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Pay-at-the-table apps are becoming increasingly popular among restaurants of all levels, from fast casual to fine dining

These apps started as a way for small businesses to streamline their payment processes and reduce technology overhead

And yet, many restaurants that have clung to the paper receipt model for years are moving this direction, as it saves the restaurant both time and money, increases profits and tips, and reduces waste. It also provides benefits to the customer, which makes pay-at-the-table even more appealing. 

The payment method can’t come to the POS – customers aren’t going to turn over their PIN or smartphone – so the POS has to come to the customer.

Higher table turns

Less waiting for customers, higher tips for servers

Paying with a Stratos may not be as seamless as holding your iPhone near the register and using Apple Pay. Apple's mobile payments service lets iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus owners use their smartphones and their fingerprints to charge purchases to their credit cards just by holding their iPhone near a terminal. And while technologists rejoice at Apple Pay's security, only 6 percent of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus owners used Apple Pay as of March, according to market researcher InfoScout.

ow so-called smart cards like Stratos, Coin, Plastc and Swyp have come on the scene. When coupled with a smartphone app, these devices -- which cost around $100 -- let users store and toggle among different payment cards on the fly. Cards are scanned in using a small card reader and managed with a smartphone app.

It would be awesome if every single merchant took Apple Pay," he said. But that's not the reality. "It's kind of crazy that we're in 2015 and we're still paying with cash and plastic, and we have a computer in our pocket." Until the computers in our pocket become the main way to pay, he has a Coin card.

Marketing Tailored to the Youth of America

According to ecommerce statistics from the Pew Research Center, millennials are projected to become the largest demographic in the United States by 2019, surpassing baby boomers. This also means that Millennials are on track to surpass Baby Boomers (as well as Gen X) in terms of purchasing power.

In addition to PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other digital payment systems, this trend is making it faster and easier for consumers to make payments and for ecommerce organizations to process them. Blockchain and cryptocurrency are also on the rise, leading many businesses to consider expanding their payment options to accommodate consumer demand and provide a more secure transactional system.

A growing number of restaurant chains are turning to guest-facing technology to address such pressures. Casual-dining chains, such as Chili’s and Applebee’s, are rolling out the use of tabletop tablets for ordering and paying in their restaurants this year, for example. And BJ’s Restaurants Inc. revealed this week that guests will soon be able to order and pay using their own smart phones and other devices.

O’Cull estimates that a mid-scale casual-dining chain that produces $2.5 million in sales could save 100 to 200 basis points in labor costs, or roughly 1 percent to 2 percent, by offering technology that will allow guests to order and pay.

“We estimate that the restaurant could eliminate 30 percent to 40 percent of its total server hours and reduce labor costs by 100-200 basis points,” he wrote. “Obviously, the number of servers employed would fall, but the take-home pay of remaining servers would increase significantly.”

You’re probably already practicing basic online and mobile safety, but consider taking these credit card-specific measures as well: Know your merchant. When shopping online, look for sites with “https” in their web addresses (the “s” stands for “secured”) and the green lock icon; make sure the URL includes the correct company’s name, rather than a close-but-not-correct version; and, even on a secured site, share your information only if you know how it will be used. Type for each transaction. Never allow your credit card number to be stored on an online shopping site. Add a layer. Consider using an online payment system or mobile payment service like PayPal, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay or Android Pay to keep your credit card number out of the hands of merchants, so that if a merchant is hacked, it can’t leak your account number. Watch out for public Wi-Fi. Don’t shop or conduct financial transactions, including checking your accounts, using public Wi-Fi. Because it’s a public network, your information can easily be viewed by anyone.

High cancellation rate: According to a recent research by D-EDGE, over 23.5% of the bookings of independent hotels and 35% on-the-books revenue is cancelled before arrival.

Fraudulent Bookings: As the booking is not engaging the end user, some hotels may be the victim of unscrupulous visitors booking long-term stays (20 days or more) just to feed their Visa's demands for example

High cancellation rate: According to a recent research by D-EDGE, over 23.5% of the bookings of independent hotels and 35% on-the-books revenue is cancelled before arrival.

technological advances are changing the way we live our lives – and for the hospitality industry, the most dramatic developments are taking place thanks to the latest, highly sophisticated POS systems

Gain a competitive edge with speedy payment systems

Today's hospitality outlets are utilising new payment functionalities that remove the traditional, time-consuming ritual for customers of waiting for service staff to bring them the bill.

“Survey Reveals 68 Percent of Global Organizations Planning to Adopt Cloud Strategy” May 2011 Service management provider, XYZ Corporation, today reveals the results of a global survey showing more than half of IT professionals (51%) do not think their own internal service management software processes are mature enough to effectively manage cloud-based services.

more than half of IT professionals (51%) do not think their own internal service management software processes are mature enough to effectively manage cloud-based services.

One of the misconceptions of cloud hosting is that it’s hosted “in the sky and not in a data center,” which is not true. Cloud hosting resides in a single data center.

It’s been over 40 years since direct deposit was introduced, arguably the last major development in the payroll world. It’s amazing to think that, with the speed of technological innovation these days, you have to go so far back to find the most recent payroll innovation that had such a significant impact on both employees and employers.

technology has infiltrated the payroll landscape in recent years, innovating time reporting and flexibility in pay. Payroll is also being forced to adapt to a workforce comprised heavily of two types of employees: those who require immediate income, and millennials and Generation Z workers.

Paycards According to a 2017 FDIC national survey, 25.2% of U.S. households are “unbanked” or “underbanked.” Those who are “unbanked” do not have any traditional banking relationship (i.e., a checking or savings account), while those who are “underbanked” have a financial institution account but also obtain services from providers outside the banking system.

While convenience is still important, the pandemic has put a spotlight on how safe mobile payment is, both from a data security and a public health perspective. 

While still popular, cash is falling out of favor as more and more people use credit and debit for even small purchases under $10. And in today's pandemic where cash can be a vehicle for virus transmission, people are even more reluctant to use it. 

people who use mobile wallets make purchases at a rate 23% higher than those who pay with physical cash or card, and spend 2.4% more per transaction.  The reason is similar to why people spend more on credit cards than when they use cash — because the money doesn't feel real. 

Small accommodation providers have two options when it comes to distributing their online inventory. They can either do it via a global distribution system (GDS) or via a channel manager.

Option 1: Global distribution system (GDS)

GDS acts as a middle-man that connects your small hotel to a network of travel agency professionals, including corporate travel bookers. You connect to the GDS, giving you access to all of the travel agents your GDS is connected with. Those travel agents then sell your rooms to their customers (a mix of corporates and leisure travelers), and any bookings made are automatic.

“In addition to improving our customer experience, the Pay-at-the-Table solution provides a number of benefits for our business and employees, including increased efficiency and table turnover. With the Pay-at-the-Table solution, we’re also able to offer our customers curbside pickup, allowing them to receive their food and pay without needing to leave their car, which many of our customers take advantage of.”

Hotels, conference centers and other meeting venues are increasing group business with new technology, and it isn’t just a hotel app. To invest in the property’s overall capital, hoteliers are creating cool technology tools that market venues, increase group business and enhance the guest experience. Technology is just another way hotels are winning group business and marketing a hotel or conference center. What are some of these new hot tools for leisure and business travelers?

Investment in Hotel Technology Pays Off with Increased Group Revenue Tuesday, July 10, 2012 by Sarah Vining Hotels, conference centers and other meeting venues are increasing group business with new technology, and it isn’t just a hotel app. To invest in the property’s overall capital, hoteliers are creating cool technology tools that market venues, increase group business and enhance the guest experience. Technology is just another way hotels are winning group business and marketing a hotel or conference center. What are some of these new hot tools for leisure and business travelers? Virtual concierge service on guest room TVs At Hyatt Hotels with in-room HD TVs by Roomlinx Inc., guests are able make service requests, check email/weather, use the Business Center, print documents, and receive customized messages from meeting planners. Service requests like housekeeping and in-room dining are instantly sent through the system, improving the venue’s departmental efficiency. All of these virtual functions are hoped to appeal to new markets and drive group business. More efficient billing In the article, “Insert IACC blog post title URL” we learn that in 2012, meeting and group planners are prioritizing finance as very important during in their planning process (which made the top 10 list for the first time). Hotels making large investments in revenue management systems are taking advantage of new features that automate and process data to improve efficiency and increase revenue for properties. Virtual business centers Socialization through technology and food and beverage outlets is increasing revenue for TRYP by Wyndham in the NYC Times Square South property. Google TVs and access to Google Chrome laptops near the Gastro Bar in the hotel’s lobby offers guests an opportunity to enjoy a dining experience with the comfort of complimentary technology use. On-staff IT team When planners were surveyed, reliability was listed as a top concern of IT services in the white paper “What Do Planners and Trainers Really Want in Their Meeting Service?” All IACC-certified conference centers are required to have an on-site IT team to ensure technology functions properly. Now, the need for a knowledgeable IT team that really understands technology and can cater to individuals and group business is spreading to other hotel markets.   These impressive technology tools improve the guest experience and lead to a quick return on investment, especially in F&B. As we move beyond the discussion of required hotel Wi-Fi services, there will be a focus on technology amenities that provide the same comforts of home or the office. To increase group business, hoteliers are comfortable with this investment knowing there’s a return on investment with generated buzz/venue marketing and satisfied guests. Want to learn about other ways hotels are using technology to build relationships? Check out Enhancing Your Social Networking Site with a Social Concierge! to maximize social media and connect with guests, attendees and planners!

change how travelers pay for trips by letting them use installments for flights, hotels, and other purchases

new forms of payment could be revolutionary in the travel industry as unbundling has expanded options for leisure travel to people at all price points.

The marriage of travel and e-commerce means OTAs, airlines, and hotels have had to worry about interchange, processing fees, and increased fraud risk.

by focusing primarily on increasing their direct bookings

Today, hoteliers

GDS

In the distribution landscape, Global Distribution Systems (GDS) are just one of the many players involved in selling your rooms to a world of travelers.

What is a global distribution system (GDS)? In simple terms, a GDS acts as a middle-man that connects your small hotel to a network of travel agency professions.

You connect to the GDS, giving you access to all of the travel agents your GDS is connected with. Those travel agents then sell your rooms to their customers (a mix of corporates and leisure travelers), and any bookings made are automatic.

customers can pay using their mobile phones and other electronic devices, using apps like Apple Pay or Google Wallet.

Restaurants have had to rethink the way they do business, implementing tactics to reach customers off-premises, and create a pandemic-safe dining experience, all of which can be facilitated by advanced restaurant technology.

Digital systems allow for mobile and online ordering from anywhere. Customers can create an order, reserve a table and pay for the service from mobile apps and devices

Now, businesses don’t have to burden themselves by storing data in traditional in-house servers; rather, they can opt for a cloud service that would store their data in secured data centres.