5 Great Reasons for Restaurants to use a QR Code Menu
Customers scan a QR code placed at your cafe or restaurant table. They are taken to a mobile-friendly digital version of your menu. From there, they are able to place their orders directly through their mobile phones. After they have chosen what they’d like to have, they will pay when they check out on their respective phone screens. All orders are then approved by a service staff, which then would be sent to the kitchen or bar.
Sounds familiar? :p
In Singapore, F&B owners have lamented the lack of manpower at their outlets over the last decade. As we prepare for a post-pandemic future, this is even more keenly felt and some have even resorted to shorter opening hours because of staff shortage!
Folks in our industry are faced with the challenge of moving away from dependency on a staff headcount in order to survive as a sustainable business. One of the top things they are turning to is contactless ordering, or commonly known as QR Code ordering, in order to get back on their feet quickly.
So how can you, as a F&B owner and entering the industry at this period, make use of QR code ordering to your advantage? Besides the obvious benefits of this feature allowing social distancing between service staff and customers and giving us hygiene wins, there are plenty of benefits using QR code ordering at your restaurant or cafe.
Faster Table Turnovers + Fewer Service Staff needed
One of the biggest challenges service staff or restaurant managers face is to serve as many customers as possible without compromising the dining experience by long waiting times in order to place their order. So instead of your diners waiting to get the attention of service staff to order, they can now immediately scan the QR code on the table themselves as soon as they are seated. It also saves a lot of time that staff usually spend writing down and keying in orders. At the end of the dining experience, diners are able to pay from their phone, and this again saves time instead of going to the cashier to pay or passing credit cards to the staff. With the QR code ordering, fewer service staff are needed to cover tables should need be, making operations more efficient as well.
Improved Customer Dining Experience + Increased Order Value
QR Code ordering puts the customer in control of the ordering experience. Being able to specify and personalise their order goes a long way making them more likely to form a positive view towards the food, drinks and the overall restaurant or cafe experience.
This also means they are more likely to indulge in additional menu items. Everyone has experienced trying to get a server’s attention in a busy restaurant – and after waiting too long, deciding to simply forgo that extra appetizer or drink. By ordering from a digital menu, there is no waiting and no pressure on the customers’ end to decide quickly and they are more at ease to add that extra fries or dessert! :)
A pro tip is that you can even display your digital menu in such a way that customers are enticed to order more. For example, you could feature your best-seller at the top and use copy or descriptions that suggest items which pair well, like pizza and chicken wings!
Update Menu Items Easily & in Real-Time
Being digital, QR code ordering allows you to update your menu without having to re-print menu cards each time. Change up your menu on a frequent basis, with no hindrances to your operations workflow. For example if you’re a family-friendly Chinese restaurant, you would probably have seasonal menus for festive occasions like Mother’s Day or Chinese New Year – this is where you can easily switch up the menu items on your digital menu. Bars and bistros can conveniently add in new drinks your bartender creates or special promotions, all in real-time. Sold-out a popular dish? Update the menu in real time and never have to disappoint a customer by telling them what they have ordered is now unavailable!
Improved Staff Efficiency
In an industry like F&B where staffing is a huge challenge, QR codes can let a small team manage a high demand volume, increasing efficiency of operations and retaining revenues. For instance, if it takes 5-10 minutes to seat a customer and take their order, and another 5-10 minutes to settle the bill later, a waiter can easily save up to 20 minutes with QR code ordering. This time saved can be spent better on other aspects of customer experience like hospitality, interacting with regulars, or even introducing and upselling certain dishes or beverages on the menu. There is also less room for human error on orders, thus improving overall efficiency in your restaurant.
No More Runaway Bills + Going Cashless
The fact that diners need to pay at the checkout page on their phones after they scan the QR code and choose their orders means that you have the reassurance that no one leaves without paying. There have been recent cases of ‘dine and dash’ customers in the restaurant industry and it is a scenario that is at times hard to avoid when demand is high. At some F&B establishments, the staff has to foot the bill. With the QR code ordering in place, you can be certain that diners pay for their meals via their phones, and in addition, it allows your restaurant or cafe an opportunity to go cashless as well!
The Final Word - Will you start using a QR code menu? :P
There is a saying that ‘For a closer relationship with your customers, you need to step into their shoes’ – Well in this case, we can change that to stepping into their ‘phones’ instead. :D
There is no doubt that QR Code Ordering is here to stay. The question is, have you got yours set up in your POS yet?
QR Code Ordering is disrupting the industry – now is the time to get on board.
Get started with our all-new QR code feature launched for dine-in customers in your iCHEF POS today – with no activation fees and set up that is easy peasy.
Abi Shan is the editor and content strategist at iCHEF Singapore. She manages iCHEF Club, a growing community of F&B owners in Singapore – creating and strategising fresh content, digital marketing campaigns, and the F&B Entrepreneur Bootcamp, the only regular workshop on opening a new restaurant in the country. In her spare time, she loves playing the drums, watching movies, and attending concerts. Her love for fashion runs so deep such that you can can always spot her with new makeup looks ;)
