Many restaurateurs have rushed to introduce QR code menus to give their guests a contactless way to browse their food and beverage offerings. But are all QR menus created equally? We say no. The simplest implementation is a QR that points to a simple PDF version of a printed menu. These offer little benefit because while they save the cost and contact surfaces required by printed menus, ordering from a PDF menu still relies on a face-to-face conversation with a server. Assuming that a QR code in front of a PDF menu is the least functional option, what exactly should a functional QR Menu offer your business?
What Your QR Menu Should Do For You
Many restaurateurs have rushed to introduce QR code menus to give their guests a contactless way to browse their food and beverage offerings. But are all QR menus created equally? We say no. The simplest implementation is a QR that points to a simple PDF version of a printed menu. These offer little benefit because while they save the cost and contact surfaces required by printed menus, ordering from a PDF menu still relies on a face-to-face conversation with a server. Assuming that a QR code in front of a PDF menu is the least functional option, what exactly should a functional QR Menu offer your business?
Showcase Your Food and Beverage Items
With platforms like GoTab, there are countless ways to use your menu to showcase your food and beverage items. At a minimum, start by creating separate categories for drinks, appetizers, entrees and desserts. If you’re just getting started, GoTab offers a free service that will consult with you and build out your first contactless menu.
Next, plan for high-quality photography. Many independent restaurateurs struggle with this step but it is well worth the time and may be less expensive than you think. For one thing, it’s easy to create professional-level photos with a standard mobile device so you could even do it yourself. Many restaurateurs work with independent public relations firms who always have access to freelance photographers. GoTab lets you easily add photography to your menu. They make your menu much more interesting to browse.
Give Your Guests a Personalized Experience
Imagine every menu item available at your venue viewable on a single screen. While it sounds simple, think about how much time it would take for guests to scroll through a menu like that to find what they’re looking for. Now imagine how much more engaging your menu would be if your guests could search using filters? Just like shopping on an ecommerce storefront, or searching on a content site, GoTab’s QR Menus offer Google-like search capabilities using GoTags. That means your gluten free and vegan guests can immediately find the items designed for them. Take that a step further, guests can search by an unlimited number of filters that you get to customize to your needs.
Allow You to Update Your Menu in Real-Time
One of the most powerful benefits a QR menu should offer you is the ability to make real-time menu updates and changes. For example, the first person in the restaurant to know when an item is no longer available is the kitchen. But when using a printed or PDF menu, the only way a guest would know is by asking a server. With a QR menu like GoTab, the operator has the flexibility to 86 menu items from directly within the Kitchen Display System or Manager App. During busy times, this is a huge benefit to operators and guests. You can immediately tag the item temporarily unavailable in the menu, avoiding guest frustration.
Tap Room Playbook Episode 2:
When you really think about it, with everything managers need to do in a tap room, the hospitality aspect is often overlooked.
Situated “in the heart of it all, yet tranquil enough to make you feel away from it all too,” The Limelight Hotel Snowmass offers 99 hotel rooms and 11 residences, as well as footsteps-to-gondola access in winter and summer — right in the middle of Snowmass Base Village.
The Situation
Especially over the last few years, the Limelight Hotels IT team had witnessed a significant shift to contactless technology in the hospitality industry. After evaluating friction points in the guest journey, aligning with modern technology platforms in their restaurant was determined to be an effective way to offer elevated contactless dining experiences to their guests while also evolving their technology platforms to continue to support long-term company goals. Limelight Hotel partnered with GoTab to provide an enhanced on-demand dining experience on par with the brand’s reputation for exceptional guest service.
The Solution
Reducing Staff Touch Points Without Sacrificing Guest Experience
Guests are now able to begin a tab from their room or the property’s restaurant by scanning a QR code, texting a link to friends or family members on the ski slope to add in their orders, then meeting up together at the patio or lodge to enjoy their meal and après ski festivities without interruption. By streamlining tasks like inputting orders and processing payments, this eliminates friction for hotel staff and allows them to focus on delivering renowned guest service for a memorable experience. Since partnering with GoTab, Limelight Snowmass has consistently seen higher check averages and sales.
“We found the Point of Sale platforms we were looking at offered the guest and staff limited opportunities to further reduce touch points or improve the traditional restaurant experience. The GoTab platform enabled the guest to take an active role over the flow of their experience while simultaneously reducing touch points and further streamlining restaurant operations.”Nick Giglio, Manager of Hotel IT Operations, The Little Nell Hotel Group
According to the Limelight Hotels team, some of the other platforms that were evaluated were either missing some of the pieces they were looking for, had weak customer support models, or had little willingness to develop integrations to existing hotel platforms already in place. To that end, GoTab integrated with cloud-based platform, Infor. Together, GoTab and Infor are providing dynamic solutions to support central, efficient service across hotel amenities and deliver exceptional guest experiences.
“Previously, guests would call down to the restaurant to begin an order from their room or while they were out enjoying the ski slopes. Using GoTab, guests can now place orders from anywhere on the resort, giving them the on-demand service they want without interrupting their day. GoTab empowers us to give control to the guest, reducing touch points and streamlining overall restaurant operations, making Limelight Hotel the resort of choice for Snowmass.”Nick Giglio, Manager of Hotel IT Operations, The Little Nell Hotel Group
Since introducing GoTab, The Limelight Hotel has seen a consistent level of upsells and items sold per check resulting in additional revenue capture. They have been able to maintain service levels in their restaurants during periods when there was reduced staffing available without significantly diminishing the guest experience.
The Benefits
Eliminate Phone Orders – Take Orders from the Slopes. Guests can start a tab from their room or on the mountain without interrupting the flow of their day.
Future-Proofed Technologies – Delivering elevated contactless ordering via integration with the Infor hotel management platform.
Eliminating Friction in the Guest Journey – Maintaining service levels during periods of reduced staff without diminishing the guest experience.
Eliminating Friction in the Guest Journey – Maintaining service levels during periods of reduced staff without diminishing the guest experience.
Eliminating Friction in the Guest Journey – Maintaining service levels during periods of reduced staff without diminishing the guest experience.
Eliminating Friction in the Guest Journey – Maintaining service levels during periods of reduced staff without diminishing the guest experience.
Eliminating Friction in the Guest Journey – Maintaining service levels during periods of reduced staff without diminishing the guest experience.
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