The Payments Journal recently published an article The Future for Restaurants is Touchless with the verdict that when it comes to dining and even paying, contactless is what is being served up at restaurants across our country. They reported that the shift to a contactless economy has been accelerated by the pandemic and that, when it comes to contactless payments, they are not just a preference, they're a requirement.

Also published by Total Food January 14, 2020, How Contactless Technology Will Save Your Restaurant - Total Food Service this article dives deeper into the why, how, and what details for restaurants wanting to adopt contactless payments.

As consumers demand light touch or touchless processes around restaurant services, restaurants are looking to meet that need and in turn, see increased customer retention from improved customer service as a result. Offering a range of solutions across the dining experience and flexibility at each step is key.

For payments, dining guests want to pay when and how they prefer including using their mobile phone to complete the transaction via QR code, tap and go, text to pay, regular credit card swipe or insert, gift card, and even still cash.

Restaurants are meeting that demand by offering flexible pay-at-the-table solutions that accommodate the freedom and flexibility for guests to pay when and how they want to pay. Not only does the optimal pay-at-the-table experience provide a better overall guest experience but it helps employees and guests stay safe. In addition, it streamlines restaurant efficiency by removing wait staff time from the payments function, often freeing up 25-30% of a server's time to attend to other guests.

The PaymentsJournal.com article goes on to describe how restaurants increase effective customer engagement by making the experience more personal such as integrating text payment and messaging with a pre-existing POS, setting up feedback surveys, and increasing guest communications, marketing campaigns, and loyalty programs.

The move to touchless has many benefits for the restaurant and ultimately helps to grow the business, and it is important to provide choice to the guest when it comes to payment. Learn more about TableSafe Touchless and the TableSafe Advantage.