Editorial Team
5 min read
The pandemic affected the way we all do business, and many customers’ habits have changed permanently. In particular, the way we eat out–and in–has likely changed forever. We’re seeing a rise in contactless ordering and payment options, and from the looks of it, these changes are here to stay.
Technology is no longer a mere convenience–it’s crucial for adapting to evolving health guidelines, local economic realities, and concerns about safety. Our online ordering features, Scan to Order and Scan to Pay, allow you to offer contactless ordering and payment for a safer, more efficient dining experience. Both payment options are features of the Clover Online Ordering suite.
1. Simple tech specs
Scan to Order and Scan to Pay use QR code technology to put ordering and payment literally into customers’ hands. It used to be that users would need a dedicated app to scan a QR code, making the codes confusing or impossible for less tech-savvy customers to access. But today, nearly every phone has QR scanning tools built directly into its camera. When a customer points their camera at a QR code, a link to a website automatically pops right up.
The only requirement is that iPhone users have iOS 11 or higher; Android users need Android 8 or higher.
2. Safety and efficiency
As a restaurant owner hoping to offer a safe and sanitary dining experience, you could print large numbers of disposable menus for every guest, which would be expensive, wasteful, and not so great for the environment. Instead, you can create an online menu guests can access right on their smartphone or tablet. This digital experience reduces contact between servers and guests, allowing for better social distancing and increasing customer comfort. The digital menu can be edited on the fly with specials and menu changes, further saving you time and money over costly printed menus.
From the guest’s perspective, they simply scan the QR code with their phone camera, pull up the online menu, and place their order at their own pace. They can then pay for their meal and tip through Clover Online Ordering. Drinks and food come out when ready, and if a guest wants to order dessert or any additional items, all they have to do is pull the menu up again and place another order.
From the back-of-house perspective, orders placed through Scan to Order are fired directly to the kitchen with no additional effort on the part of your staff. Kitchen staff and servers can see who’s ordered what, and run appetizers, drinks, and entrées out to tables as they’re prepared. Make the most of your kitchen staff and servers’ time and turn tables around quicker by incorporating the Scan to Order feature. This feature can also help reduce wait times for customers to place orders and can make room for your staff to have more availability to tend to other service-related obligations.
The Scan to Order feature creates a fully contactless ordering and payment process, enhancing customer comfort levels for those who may be concerned about safety when eating out. This system is not only safer, it’s more efficient and convenient. Guests pay their bill in advance to complete their order, so they can leave at their leisure as soon as they’re done with their meal. They no longer have to wait for their server to bring them a check. As a result, your tables will turn faster because the guest wait time is dramatically reduced.
3. Scan to pay
If your restaurant isn’t using Clover Online Ordering for pickup orders, or if you believe your customer base will not be comfortable with a completely digital experience, Scan to Pay provides customers with the option to pay their bill at their own convenience. Guests can look over the digital menu and place orders with their server. At the end of the meal, servers can drop a Scan to Pay bill for contactless payment that starts by scanning the QR code on the check.
Scan to Pay gives your guests the freedom to pay when they’re ready while forgoing additional wait times, especially during busy lunch and dinner rushes. Your guests can dine, pay, and leave at their own discretion. This can help guests feel at ease knowing that they don’t have to wait for a busy server to return with their checks. Additionally, your servers can turn tables faster and assist more guests.
4. Meet the needs of today and tomorrow
Scan to Order and Scan to Pay provide your guests with on-premise digital ordering and payments. They also allow restaurants to do more with less at a time, especially for establishments who may have limited servers on staff. In fact, with these features you may even improve profit margins by allowing tables to turn faster—all without the high online ordering fees that both merchants and guests have to cover that are typical of the third-party delivery apps many restaurants utilize.
Features like Scan to Order that increase safety and comfort today will continue to enhance the guest experience, improve table turns, and streamline back-of-house processes even once the pandemic ends and the restaurant industry returns to a healthier “new normal.”
Learn more about Clover Scan to Order and Scan to Pay. Don’t have a Clover restaurant POS yet? Talk to a Clover Business Consultant today.
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