Pay at table is a game-changer for bustling restaurants trying to streamline operations and speed up service. While the traditional way of paying for a meal involved a paper check and, at times, a long wait until a credit card transaction was complete, the new way of doing things is much faster. The pay at table approach lets customers complete the transaction through a mobile card reader that’s brought to the table.
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This process can be much faster, enabling restaurants to serve customers more efficiently. But restaurants have to be mindful of the tools they choose and make sure that their team can execute pay at table properly. Read this guide to learn what you should consider if you’re planning to deploy pay at table at your restaurant.
Select the Right Technology
How do you introduce pay at table to your operation? NFC readers and QR codes are the easiest options, but you’ll want to select the right one for your budget and business. If you’re hoping to introduce pay at table on a budget, QR codes are the answer. These simple barcodes hold information that can be displayed when the code is scanned by a phone. You can add them to receipts or affix them to tabletops so guests can access digital menus.
Near-Field Communication (NFC) readers allow guests to make mobile payments simply by tapping a credit card. While QR codes can fade and become difficult to scan, NFC readers offer a more upscale payment option. Restaurants will need to be attentive to charging the devices, though, and they’ll need to be prepared to pay more for them. It’s wise to consult your business plan to understand how the costs will factor into your overall financial trajectory.
Focus on POS Integration
To do pay at table well, it needs to work in tandem with the POS. For example, checks should itemize all items in an order, as well as how those items are split among a group. A smooth pay-at-table workflow depends on coordination between the FOH payment tools and the speed of your kitchen equipment. When your BOH team is working on the next order using high-capacity, reliable commercial restaurant ranges, the POS should immediately reflect new items, modifications, or add-ons. Faster cooking throughput driven by quality ranges with consistent BTU output helps reduce ticket times, which directly supports quicker payments and more efficient table turns.
That’s why it’s important to evaluate both your POS integration and your back-of-house equipment setup together. If your payment system updates instantly but the kitchen lags due to underpowered ranges, your overall service speed still suffers.
Additionally, your devices should accept credit cards and loyalty points. After all, you don’t want a situation where a guest is unable to pay with a gift card. A quality system will account for tips automatically, too, cutting down on errors and manual entries. Ideally, you’ll take time to test out different scenarios with your POS and pay at table system to make sure there aren’t any glitches. That way, you’ll be ready to deploy it on your busiest nights. If you’re aiming to expand your restaurant, you can’t afford to have a sluggish and frustrating payment system.
Make Tipping Easier
With pay at table systems, you can help improve tips for your team members. That’s because your tools can help guide guests toward healthier tip amounts. Guests often don’t want to bother with complicated math at the end of a meal. Seeing suggested tip amounts that correspond to 20% or higher can give guests a transparent look at the numbers and an easy option to select. Just be sure that you don’t insert too many options on a screen, as that can be overwhelming.
Once a guest has entered a tip amount, your technology should show them the full amount they’re paying. Provide a digital receipt via email, but offer a printed copy, as well. When you’re able to present tipping options clearly and cleanly on a digital screen, you’ll help guests wrap up their dining experience without any hassles. And you’ll help your team earn higher tips.
Make Sure to Train Your Staff
Your team members will need to understand how your payment tech works. After all, not every customer will know exactly what to do if they’re used to more traditional payment methods. Many guests will spot QR codes on the corner of a table or on a card tent and know what to do. If that’s not the case, servers should casually point out QR codes and help guide guests toward using them for payments.
Servers should assure guests that they can tackle gift cards or split checks. And if a guest needs help, servers should be prepared to intervene. Ultimately, when servers feel comfortable with the tech, they’ll be able to help guests navigate the tech, too.
Track Metrics to Gauge Performance
If rolled out well, pay at table can help boost revenue and give your servers loftier tips. But don’t assume that it’s working. Turn to the data for a more informed picture of how things are working. Look at key numbers, like tip averages. Have they increased over tip averages from before the pay at table rollout?
Look at the length of time for payment completion, too. It should be faster with pay at table, which should translate to faster table turns. If you’re not seeing a higher number of customers being served each night, you may need to look into better team training.
Manage Your Busy Restaurant Effectively
Pay at table can be an excellent addition to your restaurant operation. Determine which tool meets your needs and make sure your team can operate it effectively. Track results to see if you’re noticing significant improvements. When you’re thoughtful about integrating your tech with your POS and training your team, you can build a better restaurant.
