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With smartphones evlving and getting smarter, smaller and speedier it is allowing for advances in mobile point-of-sale technology especially in the restaurant industr. There are now numerous POS platforms that support both iPhone as well as android. Tablets and iPads are also supported so that restaurants can process payments in the field with a credit card reader. Traditionally POS have been very costly and structured; now with mobile technology the flexibility is convenient, fast and user friendly. New applications allow restaurants to store customer spending patterns without retaining their personal credit card information. the use of smartphones also opens up very exciting opportunities when it comes to business-consumer communication. Restaurants can send text messages containg discounted coupons to their establishments. The key is to not over do it as customers may become annoyed with too many text messages. This article delat mainly with the restaurant industry but did mention the evolution of technological advances with the use of smart phones. Form personal experience I have used my iphone and ipad to conduct credit card transactions utilzing squareD which provides free of charge a mobile credit card swiper that is connected to the microphone port of either the iphone or Ipad. there is not monthly contract or fee. The only charge is 2.5% per settled credit card transaction and the amount is automatically deducted from the batched amount and within 1-2 business days the funds are deposited directly into ones checking/savings account. This is convenient, fast, and easy. I have been able to secure payment right on the spot instead of either handling cash which is always a ahzard or the risk of accepting checks. the use of smartphones and tbalets have revolutionozed the way business is being conducted making it fast, easy, and convenient to both cutomer and busoness owner alike.

Accountancy system is the necessary for both restaurants and hotels. Restaurants need an accounting system that addresses issues like excess wastage on different product lines, and consumption of different products, rather than mere stock control. In hotels, accounting systems need to cope with everything from varying room rates, different ways of charging for phone calls, customer discounts, loyalty programs and everything in between. Accounting system has following features. First, accounting system can back up data quickly and easily. Second, it has comprehensive reporting capabilities, which enable you to monitor ongoing trends within your business. Third, it is easy to use. The last one is automation. You should be able to automate common tasks such as producing invoices and running regular custom reports.

The accounting systems are really different in restaurant and hospitality. but all of them are make work more and more easier and efficiency. In restaurant, the accounting system contain different product lines, the consumption of different products and stock control. In hotels, accounting system should contain varying room rates, defferent ways of charging for phone calls, customer discounts, loyalty programmes and so on. If the accounting system software is fit for your hotel or restaurant, it will save not only time but labor cost.

As the iPad achieves success in the market, there has been increasing interest in using the iPad as POS devices in the restaurant businesses. This article introduces some advantages and disadvantages of an iPad POS system. First of all, with the iPad POS system, restaurant servers could use their time more efficiently because they don't have to go to POS terminal to punch orders or print receipts, saving much time. This may result in enhancing customer satisfaction because servers can spend more time with their customers. Another advantage can be security. Since servers carry POS devices, they are able to swipe customers' credit cards in front of customers. Therefore, customers would not have to worry about their identity theft. Lastly, the iPad POS system is cheaper than the traditional one, so it may be appealing to small restaurants. On the other hand, there are some cons of using the iPad as POS devices. Most of all, the iPad devices are sometimes unreliable since they rely on wireless Internet. Needless to say, there will be huge confusion to not only servers but kitchen staff if there is no wireless connectivity. In addition, the iPad should be handled with care as it is vulnerable to being dropped or hit. Also, restaurant managers and servers should keep their eyes on the devices since they can be stolen sometimes. Overall, the iPad POS system could be an innovative tool that may change the way restaurant businesses are now. However, restaurants should carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages before installing the new POS.

This article gives a good short look at the pros and cons of the Aloha POS system. The system is one of the most popular POS systems used in the industry. Aloha is currently used by small independent restaurants, local franchises, and national chains. The system is said to be a blend of many systems. NCR recently purchases Radiant Systems the developer of Aloha. The system includes both hardware and software. Some of the benefits of the system include the large number of training modules. Operationally the system has a "intelligent tracking system including on-screen dashboards that update in real-time to assist in management decisions in both FOH and BOH areas". In addition, the system can "personalized service by identifying repeat customers, remembering their preferences and keeping track of VIP guests". Back office features that are included with the system are labor assignments and work schedules. The systems also can keep track of maintenance, cleaning schedules, and daily duties. On the management side the system is said to provide "complete system control". Some critics of the system say the disadvantages are that the costs are too high and that restaurants pay for every upgrade. The quality of service depends on the quality of the local vender. Hardware may need to be changed with new upgrades is software adding to the high costs than expected by customers. After reading this article my feeling is that for an small independent restaurant the Aloha system might not seem like a good choice after considering the total cost of the system. Smaller, less complex systems seems like the way to go.

This article focuses on technology investments related to restaurants. It talks about decisions made and experiences shared by restaurant operators and executives that gathered together at the Hospitality Technology's 2016 Restaurant Executive Summit. They discussed the top technology investments for the following year, 2017. Analytics, loyalty programs, and mobile payment were the key focus area. I believe that all restaurant operators should adopt and implement the latest technologies or will fail behind the competition.

There is a new trend of diners opting to pre-order food through their mobile app and go themselves to pick up the food. This allows them to lower the cost by not having to pay delivery fee, and service charge. It also allows for the food to be more consistent and give them the flexibility to eat wherever the customer prefers either in the restaurant or out. About 20% of diners are using the pre-order option (32% millennials), however only 26% of establishments have the mobile POS technology but 59% of restaurants surveyed plan to add in the next year. About 18% of restaurants have technology allowing customers to order at the table, however 52% said they will add this in the next 2 years. Restaurants are starting to react to the trend from consumers where 53% of millennials mention that the restaurant they choose will base on the digital technology they have including online menu, read reviews, look at Instagram pics, and post their own.

This article mainly describes the use and benefits of intelligent technology in restaurants. For chain stores and fast-food restaurants, often pursue speed more than service experience. Therefore, it is profitable for enterprises to replace employees with technological equipment. Of course, this is not to say that restaurants pursuing high-end service experience do not need intelligent technology. As a mobile system, MPOS can effectively simplify the ordering process, increase the rotation speed of the dining table, while also saving guests' time and improving their dining experience. The intelligence of the restaurant table management system also simplifies the reservation process to a certain extent, helping restaurants and users to effectively deal with these complicated processes.

The focus of this article is to point out why restaurants are targets for cyber attacks, what information hackers are looking to obtain and to identify what steps can be taken to protect consumer information. Hackers target a restaurant's POS system for the large amount of bank data it may record as well as any online banking occuring in the restaurant. The personal information from employees as well as any app or website utilized by guests, is prone to cyber attacks. The most important solutions rely on conducting background checks on employees and making sure that they are trained on what to look for. Restaurants can also put practices in place that involve using unique employee numbers, keeping computers out of guests' view, and using vendors with a stellar reputation.

Consumers behaviors have changed due to Covid-19. They demand more sanitary practices on places. One of the things of the 'new normal' lifestile is e-menus. The Interactive Firm has launched MyMenusOnline which is a touchless digital restaurant menu. With MyMenusOnline consumers simply scan with their phones a QR Code to view the restaurant's menu. Besides the digital menu presented by the professor in the discussion, this could be the future of menus in restaurants.

The GoTab Restaurant POS is making waves in the industry that is coupling line level efficiency with increase guest satisfaction and preference catering to better assist guests throughout their dining experience. The new POS allows both guests and restaurant staff to add to a tab and reduces the overall time servers spend at a table being an order taker and thus frees up their time to allow them to better connect with guests on a personal level and fix issues in the moment that require more attention. The GoTab POS is going to be directly competing in an already saturated market filled with market leaders such as Square and Clover but I believe thier systems offer such a significant difference to the traditional POS system that they may be able to gain a competitive edge within the market.

This article reveal many statistics of restaurant online marketing. The study analyzed the perception of customers, restaurants employees, and restaurants operators, and drive four main findings. The first one is online marketing is crucial in building loyalty and also attract new customers. The second one is that among all the customized marketing messages is a very effective strategy. The third core finding is most of restaurants operators realize the importance of online marketing, and willing to utilize it. Finally, the study found consumers are very sensitive to social media and internet advertising. Online marketing completed changed restaurants business.

More and more restaurants are following the "green move" to make sure they are staying in the loop of an eco-friendly customer.

Nice article Diana. I also chose an article on restaurants going green. Customers really do like the idea of eating at a certified green restaurant because they care about the environment and want to help it stay healthy. There are some easy and quick fixes that restaurants can do to become green from using recycled paper products to making sure the turn any lights on when they are not needed to making sure there are no gaps in doors leading to and from coolers which would let the air leak out. I am glad that more restaurants are becoming green and from reading these articles since I work in a restaurant it makes me want to go to my bosses and see what we can do to help the environment in our restaurant.

Diana I agree with your statistic. From a business point of view it makes more sense to try to attract the customers who are eco-friendly, because people who are not necessarily concerned about the environment are not gonna turn down a restaurant because it is eco-friendy, but on the other hand a green person will turn down a restaurant if it does not meet environmental standards.

This article discusses the benefits of cloud computing and its impact on the restaurant sector of the hospitality industry. Technology and cloud computing is helpful to restauranteurs for many reasons. By utilizing the cloud, restaurants offer consumers the option to book reservations ahead of time. Not only is this an effortless experience for the customer, but management is better able to forecast nightly demands. Using technology and the cloud, restaurants can keep up with consumers' changing demand and optimize processes internally. There is also a great graph in this article that highlights more ways technology is transforming the restaurant industry.

Talks about different ways to prevent fraud in different areas of the restaurant.

This article mainly focused on ways restauranteurs can avoid theft. For employee theft, inventory management, complimentary control and a POS system that can track the whereabouts of the items are good ways to deal with it. For dine-and-dash, the restaurant will be safer if adding surveillance and using a single entrance. Also, using credit cards is a nice way. For credit card fraud, preferring to use a "smart card" technology will be a vital way.

With restaurants having to go dark to most of their customers, it has become essential to reinvent and find a way to connect through online events. Using newer technologies like Zoom, Tock, and other social media platforms, closed restaurants and bars can find a way to connect and engage their customers, and sometimes even find a profit in it. In this article, we follow the path of a wine bar owner who closed his doors early on. He then moved to zoom classes for his servers, and decided to tailor them to his consumers. Now, he offers virtual tasting experiences that are followed up with the options to buy those wines directly from his bar. He also has done classes for 25-35 that engage his consumers in a positive experience. I've seen this happen a lot lately with successful pivots in restaurants. Girl and The Goat did this with goatceries, where she has created multi-day groceries that are partially prepared that guests can pick up and then follow her online cooking class directions. I've also seen this with Christina Tosi as she has started online baking classes through Instagram. If restaurants can continue this through the pandemic, it might offer another new option for revenue in the future.

Yum Brands, which runs restaurants KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Habit Burger, is integrating technology-centric solutions across its four brands around the world, which could result in an acceleration of disruptive technologies on a large scale. This Digital Innovation Lab then adds information from thousands of Yum Brand restaurants into a cloud facility. The information includes closed-circuit tv from a restaurant's drive-thru and point-of-sale or drive-thru audio. Hundreds of startups then get access to the data to compare their technologies in the lab. They're able to use that information to create more automated services like artificial intelligence, computer vision and the Internet of Things. Yum's idea is by improving automation back of house, employees can focus more time on customer-facing tasks, resulting in more speed and accuracy.

This article describes a few of the pros of using unattended POS systems in restaurants. While many of them are things that I mentioned in my personal discussion post, I did not mention the ease of making menu updates, and I think that's a great point to mention.

The article from HashMicro mentions benefits on having E-Menu's in the restaurant and how it helps boost the hospitality industry because of its unique attraction.

Robotic fry cook, digital ordering kiosks, ghost kitchen, cloud based apps, restaurant delivery