiler, cold prep, salad, beverage, or expediting station.

If guests have a request for modifications (say, extra fries) or substitutions (vegan cheese instead of provolone), or have allergies or intolerances that need to be communicated to the chef, your team can note them at the POS, and the system will highlight the notes alongside the order.

To make it even easier for your team, orders can be color coded, and you can mark to-go and carryout tickets so they are packed instead of plated up in the kitchen. All this array of functionality can be an invaluable support to your kitchen staff, allowing them to proceed fast without having to decide how to prioritize. By streamlining work, a good KDS system will reduce tension in the kitchen, while also decreasing the risk that dishes are sent back because they were not prepared to specifications.

3. Shift scheduling software

In the employer-employee relationship, clarity helps build trust. Miscommunication can leave both parties stressed and unhappy, leading to strained relationship and people leaving. After all, no one enjoys being called on their day off and asked why they aren’t at work - and no manager likes having to make that kind of call. A restaurant management system equipped with built-in scheduling functionality can help you organize complex shifts while giving your staff clear, shared expectations and transparency.

If you run a restaurant chain with locations across several states or countries, you may also have to deal with different labor laws and workplace requirements. The right scheduling enforcement tool will enable you to apply these regional requirements and ensure you are always in legal compliance. Your staff will never miss compulsory meal or rest breaks, ensuring they are happier and more engaged.

This kind of system also enables you to apply up-to-date scheduling information to payroll, eliminating errors and ensuring that everyone is compensated precisely and on time. 

4. Access to role-specific information

In a restaurant there are often very different roles, and each needs different types of information. For example if you’re a waiter you need to know how to split a check, how to substitute an ingredient, or how to see what dishes are still available in the kitchen. If you’re in the kitchen, your priority is to produce orders on time per the customer’s specifications, and you need to know how much of each raw ingredient you are supposed to use. Management, on the other hand, needs to prioritize cost management, shift scheduling, payroll, and other financials.

You can increase efficiency and minimize time wasted by selecting a system that can be customized to show only the kind of information each employee needs to see in their role. The employee putting together the pizzas doesn’t need – or care – to see what the shift table setup looks like, and product ID numbers are the last thing on a server’s mind.

Maximize your employees’ time with role-based interfaces that enable them to focus only on the tasks that matter to them, so they can deliver faster service and a better experience for your guests.

5. Intelligent analytics and reporting

The productivity of your restaurant does not rest in the hands of your dining room and kitchen staff alone. Management needs tools that enable them to see how the business is performing at a glance. They also need to be able to drill down to specifics, see what is working, and if any action should be taken. Are ingredients being used efficiently? Are the portions too big? Are loyal customers coming back less frequently? What menu items aren’t performing as they should?

Today, restaurant managers don’t have to sweat over Excel spreadsheets to figure out what’s going wrong, or what could be done better. A modern restaurant management system with intelligent analytics and reporting functionality gives managers the insights they need to act fast. They can see changes in customer behavior, track the success of offers and campaigns, understand how to offset changes in ingredient pricing, as well as optimize menus, offers, and staffing to maximize revenue.

Reliable, timely data will give your managers the confidence they need when making crucial decisions, increasing both their effectiveness and their job satisfaction.

The long-term success of your business is directly related to your quality of service. Are your employees equipped with the technology they need to be efficient? Contact our restaurant technology experts today to discover what solutions are available to support you and your employees, and have happier staff members and guests.