Point of sale
Restaurants use a POS system to manage orders, process sales transactions, track inventory, and record customer data. POS systems typically include hardware and software that connects the front of house with the back of house and financial systems (terminals, kitchen displays, payment processing, etc.). Some POS systems also support employee scheduling and customer loyalty.
The POS system is the heart of your restaurant tech stack. If you want to run an efficient and modern operation, you should consider a POS system that offers a wide range of system integrations.
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Popular brands include:
Clover, Heartland, Lightspeed, NCR Aloha, Oracle Micros Simphony, Square, Revel, SpotOn, Toast, Touch Bistro
Online order aggregator
Online order aggregators, also known as B2B order management systems, consolidate online orders from various channels including a restaurant's website or app, phone orders, and orders from 3rd party apps like Uber and Doordash -- and automatically feed the orders into the restaurants POS system.
Aggregators became increasingly popular during the pandemic when delivery volume soared and restaurants were looking for ways to streamline operations and eliminate the need to manually transfer orders between systems.
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Popular brands include:
Olo, Chownow, Chowly, Cuboh, Deliverect, ItsaCheckmate, Lunchbox, Nash, Otter, Popmenu
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Delivery & takeout
Restaurants use 3rd party delivery systems like Uber Eats, Grubhub and Doordash, to acquire customers and to manage online orders for delivery or pickup.
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3rd party delivery apps that have a large following can help a restaurant reach and attract new customers by increasing visibility on the 3rd party app.
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Some delivery providers also offer a 1st party delivery option for restaurants who want to give customers a convenient way to request delivery from the restaurant’s website or mobile app. A significant benefit of 1st party delivery is lower costs (no commissions) because the restaurant is responsible for the customer demand, not the delivery app.
Popular brands include:
Doordash, Grubhub, Slice, Uber
Reservations & waitlists
Online reservation and waitlist systems give customers a convenient way to book tables online or by phone, and facilitate an efficient waitlist for walk-ins. The system's table management capabilities can help a restaurant optimize table turns and seat the maximum number of diners during each shift.
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Online reservations systems that have a large following can help a restaurant increase demand through visibility on the 3rd party app that helps reach and attract new customers.
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Popular brands include:
OpenTable, Resy, Tock, Yelp
Marketing & loyalty
Marketing and loyalty platforms provide custom branded websites and mobile apps that help restaurants increase direct customer engagement that builds loyalty.
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Benefits of a marketing and commerce platform include actionable customer data, online ordering, and loyalty incentives and discounts.
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Popular brands include:
Bentobox, Incentivio, Paytronix, Per Diem, Popmenu, Punchh, Sevenrooms, Thankx
Catering & events
A catering system helps a restaurant manage large-scale food preparation and delivery for events, meetings, or special occasions. The system typically provides order management, menu planning, and logistics.
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Catering systems that have a large following can help a restaurant increase demand through visibility on the 3rd party app that helps reach and attract new customers.
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Popular brands include:
Cater2me, Ezcater, Fooda, Peach, Sharebite, TripleSeat
Inventory & Back office
A restaurant inventory management system helps you track stock levels, manage supplier orders, and control food costs.
Tracking all of your inventory, including food, beverages, and other supplies can help reduce costs and improve profitability.
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Popular brands include:
Craftable, Crunchtime, MarginEdge, MarketMan, Restaurant365, XtraChef
Employee scheduling
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An employee scheduling system helps a restaurant manage their staff more effectively, including shift allocations, payroll, employee performance, and communications.
The benefits of an employee scheduling system include better staff relations, efficient shift allocations, employee retention, and improved compliance.
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Popular brands include:
7Shifts, HotSchedules, Jolt, Restaurant365, ScheduleFly, Sling