Contactless dining may have been inspired by COVID but like Kale, it is here to stay. Yes, this does reduce some human interaction, but it streamlines dining. Let’s face it, everyone wants things to be fast, simple and safe. Besides, the concept is brilliant and is just a bit more involved than posting your menu online. Not sure what it involves or where to start, here is the skinny.
If you do not have a website, no worries, you can start with a landing page. A landing page is a simple website that lists only your most important information, no filler or fluff. Also, there are many free online sites that will walk you through the build step by step. This page should have your business name, location, hours and then three links to menus, ordering and payment. It’s that easy.
When building your online menu be sure it can be easily viewed on both a computer and a mobile phone. Some pdfs can be challenging to open and the goal here is ease. Shareable links and QR codes are your best bet. You also want to be sure it is easy for you to make updates or price changes as necessary.
Now I am going to get a little technical with you. For instance, those pdfs while simple to get all the information, don’t help with your digital presence or SEO. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) plain and simple is where on a search result your brand appears. Yes, you can pay someone to help you, but there are some things that you can do for free. Stay with me…this is where the pdfs come in. Search algorithms, imagine little spiders crawling through the internet, can’t search those pdfs and find those keywords you want to be associated with your brand. The only way to do that is good old-fashioned text and images with keywords associated with the brand. More words means the more “the spiders” have to search and use to increase your ranking in results.
Online ordering should be your next focus and can be tied into your POS. Relying on a third-party service is literally flushing your profit down the toilet.
Lastly, online payment allows customers to pay without the exchange of physical monies. Many choices are available that are literally in the palm of your hands and into your bank account. PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, credit cards, and the list only continues to grow. Along with all the trips you can save to the bank to make daily deposits, or the emergency run for quarters and singles. Finally, implementing contactless dining is a win-win for you and your customers. It’s a matter of fact, its the way of the future.
According to Fastcausal.com, contactless technology helps with the two critical pay points of queuing and waiting to pay. Here are some other positives of contactless.
• Better operational efficiency
• Increased table turns
• Higher tips
• Improving payment security
• Better customer engagement and experience
QR codes had a slow start from when they were first introduced in 1994. With the versatility of smartphone technology, contactless methods of payment and menu ordering, it has experienced a resurgence thanks to COVID. The codes are easy to create and connect users to the digital content linked to the code. User experience at a restaurant is not just the decor, food and staff, but should include a digital component for your customer. Consumers can become fully immersed in your brand – visually, physically, and coupled now with the digitally experience. Additionally, this makes QR codes the perfect for contactless dining.