Remember when you had to swipe your credit card, instead of using the chip? They’re the norm now, but at one point chip-cards were the next big thing; just like credit cards were “the next big thing” when everyone still carried cash. 

So what’s the next major change going to be? What “next big thing” should your restaurant be ready for? We’ve picked a few trends that we think will become the new normal. And this isn’t about the future—all of these innovations are happening right now!

But how many of them happen at your restaurant?

Contactless Payments

They’re already popular with much of the world, but contactless payments have been a little slow to catch on in the US. That’s about to change as credit card companies ramp up production for the US market. Once they’re readily available, you can expect contactless cards to catch on quickly. Add other contactless systems to the mix, like paying through your Apple Watch, and it’s hard to imagine anything that will change the Point-of-Sale landscape as drastically as “tap-and-go” payments. 

But that’s why we rely on research, not imagination.

Line Cutting

Nobody comes to a restaurant because they like standing in line. So it’s no surprise that many on-point restaurants are finding ways for their customers to skip the line altogether. In some instances, this means a separate register for takeout orders. In others, it means someone working their way through the line taking orders on a tablet. In either case, these line-skipping services are great for the shop and the customers alike—they make everyone’s days more convenient, while allowing shops to process more transactions than traditionally possible. 

Is your Point-of-Sale system ready to process online orders or secondary payment points, or do you have another way to help your customers skip the wait?

Tablets at the Tables

You’ve probably noticed how prevalent the tablet-based POS system is, whether it’s on a swivel at your favorite coffee shop or carried up to the table when you’re ready to order. By now they should be no strange sight, but get ready to see them everywhere. Tablets are cheap, versatile, and capable—making them a perfect solution for bars and restaurants of all sizes. As POS software continues to tie together the kitchen, dining room, and front of house, expect to see tablets showing up throughout the restaurant. Chefs can see orders come in as they’re made, servers can take orders and run bills right from the table, and your host can watch everything in real-time to keep things flowing smoothly. Is your restaurant this smart yet?

Customized Customer Rewards

Digital data is changing the way the world works, and modern POS systems are no exception. Many retailers, including restaurants, are using data to create tailor-made offers for customers. Imagine being able to offer a customer a free coupon for their favorite drink, or to automatically offer someone a free appetizer if they haven’t been in for a month? The future of advertising is in this sort of data-driven targeting, and most POS systems make it easy to get started already.

Automation

Automation, in general, is a trend that we expect to see grow steadily. As smart technology makes its way into more corners of the restaurant industry, certain managerial tasks suddenly become easier to automate. We already mentioned how easy new systems make it to get orders from the table to the kitchen, but they can also help with Inventory management, accounting, and many of the more mundane aspects of restaurant management. Weekly and monthly reports can be created automatically, providing valuable insight to help your business grow… not to mention just making your life as a restaurant manager a little easier!

The Cloud, Big Data, and User Privacy

You probably saw this one coming, especially after the last few items on this list, but restaurant owners need to consider how to handle all this digital data. Cloud computing networks have a tremendous upside—such as automatic software updates for your POS system, or the ability to access back-office data without actually going to the office—but you’ll also have new responsibilities to your business and your customers. Make sure you find a POS system that takes security seriously!

These are some of the biggest changes we expect to see in the industry over the next year or so. If you’re not ready to face them yet, we’d love to help you prepare! Get in touch today and see how Riverside can help future-proof your business!