Restaurant operations have undergone massive changes over the past decade, like tableside ordering, including QR-code menus, point-of-sale tablets, and kiosks, all of which have become staples at many local eateries.
But tableside ordering and its associated technologies also present revenue opportunities for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), which can position themselves in a profitable niche. The complex and interconnected nature of these innovations means a growing dependence on service providers to make sure that everything runs smoothly. From full-service to fast casual to grabbing a burger and fries, most restaurants are certainly more digital today than they were just a few years ago.
What are the elements of tableside ordering?
The opening for MSPs here is clear and the mission is the same as it would be for any other enterprise. A service provider must add value, whether through guidance, implementation, support, or cybersecurity. There are numerous aspects to the tableside ordering experience, and technology partners can make a difference in all of them.
QR codes
Patrons can now place orders with their smartphones thanks to the use of QR codes that bring up digital menus, allowing diners to see prices and options and input their selections. This approach makes ordering faster without having to wait for a server. Orders are sent directly to the kitchen, minimizing errors of the past when service staff would scribble your orders on a tiny pad. QR codes provide a contactless food ordering process that appeals to many restaurant-goers, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mobile POS
Even if a customer isn’t placing their own order, the digital world is often still visible. The server now often uses mobile POS (mPOS) tablets, on which they can place orders and process payments. Using mPOS helps the hospitality industry by tracking real-time inventory and reducing waste, which helps keep costs down in the kitchen and customers happy at the tables.
Kiosks
Self-service kiosks are no longer novelties. Increasingly seen in fast food establishments, self-service kiosks help customers order by using a touchscreen monitor, leading to faster service and lower labor costs. They are particularly helpful during the breakfast, lunch, and dinner rush.
MSPs can provide an end-to-end solution
Since the early days of cash registers, restaurants have always been reliant on hardware. That hasn’t changed. However, today, they require entire systems that work together as a coherent whole. Restaurant operators need service providers to help them choose the right platforms and customize the systems to meet each establishment’s unique operations.
This is a golden opportunity for MSPs, since smaller restaurants or chains may lack an in-house IT team and tend to outsource their technology tasks. MSPs can advise clients, especially those who are looking to expand to additional locations or who need Artificial Intelligence (AI) or agentic AI solutions to help them optimize their inventory, purchasing, demand, and staffing.
New opportunities are on the horizon
Innovations promise additional real-time tools from remote menu management to analytics that span multiple locations. Likewise, AI is set to affect this industry as much as any other. AI agents can easily identify trends and make choices on which items to upsell to a given consumer. MSPs can play a valuable role in all of these functions, which are only likely to grow and become more essential over time.
The hospitality sector is also moving toward cloud POS integration solutions, which enable restaurants to maximize their business operations through real-time analytics and data access from anywhere. With mobile wallets becoming popular, the need for contactless payments is abundantly clear. Together with digital loyalty rewards programs, dining out is becoming a more pleasant experience with reduced waiting times and order mistakes for customers and potentially more repeat business, lower labor costs, and increased efficiency in all aspects of the restaurant’s operations.
Overall, these dynamics point to a more holistic view of dining operations. Mobile wallets, convenient ordering processes, data analytics, and marketing recommendations all tie into a cohesive customer engagement strategy – one that MSPs can leverage.
Tableside tech is not a ‘set it and forget it’ arrangement
MSPs, which specialize in the hospitality, food, and beverage sectors, can partner with leading industry providers to help restaurants maximize their potential with digital intelligence and software solutions. Implementation and software support are all legitimate benefits that MSPs can provide. Meanwhile, MSPs can build a relationship for the future that establishes them as a partner in every aspect of restaurant management.
Tableside ordering is a big boon for MSPs
With labor at a premium, tableside ordering systems are becoming more than just a novelty or an optional bit of glitter to add digital pizazz to the dining room. They are essential technological systems at the heart of an operation, and they require MSPs who have the software and industry experience in planning, setup, and maintenance of the core business functions of a restaurant.
New opportunities are becoming standard fare on the menu, and MSPs need to recognize this market’s potential.
