Digital and Efficient Order Taking – with the Waiter App
It's the central question for anyone in the hospitality business: How can they make customers happy? Of course, restaurant operators earn points with good food – but that’s not all. At the end of every visit, the overall impression must be convincing. This includes service. Friendliness and smooth operations are highly valued. Fortunately, service staff now have technical support in the form of so-called waiter apps.
Understanding and Fulfilling Customer Requests
The server approaches the table. The order is taken. What happens next often determines customer satisfaction. Order management impacts how quickly food and drinks reach the table, whether special requests make it to the kitchen or bar, and ultimately, whether guests will return.
It’s no surprise that long wait times have never contributed positively to the guest experience. But with increasing digital offerings, customer impatience grows. A survey conducted by Oracle Food and Beverage in collaboration with Untold revealed some time ago that digitalization leads to customers expecting faster service. According to the study, 78 percent of respondents in Germany already consider wait times of up to five minutes at self-service terminals too long. This also applies to traditional service – processes must be streamlined.
What Should a Waiter App Provide?
The ideal scenario is when service staff can take orders directly at the table and seamlessly forward them to the kitchen. This improves efficiency, reduces errors, and speeds up the delivery of food and drinks to guests.
Hospitality businesses can achieve this with mobile order-taking systems. But not all solutions are created equal. Here are 7 features no waiter app should be without:
Orders – Modern and Intuitive
Restaurant operators should have long since said goodbye to pen and paper. Smartphones or handheld devices now take their place to digitally record orders. This not only presents a modern image but also speeds things up thanks to a user-friendly and intuitive interface.
One-Handed Operation for Less Stress
In the fast-paced daily routine, service staff don’t always have both hands free. Waiter apps should address this and allow for one-handed use. A compact navigation system and minimal touches help speed up the ordering process.
Flexible Work with Table Management
Ready for anything – whether a new guest arrives or a table needs to be split spontaneously. Waiter apps should allow staff to pull up tables at any time, continue existing orders, or reorganize them. This way, service staff always stay in control.
Special Requests? No Problem!
From “extra spicy” to “no onions”: special requests should be easy to handle in the digital ordering process. Once entered into the waiter app, they are sent directly to the kitchen or bar. The result speaks for itself: when guest needs are taken seriously, satisfaction increases.
Direct Billing and Split Payments
The food was great, and the ambiance impressed. Billing should be just as smooth. Waiter apps that allow billing directly at the table and offer easy bill splitting speed up the payment process. Long waits at the end of a meal are a thing of the past.
Seamless Communication with Kitchen and Bar
There’s no efficiency without smooth communication. Service, kitchen, and bar can work hand in hand when proper technical interfaces are in place. Integration with kitchen monitors, for example, eliminates detours for orders. This benefits not only guests but also eases the workload for all staff.
Platform-Independent and Cost-Efficient
The hospitality industry operates under daily pressure. Switching to digital order-taking must therefore be fast and cost-effective. Staff should also be able to use existing devices. That’s why the waiter app by ALVARA is available for all major platforms – whether iOS, Android, or dedicated hospitality handhelds.
Digital POS Solutions as a Complete Package
The waiter app brings several advantages to the demanding day-to-day of service – above all, relief for staff. At the same time, it enhances efficiency in internal collaboration and ultimately makes customers happy.
However, the waiter app should not stand alone. It only reaches its full potential when combined with a powerful digital POS system. Centralized control of orders, payments, and reporting brings noticeable simplification and transparency. Restaurants benefit from automated billing, integrated inventory management, and comprehensive data analysis. Modern POS systems ensure efficient operations in the background and free up staff to focus on what really matters: satisfied guests.
Revolutionizing Order Management
This is a call for a future-proof way of doing business. In today’s hospitality industry, the shift to digital solutions is an absolute must. Otherwise, operators risk leaving guest expectations like short wait times or personalized service unmet. Ultimately, solutions like the waiter app – combined with modern POS systems – offer maximum added value, from fast service to transparent billing.
Efficiency, speed, satisfied customers – a trio we’re happy to deliver. Just send us an inquiry!