Tag Archives: online ordering

Star Micronics and MunchEm Team Up to Offer Online Ordering for Web, Custom Apps, and Kiosks

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Somerset, NJ – Sept. 18, 2018 – Star Micronics, a leading manufacturer of mobile, point of sale (POS), and customer engagement technologies, is proud to announce that MunchEm has added support for its SP700 and TSP100III printers. MunchEm, unlike other online ordering and delivery services, is enhancing how the consumer orders food and the restaurant delivers.

MunchEm offers cutting edge customizable online ordering and content management software to allow restaurants to get ahead of their competition. Its order management platform has allowed restaurants to manage online pickup/delivery orders placed from web/mobile apps, and “skip the line” self-service kiosks. Restaurants can use OrderEm to assign delivery orders to drivers and allow both restaurants and customers to track drivers.

Star’s SP700 is durable for kitchen environments with the ability to withstand high heat, whereas the TSP100III printer is perfect for counter printing. The TSP100III can be used to print non-kitchen orders such as smoothies, pre-packed sandwiches, or coffee, or can simply be used to print the receipt for a take-out order.

The TSP100III is also compatible with Star Micronics’ suite of cloud-based customer engagement services, including AllReceipts and PromoPRNT. These services allow restaurants to offer digital receipt and printed promotions to their customers for free.

“Our partnership with Star Micronics has provided our merchant partners tremendous value,” says Ricky Rodrigues, Operations Manager of MunchEm. “The chaos that happens in a restaurant during peak hours can be the most hectic among many different industries. We can now ease some of that by having online orders print automatically in a kitchen.”

3 Reasons Why Restaurants Should Allow Customers to Order Online

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Online ordering and delivery are so convenient that more and more people are going online and, in a few clicks, having meals delivered to their door. Online ordering and delivery are so convenient that more and more people are going online and, in a few clicks, having meals delivered to their door. According to banking analysts Cowen, delivery will grow to a $76 billion industry by 2022. CNBC reports that online orders comprise half of all deliveries, with millennials and the 35-44 age group leading the pack among diners who are taking advantage of online ordering apps and services.

Online Ordering Makes Sense for Your Restaurant

Although most restaurants take phone orders, it’s a good idea to have an alternate ordering method so people won’t get a busy signal or wait on hold for too long. Online ordering also means the phone won’t be ringing as often, taking staff away from other tasks and making the atmosphere more pleasant for dine-in customers.

Online ordering allows diners to enter their orders online through the restaurant’s website or app and designate whether it’s for pickup, delivery, or dine-in. Online ordering solutions also enable the customer to pay with a credit card before the order is prepared, and it streamlines workflows by sending orders directly to the kitchen. Implementing an online ordering system means a better customer service experience for patrons and allows you to gather their contact information for future marketing efforts.

Online ordering is a great way to boost revenue and attract new customers. The addition of Amazon Eats and Seamless are making it easier than ever for restaurants to introduce online ordering. If you haven’t already, here are three reasons why your customers should be able to point, click, and eat:

  1. Increased sales and larger orders

Restaurants that introduce online ordering increase their takeout revenue, on average, by 30%. For small restaurants or ones with limited hours, adding online ordering and delivery generates an additional revenue stream without impacting your dine-in customers.

Online ordering encourages larger orders by giving customers extra time to look through the menu and discover new items they would like to try. Diners are in control of the ordering process and they can take their time reading the menu without feeling rushed, securely process their payments, and never get a busy signal.

  1. Improved order accuracy

Taking phone orders means an employee must be able to clearly hear the customer on the phone, accurately and legibly write down an order, and then input it into the point of sale (POS) system. Sometimes the employee may not hear the order correctly or make mistakes while entering it into the POS terminal. Removing these steps means less opportunity for errors and a reduction in the amount of time and resources wasted remaking orders prepared incorrectly.

 

  1. Expand your customer base

More of your customers will seek out restaurants with online ordering, so it’s important to have every option available—phone, online and ordering app. According to a survey by the National Restaurant Association, 61% of people said they consider delivery and takeout options important for table service restaurants.  The experts at QSR Web reported that online ordering is outpacing dine-in patrons by 300%. If reservations at your restaurant are hard to get, or there are only a few tables, online ordering makes it easy for people to satisfy their craving or try it for the first time quickly and easily.

Restaurants are preparing more meals for take-out than they are serving to on-premises customers, so make sure they can place their orders using the technology they want. Online ordering is the key to drawing in new customers and increasing revenue.

3 Cloud-based Applications Every Pizza POS Should Integrate With

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Integrating these 3 cloud-based applications with your pizza POS will boost profits and keep customers coming back.

A POS system can help raise sales at your pizzeria by streamlining the entire operation from order to delivery. It’s no secret that pizza margins are razor slim, so anything pizzeria owners can do to encourage repeat business like online ordering and faster service will help boost sales, and keep people coming back for hot, fresh pizza. There are 3 cloud-based applications that will boost your profits.

You can enhance your POS system with several cloud-based applications for ordering, receipts and technology-monitoring apps that alert you immediately if there’s a problem. If you already own a POS system and want to upgrade some of the technology but aren’t ready to lay out the cash for a technology overhaul, there is a solution. Here are the applications you should integrate with for faster customer service, higher profit margins, and an edge over the competition.

 

  • Online Ordering – You don’t need to upgrade your hardware to get online ordering. Your Star printer should integrate with Star CloudPRNT, which acts as a bridge between the ordering module and the store’s printer.

On average, orders placed online are 25% higher than orders placed over the phone. Diners prefer to order online, because they can place their order without anyone waiting on them, which takes off the pressure of deciding quickly.

A cloud-based application also helps reduce the number of errors an employee makes while taking an order over the phone and then inputting it into the POS system. By transmitting orders directly to the system, you eliminate the extra step and the possibility for mistakes. ­

Online ordering also means that restaurant staff can see sales reports and ingredient tracking information in real time, which helps avoid disappointment when a diner finds out the selections they ordered are unavailable.

 

  • Digital Receipts – The sales receipt is your last chance to make a great impression, so don’t waste it. These paper proofs of purchase are an important tool to help your pizzeria stand out from the competition, build brand awareness, disseminate information about promotions, issue coupons and solicit feedback. Receipts can be customized to include website information and social media pages, so customers can stay in touch about new menu items, or send in a review.

Digital receipts and online ordering applications can help you gather data about your customers, which can be used to distribute marketing materials and information about new menu offerings and specials.

Star Micronics’ AllReceipts technology is a cloud-based application that pizzeria owners can download to print receipts directly from their online ordering module. AllReceipts communicates directly with the printer (no additional hardware necessary), for a seamless integration into your online ordering system.

 

  • Device Management for in-house and delivery – A cloud-based application for device management can alert you to a hardware problem before it snowballs into a bigger issue. Star Micronics’ Device Management tool gives you insight into your installed base of printers, even those with different locations, on an online dashboard. This is ideal for monitoring, maintaining and updating your receipt printing hardware, because time diverted away from the kitchen or front end to troubleshoot your printers means a delay in customer service.

 

Finding an Online Ordering system that integrates with your POS software is not always the best solution. In reality they come with many challenges that could be detrimental to your business and potentially damage customer relationships. Many restaurateurs have abandoned their POS-integrated solutions and moved to standalone systems. However, by using a standard POS receipt printer like the TSP654IICLOUDPRNT from Star Micronics, you now have the possibility to use the same printer for both your POS and Online ordering system while limiting your hardware cost!

The pizza business can be tough—but the right technology can make it easier to stay ahead of the competition. Pizzeria owners looking to add new technology shouldn’t scrap their current POS system—there’s a host of cloud-based applications you can integrate to introduce online ordering, device management and receipt printing. These apps are easily downloaded and integrated for immediate results—higher profits, faster customer service and satisfied diners.

Is Your Restaurant Ready for the Growing Online Ordering Trend?

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Are you looking for a new way to grow your restaurant business? Consider online ordering. According to QSR Web, digital ordering is growing 300 percent faster than dine-in traffic, and analysts project in a few years, more restaurant sales will come from takeout, delivery, and other forms of off-premises dining, than from customers who dine-in.

Restaurant competition is fierce and profit margins are tight. The majority of independently-owned restaurants that open today will not survive beyond a few years, and according to an Ohio State University study, more than 60 percent will fail in the first year.

A Cornell University study revealed restaurant survival is based on finding ways to differentiate your business from the competition and being agile enough to successfully respond to consumer trends.

Don’t become a statistic. Offering online ordering is a feature your customers are looking for, and it also elevates your digital presence, which can help raise awareness about what makes your restaurant and your brand unique and appealing.

There are three options for adding online ordering services:

  • Sign up with a third-party online order network. There are a variety of options for online ordering networks you can work with depending on your location. Investigate costs – some will charge a percentage of each order and others charge a flat fee for being listed on their websites.
  • Sign up for the online ordering service of your current POS solution (if available). This option provides the added benefit of integrating online sales with your finance report, but functionality of the online ordering application itself may be limited.
  • Integrate your own online ordering system on your own website. You can establish online ordering through your own website or app. This option locks a customer into your brand when they are ready to place orders and can build customer loyalty.

The process of receiving orders from a third-part ordering site and getting them to the kitchen can still be a pain point for some restaurants. Restaurants usually receive orders via email on a tablet in the restaurant – or on several tablets if they work with more than one third-party network. During a shift, one or more employees may be assigned to communicate the orders to the kitchen and enter them into the point of sale (POS) system. The lack of integration between online ordering sites and the POS system means the process still requires labor hours and errors can still occur when orders are transferred.

Consider the gains in efficiency, productivity, and customer satisfaction for your restaurant if you could download an app that would send your online orders directly to the kitchen printer where your staff could start food prep immediately and ensure orders are ready at the appropriate times. Technology solutions are available to help your restaurant bridge the gap between online orders and the kitchen.

Maximizing online order processing efficiency will enable you to truly benefit from adding this service to your business, allowing you to address this major consumer trend, reach a wider pool of potential customers, and fully develop this revenue stream.

Learn how you can easily integrate online ordering in your restaurant with Star’s TSP650IIcloudPRNT cloud printer.

Download our full eBook here: Star_Online-Ordering_eBook

5 Reasons Why Your Restaurant Needs an Online Ordering System

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We recently posted an article about how our smart phones are replacing other devices in our lives such as cameras, computers, iPods, etc. They are changing the way we do everything, including the way we order food. In an age of being able to text instead of call, restaurants have learned to adopt this strategy of communication with online ordering systems.

Now, you can order your take-out or delivery with just a few simple clicks through online ordering systems and applications such as GrubHub, Seamless, and more. Some larger franchises, like Domino’s, have even created their own online ordering applications. This new way of ordering is growing rapidly among the younger generations. According to QSRweb, 52% of U.S. Internet users would likely use a smartphone or tablet for ordering take-out and delivery if possible, with 74% of millennials expressing interest in doing so. It’s needless to say that if you own or operate a restaurant that offers take-out or delivery, you should consider an online ordering system. Here’s why:

1. Higher Employee Productivity. Think about all the time your employees spend taking orders over the phone and making sure that the order is correct. When taking orders over the phone, there is a higher likelihood of miscommunication, in turn, compelling employees to stay on the phone longer to ensure that they have gotten the correct order before hanging up. By implementing an online ordering service, employees will spend less time taking phone orders and can spend more time actually preparing those orders for pick-up or delivery to the customer. Another great benefit of online ordering is the ability for the customer to pre-place large orders and set a specific pick-up or delivery time. This allows the restaurant employees time to properly prep large orders in advance.

2. Order Accuracy. Going back to the miscommunication that often occurs when taking orders over the phone, online ordering systems allow the customer to select and modify their food order exactly the way they like it. This order will then be sent directly to a restaurant printer with no misunderstanding or miscommunication. Being able to take an order straight from the printer to prep will cut back on order inaccuracy and will save the restaurant from wasting money and bad reviews.

3. Grow your Business. Sometimes people don’t want to be bothered with calling and placing their take-out or delivery order over the phone, and opt for a restaurant that provides an online ordering service or application instead. Convenience is key when it comes to customer service. Providing a seamless and easy-to-use  online ordering system will create a better experience for customers, resulting in an increase in sales.

4. Ability to Build a Database. When your customers order through an online ordering service, this creates an opportunity for you to capture information, such as an email address, and use this information to create a database. This database can then be used to communicate with your customers and encourage them to come back through loyalty programs, email marketing, mailing coupons, and more. When taking orders over the phone, you often times only receive their phone number and delivery address, which usually does not allow you to reengage with the customer after the transaction is complete.

5. Powerful Analytics. Once you’ve built your database of customers, you can then use analytics offered with online ordering services to track the ordering patterns of your customers. This will allow you to offer tailored promotions to customers based on what they frequently order or how frequently they order. You can also use this information to adjust, add, or remove menu items based on what your customers are ordering.

Implementing an online ordering system can bring endless benefits to your restaurant business. You may consider using your own, or partnering with an existing online ordering app. Whichever you choose, Star Micronics is there to help you seamlessly integrate online ordering into your restaurant by providing cloud-based point of sale technology to help that order go straight from the cloud, to your restaurant, and then out the door.

Learn more about Star’s TSP650IIcloudPRNT receipt printer here.