Vist us at www.foodabletv.com “Having more options may not be as advantageous as once thought”

2 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Sociologists have concluded that having more options may not be as advantageous as once thought. We can apply this thought to restaurant technology. In an endless sea of mobile apps, POS systems, guest-facing technologies, hardware, back-office software, and the list goes on, it’s seemingly impossible for restaurant operators to stay afloat.

Foodable Labs has determined a solution for navigating these gnarly waters, using expert insight and guidance to narrow down the lot. The outcome: the first annual Technology Guide for restaurant executives and decision-makers.

Our hope is that this guide will be your trusted, go-to resource for technology or, at the very least, provide enough information to help you make better decisions for your business. In the first-ever Foodable Technology Guide, we lay out the selection process, scoring system, and invaluable trends that (in our opinion) some of the best ahead-of-the- curve executives and brands are planning to implement in the near future. We also hone in on the top-scoring technology companies and products, and delve deep into the effects that each of our six selected categories — from guest-facing technologies to back-office software — have had, and continue to have, on today’s industry, and where we see it going based on expert insights and data. Tying everything together is the rise and importance of Big Data. Pulling some of the juiciest bits out of a few Foodable Labs reports, this Guide will also showcase specific trends surrounding the foodservice industry, from fast-casual pizza to spirits to overall top brands in consumer sentiment. All Foodable Labs data comes from our sister company, DigitalCoCo’s proprietary Restaurant Social Media Index (RSMI), pulling unstructured data from U.S. consumers who dine out quite a bit, across 17 social media platforms.

JESSICA BRYANT managing editor

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 3 HOW WE GOT HERE

The Process

We enlisted a savvy group of restaurant operators and consultants to join the first-ever Foodable Technology Advisory Board. We gleaned their insight on upcoming trends to watch for, which are laid out throughout this Guide, and asked them to score roughly 60 different products — some of which they’ve personally used or heard about, and others they did extensive research on. Points were manually established on an individual level in nine THE RSMI HAS BEEN THE different components for each product: integration, design, ease of use, mobile/social, ease of deployment, emerging standards, DRIVING FORCE BEHIND price point, killer app, and overall innovation. Foodable Labs then BIG DATA ON SOCIAL pulled unstructured data from the RSMI to determine Operator MEDIA SINCE 2009 Sentiment, as well as Overall Sentiment, and averaged all 11 columns to yield a Total Score for each product considered (a total of 180 tech companies submitted, which we narrowed down, based on sentiment scores, to just over 60).

The Scoring System

Points were based on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the highest possible score. To prevent negative scores stemming from not enough information, we used 5.0 as a neutral score, as to not sway the final score positively or negatively. Partial points were accepted.

4 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide THE The nine manual and two automated metrics we used to score METRICS each product are defined below.

INTEGRATION DESIGN EASE OF USE MOBILE/SOCIAL Product has the ability Innovative design and Product is easy to use Product has mobile to integrate with current innovation for both operator and and/or social features systems needed to guest that are up to modern maintain a modern standards restaurant operation

EASE OF EMERGING PRICE POINT INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS Product is affordable and Product represents Product is easy to deploy Product is updated to justifies price innovation in its for both small and large current and emerging category operators standards

KILLER APP SOCIAL OPERATOR Product has one feature SENTIMENT SENTIMENT that sets it above others This is an automated This is an automated in it’s category score from the RSMI score from the RSMI

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 5 MEET THE We’d like to extend tremendous gratitude to our 2015 Foodable ADVISORY Technology Guide Advisory Board, as this hefty project wouldn’t be possible without their active participation. Thank you all. This year’s BOARD Advisory Board includes:

GEOFF PAUL BARRON WILLIAM JESSICA ANDY ALEXANDER BENDER BRYANT DUDDLESTON CEO & Executive Vice President, Producer, Foodable Founder, W.H. Bender Managing Editor, Managing Partner, The Lettuce Entertain You Network & Associates Foodable Network Little Beet Enterprises

LINDA DUKE ROB JAKOBY JEREMY PETER NOLAN ERIC NORMAN MORGAN CEO, Duke Marketing VP of Technology, Chief Brand Officer, Vice President, MVP Firehouse Subs CEO, Tava Indian ROTI Modern Services Group; Gen2 Mediterranean Design

ANTHONY SAM ANNA TAUZIN PIGLIACAMPO STANOVICH Sr. Marketing Manager Founder, Modmarket Director of Product of Innovation & Partner Development & Entrepreneurial Services, Industry Relations, National National Restaurant Restaurant Association Association

Members of the 2015 Foodable Technology Advisory Board were selected based on their unique aspect of operations, technology, and New Age restaurant management practices. It’s people like this who aredriving — and will continue to drive — the future of the restaurant industry forward.

6 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide WHAT’S TRENDING

Understanding where an industry is headed and staying ahead of the curve is a vital part of business success. There are several ways to track and forecast existing and future trends, most of which Foodable Labs does through unstructured data. But it’s also important to glean the insights of industry veterans, those who know the restaurant industry ropes and have learned how to stay swinging despite new competition, shifting technologies, and a fast-paced market. So we asked each member of the Tech Advisory Board what tech trend(s) they see on the horizon that they’re preparing for.

“More than a decade ago, I coined mobile and accessible in easy-to- allows customers to order from the phrase, ‘Restaurant technology scale formats and less overhead. restaurants from their computers is yesterday’s technology For long-standing, large operations, and mobile devices, to be delivered tomorrow,’” says Rob Jakoby, VP however, it’s more difficult to to the location of their choosing,” of Technology at Firehouse Subs. update tech knowing that, clunky as says Jeremy Morgan, CEO at Tava “However, over the last couple of your POS may be, it still works. Even Indian. “Historically, there have years, we caught up to yesterday’s so, it’s important to be aware of been several restaurant chains that technology today. Therefore, we tech evolution as it revolves around have succeeded by building their shouldn’t be talking about wi-fi, the restaurant industry to keep in entire operating platform around PCI or internal networks. They’re the know and even to inspire you this model — the largest pizza important aspects, but should for how your concept might look in companies and some sandwich already be in place. We need to the not-so-distant future. QSRs pioneered delivery for the concentrate on growing the brand by using data from all available The trends provided below pay sources in which today’s tools homage to the fact that times are can be used to tell an actionable changing, especially in the fast- story that is easily understood casual arena, a space where the and converted into actionable ability to adapt is more fruitful. responses. I look forward to the day when we’re using tomorrow’s Recently, on-demand delivery has technology today.” become all the rage, and some operators are holding on tight, And there you have it: the reality seeing it as more long-standing of the state of the foodservice than just a passing trend. industry when it comes to innovation. But things are looking “The largest tech trend is the up as technology becomes more food on-demand trend, which

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 7 Caviar, Sprig, UberEats, and Maple are all, in their own ways, raising the bar on food delivery. Now customers in many cities can order really good food at a decent price in just a couple of clicks. This significantly alters the competitive landscape for all restaurants. At Roti, we are updating our POS system to a system that excels at mobile ordering integration, exploring all third-party delivery options, and looking at expanding our own in- house delivery program.”

“We believe there is a huge opportunity to leverage industry. But what is different about this trend is that it mobile tech to facilitate is enabling large-scale delivery platforms for restaurant easier takeout solutions for companies that wouldn’t traditionally deliver. Taking the logistics of managing a delivery fleet is a huge enabler. our guests” However, restaurants will need to find new, innovative ways to integrate IT into their restaurants to allow for On the other side of the delivery coin is, of course, receiving orders, accepting (and reconciling) payments, pickup. With curbside pickup being introduced to and appropriately executing delivery orders across the mainstream years ago by restaurant brands like several vendors. At Tava, we’re preparing for this by Applebee’s and Chili’s, making it more convenient to creating a single point of contact for all delivery orders, pick up to-go orders, Anthony Pigliacampo, Founder at regardless of who places it (e.g., Postmates, Eat24, etc.), Modern Market, hopes to make the service even more and developing our operating platform to accommodate convenient with GPS-enabled curbside pickup. the additional business that will come from outside the four walls.“ “We believe there is a huge opportunity to leverage mobile tech to facilitate easier takeout solutions for Fast casual Roti is taking things one step further. our guests,” says Pigliacampo. “Being able to see where a guest is and bring food to them the second they “The tech trend that we see growing very fast is the pull up would be amazing. We have already begun confluence, and integration of, two trends: mobile laying the groundwork for this by getting our kitchen ordering and delivery. Younger consumers’ (Millennials display system and POS into the cloud and building the and Gen Z) preferred way to conduct commerce is via infrastructure into our new mobile ordering system to their phone. Mobile app interfaces are becoming easier capture customer GPS data with us if they want to share and more intuitive everyday. So mobile ordering has it. It will take a year or two to fully build out, but it is grown by leaps and bounds, and will continue to do so,” coming.” says Peter Nolan, Chief Brand Officer at ROTI. And speaking of convenience via mobile, consider the “Food delivery continues to move well beyond pizza and guest experience from a larger picture. With society the local Chinese place. Third-party aggregators like being glued to their phones so much, Geoff Alexander, GrubHub/Seamless showed customers that they can VP at Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, sees room for pick from a huge variety of restaurants and, within a opportunity — starting with the guest and expanding to few clicks, order their food. Companies like Postmates, the operator.

8 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide “There are two different pieces remote monitored, and utilizes time and temperatures, and the list of tech that I am excited to see full touchscreen capabilities for goes on and on. The same system enter the restaurant space,” says operation. While all of this tech also allows the operator to control Alexander. “The first is ‘pay at the does have many benefits for both certain aspects of the operation table’ for full-service dining — the owner and operators, it does remotely which, in turn, may be a credit card processing tableside come with some unique challenges. cost savings to the bottom line. For as opposed to a server walking Installation, training, programming, instance, the HVAC can be adjusted away with the guest’s credit card. cleaning and preventative from a remote location and would And second is wireless charging of maintenance are all areas that lock out the ability of employees phones and PDAs. I think this will must be carefully orchestrated to tamper with the system in the change the platform of fast-casual to ensure that the technology is building. There are also third-party dining, both from the operations improving the operation and not monitoring facilities that will actually standpoint — imagine no more hindering the ability to achieve the monitor and track utility usage in a outlets for POS systems — to the end result.” property and can report anomalies guest, who will come in for longer or alarms back to the owner, saving periods of time to charge and eat and drink more often.”

Eric Norman, VP at MVP Services Group and Gen2 Design, looks to the future with a foodservice design consultant’s mentality.

“As a foodservice design consultant, the one major tech trend we must always be prepared for is the continued integration of technology as a whole in the commercial kitchen environment,” says Norman. “Over the last five years, we have seen the industry With all things considered, what is time, money, and a lot of headache. make leaps and bounds as to Norman’s top trend right now for The cost savings can be substantial the development and production the future of commercial kitchens? as well. It has been shown that of equipment that is smarter, when remote monitoring has been more connected and more “My favorite trend that I see implemented, a cost savings of technologically advanced than ever becoming more prevalent is the up to 25 percent on utility usage before. Whether it be espresso ability to install remote monitoring can be obtained. As commercial machines, walk-in cooler/freezers, systems and software in the kitchen technology continues to combi-ovens, fryers, etc., the commercial kitchen environment,” grow and evolve, consultants, commercial kitchen environment he says. “These systems allow an owners, operators, managers, and is rapidly changing and more operator the ability to monitor an employees all need to be aware of tech is involved at every corner. establishment from top to bottom, the changes forthcoming. It is up We are now seeing equipment including HVAC, lighting, signage, to the individuals to make these that has Internet connectivity, walk-in cooler/freezer temps, gas, changes a positive or negative is fully programmable, can be water, power, door alarms, oven experience.”

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 9 “We’ve accepted a need for simplicity, and now the means to accomplish that are finally at scale for our industry”

Paul Barron, CEO/Founder, Foodable Network

10 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 6 FOODSERVICE TECHNOLOGY PREDICTIONS FOR 2020

Below, Foodable Founder/CEO Paul Barron weighs in on his predictions for the future of foodservice:

I have been an active part in the or scrappy, but they possess a integrated payment solution. transformation of the foodservice powerful passion and dream, Although it made for a great technology sector since my start ultimately moving them to make headline, the fact is that Walmart at Microsoft in 1990, and at the something really cool and to leave a Pay is all about lowering transaction same time, I have observed and mark on society — good or bad. fees, and this could begin heavy studied each new development. reconsideration of transaction fees But while changes were happening Technology and foodservice all around us, one thing has always seemed to be on totally opposite been a constant, present truth: trajectories over the past couple of Restaurant operators were slow to decades, but they finally intersected uptake on technology adoption and when killer mobile and social apps deployment. emerged, completely changing the game and causing the operator Well, all of that has changed in the community to discover their inner- last five years. Why? We’ve accepted techie. Not only do they embrace a need for simplicity, and now the use of technology, they now the means to accomplish that are crave it and even anticipate the finally at scale for our industry. evolution of technology as it solves more and more challenges More than 200 foodservice every day. from credit card companies and startups arise each year. The even force a revolution of payment growth of these companies are startups. no longer coming from archaic 1. Payment Revolution industry standards, but instead With Walmart stepping out of the from startups that mirror most Walmart announced this week it MCX and Current-C alliance and of the operators they serve. They would essentially take on Apple deciding to pay only a fraction of may be underestimated as small Pay and Android Pay with a new the cost for debit card use, it’s clear

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 11 transaction fees are no joke. There are several other companies that are following the same route of either skipping these transactions or creating platforms to eventually replace them.

The revolution of mobile and payment will take hold significantly in the next five years, but it will take a slew of major retailers like Walmart and the already-successful Starbucks to restructure the entire ecosystem.

My prediction: With software and app development dropping like a rock in cost, we could see smaller to mid-size restaurant chains take a whole new approach to the brands both on and off-site. This retail side of food, as well as payment problem. Companies like means that the service model of operations. Hiring, education, Square and Stripe, both of which today will no longer exist in 10 marketing, training, and most not only have access to cash, but years. operational expertise will be also the ability to innovate at light affected for years to come. The speed, will be the ones to watch in My prediction: Geo-location will first ones through the wall will get this space. shift the process of food delivery bruised and take a few hits, but and online ordering, so much so they will set the stage for some that we will see a shift in the actual amazing changes in foodservice. 2. Artificial restaurant footprints that deal Intelligence and the with less and less in-store traffic. I know the dystopian future I Service Model Foodable Labs shows that online speak of, where service becomes and order pickup are increasing at a backstage actor, sounds scary, The idea of artificial intelligence (AI) a rate of 34.2 percent, greater than but if you can see an industry that having a place in the restaurant dine-in over the past 18 months. needs disruption tomorrow, you industry may seem far-fetched, but In the not-so-distant future, your can bet someone is working on it rest assured, as technology and order could come from a new today. You can ask Travis Kalanick sensors alter the entire restaurant facility, one that is hidden in a non- at Uber. He thought Uber was just model, a big change is coming for retail location and wired through a billion-dollar company, but now operators. your smartphone for delivery with it’s worth $60 billion to $70 billion electric, self-driving cars — or even in 2015 with even more plans for Labor will be affected as more drones! growth and vertical separation. This and more automation through AI kind of service is leading innovation, and customer ID, gained through Sensors and more intelligent hands down. smartphones and beacons, change devices, including our own how consumers interface with smartphones, will influence the

12 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 3. The Hyper-Connected Food dollar companies in the next three years, and food and World foodservice technology are at the forefront.

Three billion people are connected today. In the next My prediction: The speed to market is moving so 10 years, and with the expected global population quickly that if you double the amount of connected growth, that number will rise to 8 billion. We will see an humans and their ideas, we will see an innovation spurt explosion of food research and ideas at a great quantity that will move us into a newly accelerated expansion and quality, promising another shift of food evolution in phase of foodservice technology. Add in a little AI, and our lifetime. you get a future that is pretty scary and amazing all at the same time. What this means is food sourcing, education, innovation, and technology that drive the entire ecosystem are now in flux, in a place where the global community 4. Internet of Everything will demand and implement a shift that will eventually displace everything we know today. Well, it’s here. Sensors, mobile, social, web, autonomous everything, and it’s only beginning in 2015. The future restaurant will create a new platform of food, off- site services, and downtime production facilities that completely reinvent the foodservice model. Experiences will be what we seek out as consumers in 10 years. Food will be so good, so fast, and so available that the idea of selecting a restaurant because of food, as opposed to experience, will be unheard of.

My prediction: The first big prediction is that the on-demand delivery companies will not scale and eventually fail — unless they take a primary logistics track like Uber. The shift of food at home will sway back to the home and office, resulting in a considerable Companies like FOOD-X, an accelerator for industry number of smaller chains and underperforming disruptors and companies designed to displace the locations for national concepts being transplanted. food system, will continue to grow and propagate more However, that being said, I predict we will see more and more. Hampton Creek Foods, Bitty Foods, and restaurants create delivery and pickup models in favor other alternative food companies that are using science of food safety and brand consistency. and technology to change the hospitality landscape will accelerate at a speed we have never witnessed before. 5. Dynamic Pricing and Hospitality According to the brands on Forbes’ Global 2000, which Departed altogether account for $162 trillion in revenue across 60 countries, the basis of the model is this: you can I think we may have taken a huge step back in the core see the opportunity for growth and innovation with belief of what hospitality means. I realize the business new startups. Now, connect the dots of more than 30 case of modifying to today’s challenges, but I also feel different billion-dollar companies that did not exist like hospitality is one of the last bastions of good. The 10 years ago and extrapolate this base on current no-tipping revolution, if we call it that, is upon us in the innovation growth. We could see 100 new billion- upscale sector of foodservice. Though the fast-casual

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 13 space created demand for such increase service to get the guest? and tablet POS wonderkids. pressures — pushing the envelope Well... we would have a completely in chef-driven concepts and higher different kind of Uber. Technology is an ever-changing quality without the need for tipping beast, one that compounds — I can’t help but think that no 6. The Mobile Phone upon itself with the same speed tipping could be a challenge to the Becomes the Personal of Moore’s Law in regards to core of our hospitality roots. POS processing power. We are innovating so fast that the All that being said, dynamic pricing The mobile device has clearly taken evolution of our industry is ripe for by upstarts could be the next over as the always-on, instant- disruption, and in this trillion-dollar tipping point we see wavering to info source for consumers today sector, the opportunity to reshift the non-hospitality trends that are — at least the ones who dine the nation and its 320 million upon us. Though some reservation out often. With the evolution in consumers is very enticing to these apps have abandoned the surge sensor technology and innovation new and innovative startups. pricing idea, other companies in app development, the idea of a are chomping at the bit to figure personal POS is not too far away. Cost and connections used to be this out. If Uber can do it, surely Almost every shopper already uses the barrier to entry 20 years ago. restaurants can attach surge a smartphone as a price checker Today, technology and software pricing to Friday and Saturday night to compare the information of are what determine entry into and get an extra 20 percent for competitive products. Retail foodservice technology, but where that hard-to-get reservation. Oh, is being hit with these mobile will we be in five years? Software but wait, why can’t every category assistants. outsourcing and the overage of attach dynamic pricing to slower talent in this space will create a times in the day or increase pricing Imagine a future where we can new roadmap to software creation, in your lunch hour? Maybe now enter a lifestyle center for lunch all driven from ideas that only you see this slippery slope we’re and have sensory notifications a few people could visualize in on, as this attacks the core of what that pop up on our devices to give the past. The playing field for the restaurant business is built on. us meal bidding options based operators, chefs, mixologists, food It’s not like the grimy, corrupt taxi on calories, nutrition, ingredients, entrepreneurs, and even crew-level business that was just asking for or cuisine type. It’s quite possible team members will be restructured, disruption. for us to choose lunch and pay and technology will become the before ever entering the location, enabler that will shift our industry My prediction: Dynamic pricing will using an entirely different service once again. fail and it will be fended off by the model from the establishment. The chefs and true hospitality brands missing link? The POS. that want to protect the very nature of the word “restaurant,” to restore. My prediction: We will see a new But the real challenge is the data and emerging crop of personal POS around dynamic pricing and the companies, ones that integrate on ultra competitive world of the all levels of payment, nutrition, and restaurant industry. Choice alone ingredients. This movement, which will be a barrier for this concept to may ultimately displace the service ever gain ground. Imagine if Uber staff level, could be led by industry had 20 competitors, all of which stalwarts like Oracle, Microsoft, and were willing to lower pricing and even Apple, along with other iPad

14 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide “Add big data to mobile geo-data and you now have the next frontier of foodservice connectivity to the guest”

Paul Barron, CEO/Founder, Foodable Network

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 15 BREAKING DOWN BIG DATA

Merriam-Webster defines “technology” as “the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry.” And we are all well aware now — at least, we should be — that the connection between technology and big data continues to provide even more in-depth, far-reaching insight about consumer trends and habits, and where a business’s strengths and weaknesses lie.

“I continue to see brands leveraging big data, and I think we are close to a breakthrough in closing the loop in ROI of how it can be the key to restaurant profits,” says Paul Barron, Founder and CEO at Foodable WebTV Network. “Add big data to mobile geo-data and you now have the next frontier of foodservice connectivity to the guest. Though we all thought social would be the killer app, social “Beyond trend and is simply the messenger of the data — the information that brands sentiment tracking, are really seeking to determine next steps in marketing, menu, location selection, guest trends and, most of all, the dynamics unstructured data, of guest loyalty and frequency. We are in super exciting times when pulled and for restaurants that embrace what mobile, social, and big data technologies have delivered to us. It’s only going to get better and analyzed correctly, more advanced. The next big need: Data analysts or companies can boost brand that can provide the deciphering skills that deliver results to the value by better brands and operators of the future.” understanding the Big data has become the New Age roadmap for decision-making, competition.” not only to better position a business, but also to increase profitability. As consumers become more educated, the demand for better quality and an overall better dining experience will continue to heighten. But knowing you should be implementing big data practices and actually doing it are completely separate, so how do you sort through the muck?

With large data sets, how do you make sense of trends and associations in an efficient way? Which food companies, specifically restaurants, are leveraging big data to make better choices for their brand? And how do you convert these analytical findings to sales?

16 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide STRUCTURED VS. UNSTRUCTURED Gathering information from Q2 and Q3 RSMI data, here are some of the top trending lists of 2015. Additional information can be DATA found in each topic’s respective Foodable Labs Report here.

First, there must be an Unlike structured data, consumers and service sentiment over time understanding of the two main are not approached for their in regards to ROI and future types of big data and what opinion. Rather, it’s picked up if sales performance? differentiates them. Structured they’re voicing their unprovoked •• What topics are consumers data has been around for decades sentiment on whatever angle talking about most in relation and is essentially data that is is being analyzed. To better to the foodservice industry or compiled from controlled mediums understand this, examples of in general? (Soda bans? Pork? like surveys, questionnaire forms, topics that could be targeted Politics? Sports?) what have you. Factors ranging are listed below, pulled from “Is from your subject set to timeline Your Restaurant Using Outdated All of these findings are available to are somewhat within your control. Intelligence Technology?” you with the right resources.

Unstructured data, on the other Beyond trend and sentiment hand, is a more modern practice Sample Data Sets tracking, unstructured data, when thanks to technology, and occurs pulled and analyzed correctly, when data is extracted from •• How many conversations are can boost brand value by better uncontrolled sources. occurring on social about craft understanding the competition. In beer relative to “big beer” brands fact, you may not even realize who In the case of DigitalCoCo’s or other spirits or beverages? your competition is. proprietary Restaurant Social Which breweries do Millennial Media Index (RSMI), from which influencers show the highest How are your competitors Foodable Labs pulls its research, sentiment for? What flavor performing in comparison? How unstructured data is tracked and trends or beer types percolate does your competitors’ service, gathered from 17 social media and through the noise? brand, and food sentiment stack open-source “listening” platforms, •• When consumers talk about up against yours? And what type of honing in on only influencers who seafood, where and what types ROI are you yielding through your regularly dine out. Through a of seafood do they gravitate marketing strategies/campaigns? myriad of moving parts, the RSMI toward? What seafood brands What about your competitors? sources consumer habits, brand resonate with consumers? How sentiment, brand-to-consumer does fish compare to other NewBrandAnalytics, acquired by engagement, and more, simply by proteins? Sprinklr, and Nuvi are two services, tracking what people are organically •• What are consumers saying aside from the RSMI, that are talking about on social media — as about brand XYZ? What also capturing unstructured data a status update, in discussion with predictions can be accurately through predictive analytics and a friend, or while directly engaging gathered based on consumer social intelligence. with a brand. sentiment of that brand’s food

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 17 2015 TOP FOODSERVICE INSIGHTS

Gathering information from Q2 and Q3 RSMI data, here are some of the top trending lists of 2015. Additional information can be found in each topic’s respective Foodable Labs Report here.

Top 3 Beverage Brands on Social score of 128.76. A product that has infiltrated heavily Media into rap and hip-hop culture, the cognac brand is also bringing a new dimension to consumer interactivity. As seen in our Beverage Social Media Index Q2 2015 Hennessy Academy offers free masterclasses to report, two of the top three spirits, based on social educate consumers and operators on a variety of consumer and operator sentiment and engagement, subjects relative to the brand, from heritage courses were dark liquors. This is an interesting fact considering to mixology. The best part? “Students” who graduate white spirits are beginning to resurge in Q3. the course have the chance to win exclusive prizes, including dinner with Maurice Hennessy himself. The Top 100 spirits brands connect with more than 22.4 million Millennials each month. And to understand the The third is the only champagne brand that made the importance of this ranking, consider how difficult it has short list. Veuve Clicquot embarked on a mobile tour become for brands to reach consumers on social. over the summer, a social-media-driven campaign (#ClicquotMail). Consumer engagement proved to be Coming in at No. 1, with wildly popular on Instagram, which announced the a sentiment-engagement tour’s next location along with short videos and high- score of 129.88 is quality photos to tie in. Through this social and in- Jameson Irish Whiskey, person conversion loop, the brand was able to create a brand that’s tapping into hyper-local awareness. what New Age consumers want by having an active presence on social media and incorporating video and storytelling into their marketing. Top Millennial Trends 2015 Jameson even produces its own WebTV show, called “Drinking Buddies,” reinforcing that brands must evolve Pulled for Foodable Labs’ Millennial Foodie Trends to better align with their targeted audience. 2015 report, we gathered — based on this year’s data so far — that 51.2 million Millennials visit restaurants At No. 2 is Hennessy with a sentiment-engagement an average of 4.9 times per month and 37.4 million

18 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide to introduce something new, like Social Score of 331.43, sits at No. 2. ethnic fast casuals. And the “local” The brand has a heavy Instagram and “healthy” trends are still going presence and includes video strong — 67 percent of Millennials clips from Piada’s Test Kitchen, prefer local restaurants over major allowing diners an intimate, behind- brands when available, and more the-scenes view of the brand in than half of them prefer alternative action. Pair that with high-quality beverages to major carbonated ingredients and a Chipotle-style soda brands. format and you’ve got yourself a Millennial dream.

Top 3 Fast-Casual Millennials visit a fast-casual Pizza Concepts on restaurant an average of 5.1 times Social Media per month. Fast-casual pizza is booming and continues to heat up. What was “48 percent of once perceived as taking the Millennials — both “easy way out,” customization has become king in fast casual, and male and female pizza concepts are able to take full — will try new advantage with a plethora of both traditional and unique toppings Coming in on top at No. 1 is Pitfire foods at least and crust types. The Top 3, as Pizza, a “modern American pizza once per month” seen in Foodable Labs’ Top Social parlor” in LA. The artisan pizza joint, Pizza Concepts Q2 2015 report, is with locations spread throughout based on influence, engagement, different neighborhoods, This year alone, 12.2 million female sentiment, location-based actions, customizes its decor and setup Millennials (of 12.2 million tracked) and mobile, and includes only the based on each unit’s location. Its have increased restaurant visits per fast-casual segment. Manhattan Beach and Newport month — an average of 3.8 times Beach locations, for example, offer per month for fast-casual visits, 1.2 Coming in at No. 3 with a Social a skater/surfer vibe, whereas the times per month for casual dining, Score of 339.64 is Seattle-based Venice location has a more rustic, 1.1 times per month for fast food, MOD pizza, the brainchild of a architectural feel to vibe with the and .04 times per month for fine pizza-loving couple who decided to neighborhood’s artsy community. dining. Compared to males, females take a big risk during the economic Pitfire uses modern baking and of this demographic have higher downturn. Their model includes cooking techniques with locally average sentiment about dining unlimited toppings at no extra sourced ingredients, and its multi- out: 87.45 versus 67.12. cost with each pie priced at the grain dough, made with natural lowest possible point, while paying leavening, ferments for two days When it comes to culinary trends, their team — known as the “MOD before it hits the oven. This nixes 48 percent of Millennials — both Squad” — the highest possible pay any floppy texture so the pizza can male and female — will try new per hour. be eaten properly, according to foods at least once per month. This Pitfire Pizza founder Paul Hibler — bodes well for concepts looking Piada Italian Street Food, with a with one hand and no utensils.

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 19 Top 3 National Brands: Q3 2015 chamomile and cardamom soda to its offerings. Whether it was public sentiment before or not, Panera In Foodable Labs’ quarterly rankings for the National has become a brand that questions and challenges the Top 25 Brands, large-scale brands are usually reflected, status quo, creating a higher level of competition. as opposed to our monthly Top 25 rankings in city-level markets. It’s common for the rankings to shift each Chick-fil-A is one of those quarter, proving that only the strong stay. From Q2 to brands people seem to Q3, the No. 1 brand stayed the same, but the No. 2 and either love or hate. After No. 3 positions, as well as many in the Top 10, changed. all, the chicken chain has been very vocal in the past about its conservative Coming in at No. 3 is Buffalo Wild beliefs, but clearly, there’s been more positive brand Wings. In Q3, Buffalo Wild Wings buzz in Q3 than not considering the restaurant’s No. added LTO items to the menu, 1 position with a Social Score of 453.98. This is the introducing them to those outside second quarter in a row that Chick-fil-A takes the top of the store through video on social spot. The brand kicked off Q3 with its 11th Annual Cow media. New LTO items included a Southeast Asian pork Appreciation Day, where customers could score free sandwich, spicy Cuban chicken sandwich, Greek chicken food on July 14th if they dressed up like a cow. This wrap, Moroccan fire wings, and Irish potato wedges. “competition” of sorts translated well on social media. Notice a trend there? Video definitely took over BWW’s Additionally, the brand has been positioning itself as social media strategy in Q3. Add to that the introduction more “lifestyle” than just “food.” Chick-fil-A’s microsite, of 2015 fantasy football season, in which the sports- a digital native content platform for the brand, houses centric brand provided interactive elements both pieces like leadership tips and outdoor entertaining tips. in-store and on social, helping generate fantasy team names and logos, and even a tangible draft kit, including a pocket schedule, bottle opener, coupons, “brag flag,” Top 3 Mobile Brands: Q3 2015 and draft board and player stickers. These all attributed to Buffalo Wild Wings’ No. 3 ranking, with a Social Score Take a look around you. of 446.11. Whether you’re clinging to a railing on the subway, Panera Bread takes No. 2 for Q3 tittering at your desk, or sitting at a restaurant with your with a Social Score of 450.55. Panera friends while waiting for your order to come sweeping in has taken off a handful of artificial (maybe even especially then), you’d be hard-pressed to ingredients on their menu (150 in total), find someone without a nose to a mobile device. including artificial coloring, flavors, preservatives and sweeteners. (Check Below, as laid out in Foodable Labs’ Social Insights: Issue out their food policy here.) Panera’s No. 3 report, are the Top 3 mobile brands pulled from Dan Kish, senior vice president of the RSMI’s Q3 data. food, has even gone so far as meeting with PepsiCo, asking them to remove high-fructose corn syrup from In the lead, with a Mobile Score of 90.12, is Dunkin’ its soda, he recently told the New York Times. Kish Donuts. Dunkin’ moved up one spot from Q2. At the said that, with or without PepsiCo on board, all Panera core of the app is DD’s rewards program. Users can restaurants will be taking high-fructose corn syrup off receive a free beverage of any size just for enrolling in the menu. In August, this “clean eating” policy extended the program. From there, guests must add a DD card to its beverage lineup, integrating select BluePrint to their account, which will then provide incentives to cold-pressed juices, coconut water, and Joia grapefruit receive more free beverages, points on every Dunkin’

20 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide in Q4 2013, the app has certainly gotten a lot smoother than it was in its earlier days. According to App Annie, tracking only iPhone data (not Android or other devices), Panera Bread ranked at No. 15 in the App Store in terms of most downloads for food and drink apps in the U.S. when Q3 first kicked off, and climbed its way up to the No. 8 rank by end of Q3. Panera automatically sets up a free MyPanera card for those who don’t already have one when signing up with the app. This also Noodles & Company ranks No. 3 triggers an offer for a free pastry, in the RSMI’s Top Mobile Brands of run, and members-only point available to redeem with your Q3 with a Mobile Score of 89.64, offers. But whether you enroll or free MyPanera card number. The just shy of tying with Panera Bread. not and/or sync up a DD card or bottom of the homepage displays What’s great about this application not, those who use the app are a user’s nearest Panera location, is its to-the-point simplicity. Overall privy to an upcoming LTO. When which can be clicked on to get cafe options are few — users can find we tested this, the coupon was details, like hours, address, phone locations, place orders for pickup, for a 99-cent muffin of any kind. number, and the option to place a give the company feedback (about Coupons expire, according to the Rapid Pick-Up order, meaning an the app, food, service, or other), fine print, 10 minutes after you order will be available for pickup and a “Social” option allows guests click “Redeem” on your mobile 10 minutes after checkout. Guests to easily follow the brand on or before the expiration date can also place an order for a later Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, listed. Like most other restaurant and also includes its native video apps, the DD application also content platform, Noodles TV. has a “Find” feature, showing all The latter allows app users to surrounding Dunkin’ locations. watch Noodles Cinema content What’s convenient is that users can inside the app. But here is the filter these by amenities, like those real kicker: As one of the most with a drive-thru, 24-hour service, challenging aspects of allowing locations where mobile payment is time. Additionally, the app includes orders to be placed via mobile, accepted, and those with wireless a menu with nutrition information, customization takes a front-row Internet access. Through the app, a store locator, a “My Favorites” seat in the Noodles app. This is a users can also pay for orders section where users can store system the brand seems to excel through their phone, purchase DD their favorite items, orders, and at, with options to add, remove, or gift cards, and view the menu and cafes, and “Past Orders,” which substitute ingredients from a menu full nutrition information. automatically pulls up your last item being available in a simple, placed pick-up order for easy easy-to-understand format. Panera Bread takes No. 2 with a reordering. Mobile Score of 89.65. Released

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 21 TOP TECHNOLOGY BY CATEGORY

Below, we break down each of the six categories we chose to focus on for this year’s Tech Guide: guest-facing technology, back-office software, online services - reservations, point-of-sale systems, digital displays, and mobile apps/social media. As you’ll see, each category includes an Editors’ Choice as well as the remaining products within that category that made the Top 25 products overall. Please note that of the Top 25 companies and products, there are two categories in which only one product or company made the cut. This is why you might only see the top-scoring product/company for those categories. It’s also important to note that, while all products and companies include an overview and benefits, only some of the products and companies also include a “cons” section. This was simply based on whether there was enough information online to determine that a product or company did, in fact, have recurring negative feedback. These “cons” are not verified by Foodable or any of its affiliates, and only include information available to the general public.

asked questions about their mobile usage twice a day 1 Guest-Facing Technology for one week, 75 percent of young smartphone users “indicated using their phone to watch videos at least America’s drug of choice comes in the form of a 6 oz., once over the study period, compared with 31 percent pocket-sized contraption filled with endless functions; a of those 50 and older.” It was also found that 64 percent black hole of opportunity. Glued to our screens, hiding of younger adults “used their phones at one time or behind a roughly 5” display (depending on model), we another to listen to music or podcasts — a 43-point have become mobile addicts, feeding our ego and time.

But we’re not here for an intervention; there’s a lot of positives when it comes to mobile usage — connecting people to each other as well as businesses, enhancing on-location experiences, and gaining knowledge through a bevy of information and media.

In fact, according to a Pew Research Center study centered around Mobile Usage in 2015, young smartphone owners increasingly use their devices to watch videos and listen to music. In “experience sampling” surveys, where smartphone owners were

22 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide restaurant joint or cocktail venue, this is your moment. (But please, be mindful of your surroundings when going for those high-notes after the third cocktail.)

In order to make this magic happen, diners must first download the Rockbot app. It’ll only sync if the restaurant you’re dining at has deployed the technology, which requires, according to the Rockbot website, minimal hardware and advanced enterprise software.

While restaurant operators could also see the benefits of the aforementioned perks, like social integration and customization, difference compared with the 21 Rockbot, an official sponsor of consider how a technology like percent of older users who did so.” Foodable’s premier Tech Guide this might affect length of in-store for Restaurants, is an ideal visits and branded awareness of What does this mean for representation of a modern- your restaurant to a user’s social restaurants? day guest-facing technology for networks. restaurants and retail. From a Guest-facing mobile integration consumer standpoint, strengths is key for an enhanced dining lie in its direct connection to social experience for younger generations media, customization components, such as Millennials and Gen Z. and giving guests a voice, allowing And since they’re the two largest them to make simple decisions generations to-date, eventual to enhance their personal dining increased buying power is not experience. far away, and marketing to these groups is instrumental for If you’re not yet familiar with sustainable success. Rockbot, it’s branded as “the social jukebox app,” where customers can request songs to According to Rockbot data, the play at a restaurant, bar, or other average number of check-ins per business. At participating locations, month per Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants currently using the location showed 50 check-ins product include Buffalo Wild Wings, through Foursquare, 42 check-ins Johnny Rockets, and even Burger via Facebook, and 350 check- King, among others. If you’ve ever ins from Rockbot. And, with no had dreams of being resident DJ restaurant specified, Rockbot data at your favorite local participating found that guests who engaged

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 23 with Rockbot stayed at a restaurant an average of over 27 minutes more than usual.

A broad category in and of itself, guest-facing technologies vary greatly, and range from ordering apps to digital menu boards to email marketing providers. But all have one thing in common as Millennial habits become mainstream, shifting and influencing business strategy and marketing decisions: All have integrated mobile into the user experience, allowing diners to make decisions of where they favorite song(s) when visiting a and restaurant trends as a whole want to dine on their own terms, restaurant location based on their will affect the overall restaurant possibly even before stepping into previous requests. experience in the near future. a restaurant. Check out the Q&A below to Considering this, technology- understand how the future of apps, For guest-facing technologies like based marketing will most personalization, and ordering might in-store music streaming, tableside likely become more seamlessly look: entertainment, and buzzers, all integrated into consumers’ daily of which are present only inside lives, where we’ll no longer have Foodable: How are guest-facing a restaurant’s four walls, its to seek out promotions, deals, or technologies impacting the purpose is to enhance the in-store specials. Restaurants and retail restaurant experience of today? experience through interaction and establishments will no longer cater involvement, which has the ability to just our proactive requests or Rockbot: Restaurant brands that to build consumer sentiment and decisions, but rather will give us embrace guest-facing technologies possibly brand loyalty. what we want, based on individual are delivering a more relevant habitual behavior, before we realize experience to customers and What’s the future of guest-facing we want it. significantly improving efficiency tech in restaurants? Beacons is from an operations standpoint. one guess. While a handful of Enabling the guest to easily order, restaurants and retailers are testing Q&A: Rockbot customize their experience, out this technology, gleaning and quickly pay for their meal data from nearby consumers’ Foodable sat down with Foodable not only offers the level of smartphones and applying it to Tech Guide sponsor Rockbot to convenience and personalization location-based marketing, some get firsthand insight on the impact that today’s consumers prefer, tech companies, like Rockbot, are that guest-facing technologies but it also reduces friction, cost, using this information to their are having, and will continue to and employee resources on the advantage. Rockbot Anthem, have, in restaurants. The Rockbot business side. the company’s newest product, team also provided us a look at automatically plays a customer’s how the rise of mobile, fast casual, Improving efficiency enables

24 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide brands to refocus their capital and guests with hyper-personalized Rockbot: Every guest that walks employees toward creating a better recommendations, rewards, into a restaurant has hundreds of guest experience, which will always promotions, and experiences that friends one tweet away. Word-of- be a top priority. Restaurants will increase revenue per customer mouth has always been part of the that do not invest in guest-facing in a measurable way. Furthermore, dining experience, but social media technologies will begin to lose personalization will deepen loyalty is magnifying it — making it more business, while consumers opt for between the guest and the brand, important than ever to provide a more convenient and customized increasing the number of visits per “share-worthy” experiences. Is the experience. customer. presentation or packaging of the food “Instagram-able?” Does the in- Foodable: With 82 percent store experience have an “x-factor” of millennials choosing fast worth sharing on Facebook? Are casual, will the tableside tech the loyalty rewards so fun that experience grow or shift to guests want to invite their friends? mobile? Brands that succeed in creating “share-worthy” experiences will do Rockbot: The tableside tech so by envisioning the customer experience will serve as a bridge journey from entrance to exit and between the restaurant era of “no create a series of “share-worthy” tech” and a new era of “personal experiences along the way. We tech.” In the short term, both will also see brands bringing the tabletop tablets and ordering social media experience inside the Foodable: Will mobile be the kiosks will remain effective in restaurant by displaying popular ultimate technology that leads casual dining and fast-casual social content on digital signage. restaurants to new profits? Why environments, respectively, as In doing so, brands will drive more or why not? each format will help to introduce traffic and followers to their social guest-facing technology behaviors channels and prompt in-store Rockbot: Mobile is currently to a broader range of customer guests to engage. the most effective guest- demographics. However, mobile facing technology at delivering and “wearable” technologies will Foodable: What two trends personalization, and only grow in adoption among do you see driving sales for personalization is opening the consumers, who already prefer to operators in the next 24 door to substantial new profits in use their smartphones in many months? (Does not have to be the industry. Using your phone to circumstances. Restaurant brands tech-oriented.) order your favorite latte for pickup that quickly adapt to emerging is a promising start — but in an mobile behaviors, as well as Rockbot: High-quality, trending ideal world, each guest may not incorporate passive technologies ingredients will continue to excite receive the same menu, loyalty such as Bluetooth beacons, will consumers. Today’s guests are rewards, entertainment, and offers attract more consumers, provide increasingly adventurous and as everyone else. We are more more personalized experiences, enjoy seeing their favorite new likely to spend when it’s personally and create more revenue discoveries on the menus at relevant, convenient, and properly opportunities. their favorite chains. On the timed. By combining customer technology side, most restaurants data and mobile, restaurant Foodable: How will social move still face a major opportunity to brands will be able to present guest experiences in the future? increase revenues via diversified

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 25 ordering. Brands like Panera are leading the way by offering consumers the ability to order in any format or circumstance: in the brand’s mobile app for “Rapid Pick-Up,” on services like GrubHub for delivery, on an in-store tablet kiosk for self-service, at the counter, or on mobile to have the food brought to your table. The brands that utilize technology to take more orders, and do not limit themselves to “dine-in” and “to-go” customers, will drive sales, attract new customers, and provide a more relevant experience for guests.

2015 Editors’ Choice

Editors’ Choice is the No. 1 leading product, based on final average scores provided by the Foodable Technology Advisory Board, in each of the six categories solution, PayPal Payments Pro, has a monthly cost of listed. These breakout products and/or companies $30, but includes more customizable options. Features reflect high scores and qualify as a benchmark in the for the Pro package include the ability to customize your space of the market that they each represent. online checkout experience, modify layout, color, and message, and works with most shopping carts.

OVERALL Benefits: PayPal provides two straightforward options SCORE

7.45 and integrates with your online and in-store dining experiences. Additional perks include the customization

DESIGN 8.41 element that the Pro solution provides to tailor the experience to your brand.

EASE OF USE 7.97 Cons: While there is no monthly fee, the Standard option takes guests off your site for the actual checkout MOBILE/SOCIAL 7.73 process, returning them after they’ve made the purchase. PayPal offers two solutions for businesses. The first, with no monthly fee, is PayPal Payments Standard. This allows businesses, like restaurants, to accept credit cards and PayPal transactions on their website. A specific example for the purpose of this Guide might be pre-ordering and pre-paying through a restaurant’s website before a customer picks it up or has it delivered. The Standard solution also allows for swiping cards in-store and on the go, and has the option to create and email invoices for fast payment. The other

26 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 2015 Top Guest-Facing Fishbowl offers three different Benefits: Fishbowl’s analytics Products types of analytics solutions. Guest platform uses industry-specific Analytics gives restaurants the owner algorithms to provide clients opportunity to get to know its with insights that can be acted

OVERALL guests by measuring and predicting on, and addresses a restaurant’s SCORE actual dining behavior and key business challenges to drive 6.85 preferences based on engagement predictable sales growth. The Guest activity. Fishbowl’s four pillars of Analytics product pulls member EASE OF USE 7.30 Total Menu Management (TMM) are data from member database sales and profit, traffic, executional sources and guest transaction links MOBILE/SOCIAL 6.96 complexity, and brand relevance. like email, loyalty, payment, Olo, TMM uses POS transactions catering, to-go orders, reservations, INTEGRATION 6.87 and financial reporting as data mobile pay, POS transactions, and sources, and can be used to survey data. EMERGING STANDARD 6.87 determine decisions about menu pricing, product development, LTO

OVERALL benchmarking, menu positioning, SCORE

Fishbowl provides solutions to and menu reduction. Media Mix 6.84 help restaurants leverage data and & Promotions Analytics uses POS optimize their marketing, strategy, transactions, financial reporting, DESIGN 7.09 and revenue management. and guest satisfaction data sources.

Fishbowl’s closed loop restaurant It identifies the ROI of coupon EASE OF USE 7.09 marketing SaaS platform can be distribution and determines the used in a range of capabilities. It effects of mixed media investments INTEGRATION 6.99 ingests data quickly from various in order for businesses to make sources, including email, SMS, every dollar spent more potent. EMERGING STANDARD 6.96 social, online ordering, loyalty programs, reservations, and more. Long Range Systems, LLC - Table Tracker is essentially a table location system. Using advanced RFID communication technology, the Table Tracker system identifies where guests are sitting so that food can be delivered to them faster. When a guest places an order, the cashier gives the guest a Table Tracker device and a timer is started for that order. This holds the kitchen accountable for speed of service, and the guest-facing device makes it easy for servers to match up an order with a table. On the back-end, staff can see when an order has taken longer than

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 27 for the restaurant market. It’s of purchase. It allows guests to a wi-fi enabled, 7-inch Android donate to their chosen charity, touchscreen with over 22 hours purchase restaurant branded of battery life. The tablet has an merchandise, and provide feedback optional built-in printer; multicolor all through the Ziosk device. LED to indicate orders, payments, Through a proprietary tool called and calls to a server; secure zSurvey™, guests can give real- payments; and an encrypted time feedback. Through another credit card reader. The tablet proprietary tool, zData™, Ziosk can resides on each table and enables give your restaurant daily, weekly, guests to see menu items, play and monthly reports on sales, games, view news, order food and server performance, and guest expected, and knows exactly which beverages, and pay on demand. satisfaction. table the guest is sitting at. The Guests also have the opportunity device, which is about the size of to enroll in e-club programs right Cons: Through online research, a CD case, is most popular in the from the their seat. (Ziosk reports some customers have complained fast-casual segment because of the that restaurants have seen a 300 about getting charged for using nature of the system. percent enrollment increase by the tablet’s entertainment features using Ziosk.) To increase restaurant without any notice that it will cost Benefits: The Table Tracker loyalty, there’s a zLoyalty feature them. device minimizes time wasted that enables guests to enroll, check- in finding which orders belong in, and earn and redeem rewards. OVERALL SCORE to which tables. It also holds Guests can access their Facebook, each touchpoint accountable for Twitter, or Instagram accounts and 6.47 timeliness through an easy-to- share their restaurant experience follow color-coded system. Analytics with photos taken from the INTEGRATION 6.67 allow operators to compare stores tablet’s built-in camera, increasing side by side. awareness for your restaurant. DESIGN 6.63

Benefits: The Ziosk Tablet gives KILLER APP 6.56 OVERALL SCORE guests complete control of their 6.53 dining experience, and creates an engaging experience at the point Rockbot is a “social jukebox” app DESIGN 6.86 that allows restaurant guests to be in control of in-store music EASE OF USE 6.71 curation. The system includes a guest-facing mobile app and, on the EMERGING STANDARD 6.71 operator side, deployment requires minimal hardware and advanced

MOBILE/SOCIAL 6.57 enterprise software. Rockbot integrates with tablet technologies, mobile apps, digital signage, POS, The Ziosk Tablet is the first loyalty, and more. When guests log entertainment, ordering, and pay- in to the app, they “check in” to the at-the-table tablet touchscreen restaurant location, where they can

28 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide then see the music that’s playing. play the songs you want. Also, for restaurants is its paging Guests can vote on songs in the on the consumer side, playlists systems. The GuestPass™ Pager playlist to determine what will play can be limited depending on the is the tangible alternative to the next. The Rockbot experience is operator’s taste and what has been Restaurant Wait List App, with social-focused, prompting users pre-selected. pagers featuring large advertising to share their activity with their space and multiple alerts. Aside social media networks. Rockbot’s from the standard beeping or OVERALL SCORE newest product, Rockbot Anthem, vibration alerts, GuestPass™ is a beacon-based technology that 6.26 includes customizable voice alerts automatically plays customers’ that tell you when you should favorite songs when they visit a EASE OF DEPLOYMENT 7.14 return to the host stand to be restaurant location. seated. JTECH’s IntelFlex™ Guest EASE OF USE 6.86 Paging System is the hardware that integrates the app options as well

DESIGN 6.43 as the pager device system, and more.

JTECH Communications offers Benefits: JTECH offers both mobile a restaurant waitlist app suite, options and devices to round out called Spinnaker™, which includes the guest experience. Through the company’s iPad waitlist app both, its aim is to minimize wasted and tools for table management, time so guests can get seated reservations, text marketing, faster and tables can turn quicker. guest loyalty, and guest feedback. Also, the system is able to weed out All components are run on the no-shows and make management same interface, nixing additional aware with just a few taps, so overhead for hardware if you things don’t go to waste or get decide to add an app after the disconnected. fact. JTECH’s Restaurant Wait List App allows hosts to track arrival OVERALL SCORE Benefits: Rockbot’s highly and wait times, prioritize parties by interactive nature keeps guests color coding, queue reservations On Cue 6.20 engaged, heightening their and call-aheads into the app, and experience at your restaurant, and track guest preferences. Another INTEGRATION 6.21 making them feel somewhat in JTECH branch that offers products control. Plus, with the easy social EASE OF USE 6.21 integrations, users are likely to share this experience with their EMERGING STANDARD 6.14 social networks. Additionally, restaurant operators have control PRICE POINT 6.14 over their pre-approved, custom music soundtrack. OVERALL INNOVATION 6.14

Cons: Users (consumers) complain KILLER APP 6.07 most about having to pay to

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 29 have had to rely on many of the same tools they have been using for years. Programs like Excel or Microsoft Word are still used to help managers and chefs from everything like menu costing, to scheduling, to inventory and labor costs. With restaurant managers spending over 50 hours a week at work, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it was only a matter of time before new technology was introduced to this group of people in an effort to make things more efficient. Enter the new breed of technology apps and software designed to help restaurant operators and managers garner a deeper understanding of their numbers and scheduling.

On Cue is Long Range Systems’ waitlist management While customers aren’t directly impacted by a more solution. The app-based system gives guests the option efficient back-office technology, like accounting or of being notified by either text message, classic coaster scheduling systems, the effects on the quality of the pager, or both when their table is ready. The back end work environment for employees and management is of the system features simple guest entry — name, obvious. It means operators can run their businesses phone number or pager number depending on their more efficiently with the help of these tools. For preferred method of being notified, quoted wait time, example, scheduling is often one of the biggest and optional guest notes and customizable preferences. headaches for restaurant managers, but with the help When a guest is added to the waitlist, it will send them of modern-day, back-office technologies, it takes less a confirmation text. All texts are customizable. On the time to complete and disseminate the information. back end, the host can see how long each party has Managers can keep track of day off requests and more been waiting and what their quoted wait time was. On from their phones or laptops, meaning they don’t have Cue features also include filters by party size, guest to schedule time to do scheduling in a back office. status indicators to make sure expectations are being Also, employees can access their own schedules and met, and table management tools. complete shift trades from their phones or computers. All of this equals more transparency for both workers Benefits: Offering guests two different options of being and owners and less time spent in the back office trying notified when their table is ready gives them control to complete a schedule. of the first step of their dining experience. Tailored text messages allow the brand an additional branded Loyalty programs, POS systems, and more are also touchpoint that is less generic than a standard message, being addressed by a new wave of technology systems and table management tools allow tables to turn faster designed to keep important financial information in one so guests can be sat faster. place. New systems that track sales, loyalty programs, and more are being developed for operations of all sizes — cafés, bars, QSRs, fast casuals, casual 2 Back Office restaurants, and fine dining brands to equip owners, operators, and managers with the information they When it comes to restaurant technology advancement, need to run a profitable business. No more tallying how there’s a key group of the restaurant food chain that has many dishes were sold in a particular category, now been left out. While diners have been bombarded with managers can analyze and compare information across technology intended to make their dining experiences weeks or months to make informed decisions about more enjoyable, people who work in restaurants menus, inventory, and food costs.

30 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide Where is all of this going? To try to get the answer, you communicate in-app to request days off, swap shifts may need to look at where guest-facing technology with a co-worker, and receive company-wide or direct is headed. Managers and owners, just like anyone messages from management. Other products include else, are glued to their phones so it’s a safe bet to say inventory, analytics, management, and back-office tools. that more back-office systems may move to mobile platforms to accommodate managers that are on Benefits: HotSchedules saves operators time when the go. Another guess is that systems will continue to managing schedules. HotSchedules Recruit expedites converge and become all-encompassing to offer more the hiring process by allowing existing employees to value to their users. One thing is for sure: less time chime in and make referrals based on who would fit in compiling information from back-office systems means company-culture-wise. HotSchedules Train, powered by more time spent with diners, creating a better dining Schoox, includes easy tracking for management and has experience. communication tools in case a new hire has questions about something or if you want to give them feedback.

Cons: Staff members must pay $2.99 for the HotSchedules app and, according to feedback 2015 Editors’ Choice online, the app seems to lag from time to time. One commenter, in May, stated that the app does not notify an employee when a shift is released but this may have changed since. According to the Better Business OVERALL SCORE Bureau, there have been no complaints filed with the 7.39 company in the past year.

EASE OF DEVELOPMENT 8.0

EASE OF USE 7.93

OVERALL INNOVATION 7.71

HotSchedules provides a suite of mobile, cloud-based technologies that helps operators automate timely and often challenging processes like employee recruiting, training and scheduling, and inventory management. HotSchedules Recruit is a platform that allows those in the industry to create a profile with work history, where users can be notified when a specific restaurant they want to work for is hiring. On the back end, your current employees can endorse and refer potential hires that they know. HotSchedules Train, powered by Schoox, allows operators to design an online branded academy using text, image, and video to train new employees even before they start. The company’s original product, HotSchedules, provides a mobile-based scheduling platform that staff can access from their phone,

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 31 2015 Top Back-Office operators to better manage the Products quality and consistency of their foodservice operations across the entire enterprise. The food OVERALL SCORE cost management tool captures olo 7.16 theoretical food cost and sales and cash reconciliation data, and OVERALL INNOVATION 7.70 Benefits: Olo integrates with a helps with loss prevention by handful of POS systems, payment identifying fraudulent activities INTEGRATION 7.59 processors, loyalty and CRM through alerts and trend tracking. providers, and with an open Inventory management allows for

EASE OF USE 7.36 API, allows digital agencies and real-time tracking of all inventory developers to tap into the Olo items, from ordering to depletion ordering platform. As of April 2015, at restaurants with multiple storage Olo is a Software-as-a-Service the tech company hit 10 million locations. Menu engineering aims (SaaS) ordering management users. Credible brands and industry to create more profitable menus software for multi-unit restaurants. personalities, like PayPal and Danny by analyzing customer demand, This includes mobile, tablet, and Meyer, both back Olo, giving the percentage sales contributions, web-based orders, both small-scale product confidence value. PayPal costs, and profit margins. The and large-scale (like catering). It’s was a leading investor in Olo’s labor management can be used reported that Olo works with more Series B round in Q1 2013, and right from a smartphone, tablet, or than 10,000 restaurant locations, Meyer joined the company’s Board desktop. Managers can view the including Five Guys and Noodles this year as an investor. schedule, approve staff requests, & Company. A few years after the and communicate messages to company started (Olo was founded Cons: Olo only works with multi- relevant team members about in 2005), founder Noah Glass unit restaurant brands with 10+ important updates. The system also decided to take the company in units. includes dashboards and alerts, the direction as a strictly business- restaurant forecasting, restaurant to-business tool, which puts Olo supply chain management, food

OVERALL in a different category than B2C SCORE production planning, enterprise products like GrubHub/Seamless. 6.71 reporting, vendor management, The goal? Allow loyal diners to business intelligence, and ® Skip the Line , minimize clunky EASE OF USE 7.11 international solutions. phone orders, expedite in-store speed of service and efficiency, KILLER APP 6.91 Benefits: CrunchTime! simplifies and provide visible opportunity the mechanics of inventory for users to order more items on control for businesses and quickly INTEGRATION 6.87 a more frequent basis, essentially highlights areas of opportunity. increasing sales and order After the system is implemented, turnaround. Olo’s most recent CrunchTime! offers a range of back- it’s reported that a restaurant endeavor is Dispatch, which aims office solutions for restaurants. could see annual bottom-line to make food delivery more high- Its restaurant enterprise savings of 2-5 percent or more. tech and scalable (in cost and time) management system aims to Additionally, a free demo is as third-party delivery systems reduce food and beverages costs, available so CrunchTime! can become increasingly popular. drive labor efficiencies, and allow determine whether their solution

32 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide will fit a restaurant’s needs. The for each key role in an organization, implementation process is different from executive-level positions like and customized. CEO and COO to individual store managers.

OVERALL SCORE Cons: While we cannot verify the

6.62 validity of them, numerous reports on Ripoff Report have been filed software can be used to predict DESIGN 6.94 against Market Force from former production requirements as mystery shoppers about either well as manage raw materials, INTEGRATION 6.94 not getting paid or getting paid packaging, and flatware. With all and then having their account the data delivered, your restaurant

EMERGING STANDARDS 6.84 shut down with no explanation. Of can visualize and report the truth course, if true, this has more to do about takeout, delivery, and with the internal structure than the catering operations. The insights KILLER APP 6.71 value of the products themselves provided aim to increase sales and but can reflect negatively on the drive more profits to a business’s Market Force closes the gap customer service aspect if true. bottom line. Users can access large between operators and their reporting against billing accounts, customers by providing tools orders, menus, deliveries, customer

OVERALL to glean customer feedback SCORE interactions, sales activities, and about your restaurant business. 6.33 other key performance indicators. Market Force does this in a few The software’s data warehouse different ways, including mystery EMERGING STANDARDS 6.64 provides secure access to all shoppers and audits to determine desired data from any screen, operational performance; customer anywhere. INTEGRATION 6.54 satisfaction surveys and call centers to determine customer Benefits: Your restaurant can KILLER APP 6.43 satisfaction; and advanced analytics track conversations and touch to determine sales performance points that your staff has with your and loyalty. Market Force rolls MonkeyMedia Software works customers with MonkeyMedia this multi-level data into a single with existing restaurant systems Software’s Customer Relationship intelligent technology platform to provide online ordering — Management (CRM). With this called KnowledgeForce℠, which takeout, delivery, and catering information provided, your sales integrates results from multiple — from any device. Operators team can record and track sales customer data streams (some of and management teams can also activities to build rewarding which are listed above). Financial manage deliveries and optimize customer relationships and metrics are also included in the route stops through the system. close more sales. Promotions big-scope overview of customer With its account management Management is also provided to satisfaction. abilities, operators can manage help operators manage promo customer information and campaigns, making it easier to Benefits: Market Force’s transactions with a platform for incentivize customers to increase KnowledgeForce℠ organizes all of business-to-business invoicing, amount of orders using your this information into an easy-to-use payment processing, and accounts restaurant’s takeout, delivery, and interface and even customizes data receivable management. The catering services.

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 33 Online Services - a customer base. Eliminating the need for guests to 3 make a call to a restaurant to reserve a table, often Reservations facing long wait times, reservation apps have essentially cut out the necessity of staffing a daytime receptionist Mobile tech is king. With smartphones, mobile websites, for many restaurants and allows for its users to make and apps designed to help the busy city-dweller or a reservation with only a few quick taps of the finger. suburbanite with everything from on-demand laundry Restaurants are also able to charge for reservation services, to dating and more, it’s no surprise that cancellations to discourage the sales affecting no-show some of the biggest developments in the restaurant guests. Additionally, some of these apps even feature technology space have involved mobile technology. options to include text message waitlists that allow According to the National Restaurant Association, 41 guests to wander beyond the confines of the restaurant percent of Millennials say that their choice of restaurant lobby when waiting for a table. depends on the availability of technology. Many owners have taken note by offering more tech-based The analytics gathered through these systems don’t touchpoints for consumers to engage. The world of hurt either, and allow owners and operators to run online reservations in particular has changed, thanks their business more effectively. Restaurant owners and to mobile systems that not only take reservations, but managers can conduct surveys on new menu items by also offer owners and operators data on their guests, sending out beacon alerts to customers’ phones, and including their dining habits. frequent diners can be rewarded with built-in loyalty programs. While the basic function is to get diners Gone are the days when diners had to call a restaurant into the restaurant, new systems are collecting useful to see if there is an available reservation or let the information about guests’ habits and preferences so hostess know that their party is celebrating a birthday. owners can use it to their advantage. Now, all a potential diner has to do is fire up their smartphone and use one of the many apps or websites Online systems are also capitalizing on Millennials’ that will help secure a reservation at the restaurant of desire to share experiences via social media. New their choice. systems offer diners the chance to share and post thoughts about restaurants and brands directly to their The world of reservations has long been dominated by personal social media feeds and share their experience companies like OpenTable, which gives restaurants the with friends and family. This function acts as mobile ability to upload their seating charts. The new breed of ‘word-of-mouth’ for businesses and can lead to more apps and websites in this space are aiming to take a bite sales. out of OpenTable’s marketshare by offering different incentives and perks for Millennials or Gen Z’ers who The reservations segment of online systems for make reservations. Diners that love a certain dish on restaurants is trending toward one thing: building and the menu, and post about it, may get it for free on their understanding a community. Business owners are now next visit, and guests that are celebrating a birthday using technology to know who their loyal fans are and or anniversary may have it marked on a profile so the guests are using their voices to share their experiences. restaurant knows when they come in. The perks aren’t Restaurant meals at quick serves, fast casuals, casuals, just for diners, either. and fine dining restaurants are all now potential fodder for social media feeds and conversations between With an ever expanding number of restaurants brands and diners. competing to attract consumers to their establishments, making the reservation process as quick and seamless as possible is essential to both growing and maintaining

34 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide reserves through OpenTable or 25-cents per diner who 2015 Editors’ Choice reserves through the restaurant’s website. According to OpenTable, it takes only three reservations per month to break even on these costs.

OVERALL SCORE

7.61

EASE OF USE 8.36

MOBILE/SOCIAL 7.93

EASE OF DEPLOYMENT 7.89

OpenTable has become a household name in online restaurant reservations. According to its website, OpenTable serves more than 16 million diners each month across more than 32,000 restaurants. Guests can book reservations online or through OpenTable’s mobile apps. To reserve a table, users must select party size, date, and time, and either type in a specific restaurant name or a location or cuisine type. For operators, OpenTable offers an Electronic Reservation Book that syncs up a restaurant’s information to the OpenTable platform, and helps recognize repeat diners as well as perform other basic functions that most reservation systems include, such as aiding in assigning tables. Another product offered is OpenTable Connect, a lighter web-based-only version.

Pros: OpenTable’s user-friendly reservation platform allows diners to easily discover new restaurants, resulting in potential new business for operators. It also creates an additional channel to increase foot traffic and, in turn, sales.

Cons: There is a fixed monthly $199 subscription fee, and restaurants must pay a fee for reservations books through OpenTable. According to OpenTable’s blog, a pay-for-performance fee is charged for online reservations at $1.00 per seated diner booked through OpenTable.com or 25-cents per seated diner booked through the restaurant’s website. For OpenTable Connect, OpenTable receives $2.50 per diner who

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 35 4 POS This rise in competition has led to many benefits for today’s operator, including less overhead and lower Point-of-sale systems have drastically evolved over the costs, and more data-based features, insights, and past few years alone. Long gone are the days of clunky analytics. While these perks may seem dry in list-form, hardware and pricy updates — unless, of course, you’re consider each as a deeper dimension of long-term a long-standing business that’s deployed this older growth. Less overhead means a myriad of things, such technology years ago, in which case it’s probably too as lower costs, larger margins, and room for growth costly to make a switch if it’s still in working condition. and for inevitable improvements down the road. Data- Thanks to the advancement of technology though, based features, insights, and analytics, depending on lighter, more flexible options like iPad-based POS the capabilities of specific technologies, allow operators systems are widely available, and these companies more than exposure to a customer’s snapshot or habits. are invading the marketplace in waves. If you have Gleaning this information and actually putting it into any qualms about the “startup” guys, just take a look actionable form paves way to more targeted email at 6-year-old Square’s recent IPO, which closed in campaigns and promotions, an opportunity to upsell mid-November with stocks soaring 45 percent above an item that a customer may have frequently ordered the company’s initial public offering price, closing at in the past, and provides endless opportunities to just over $13. Because there are no longer only a few customize both the in-store and out-of-store restaurant “big guy” options in the POS market, these “big guy” experience for each guest. Catering to customers in companies have less wiggle room for demanding such a way, of course, increases customer loyalty, which high prices or limited offerings. And as a result of the increases sales and, if the customer feels so inclined, shift, they have been forced to adapt to modern-day word-of-mouth referrals. All of this from a point-of- demands. sale system.

36 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide Of course, many point-of-sale systems include more than the basic functions to sway restaurant operators. Some, like Square, include the ability to process payments even when the Internet is down. And most, if not all, younger POS companies play well with other select systems and integrate with commonly used software programs such as QuickBooks, for example. A range of other technologies, like certain drive-thru systems, can also sync up to compatible POS systems to prevent operational disconnections. Many POS systems also include inventory management and labor management tools.

It’s important to do your research as more options become available. In a recent article on ITBusinessNet, Chris Poelma, president and general manager at NCR Small Business, says it’s important that operators compare cost, simplicity, durability, and customer what Revel Systems thinks about the current state and service when shopping for a POS system. future forecasting of consumer trends, POS trends, payment integrations, and overall restaurant trends. So, what does the future hold for point-of-sale systems and POS technologies? Aside from including additional Foodable: What POS trends do you see impacting options for guests to use alternate forms of payment, restaurants and how are you addressing them? like Apple Pay and Google Wallet, POS companies will be required to go more mobile if they have not already Revel Systems: The POS trends Revel sees impacting done so. But in order to forecast the more far-off future restaurants are: of POS, one must consider how payments in general will shift. With Amazon officially getting into (or rather, back Increased mobility and better efficiency: Revel Systems into) the online payments game — a possible strategic has developed, as part of its POS system, a technology move against PayPal that will create another revenue called “mobile order taker” that runs on the iPad Mini. source for the retail giant — will we begin to see other It enables restaurant staff to take orders at the table by giants entering the space as it heats up? Apple clearly tapping on the iPad Mini and the order is instantly sent already has, so why wouldn’t others want to take a to the kitchen. In the kitchen, we offer a Kitchen Display bite out of the marketshare? With more companies System (KDS) that displays all orders on an iPad and getting into payments, their access to customer helps the kitchen staff prioritize and take care of the data will continue to expand, allowing for even more orders. personalization down the road. Support mobile payment: Mobile payments are becoming increasingly popular as an alternative for Q&A: Revel Systems consumers to not carry credit cards and they are also seen as more secure forms of payment. It is now This year, we are fortunate to have two impactful POS expected from consumers to be able to pay with one companies sponsoring the 2015 Tech Guide. One of of these payment methods. Revel Systems supports them is Revel Systems, which wound up being a high- the major mobile payment technologies such as Apple scoring company in the POS category. Below, you’ll see Pay, PayPal, Bitcoin, etc., and thanks to its open API, can

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 37 trained in as little as 15 minutes. consumers.

Foodable: What consumer Foodable: How are Millennial trends do you think influence a habits shaping restaurant restaurant operator’s selection technology? in POS today? Revel Systems: Millennials are Revel Systems: Mobility: All addicted to technology and their quickly integrate with new mobile consumers are using mobile mobile devices. They are used to payment technologies as needed. devices constantly and expect getting everything instantly and get modern technology everywhere impatient easily. These behaviors Enhanced security and EMV they go. There is something are forcing restaurants to adapt compliance: Revel iPad POS is very natural and attractive for in order to offer better and faster compliant with PCI/P2PE standards consumers when they see an service. Restaurants that are still to ensure that all credit card iPad swung around 180 degrees using old technology run the risk of information is safely transmitted to digitally sign, get their receipt looking boring and inefficient, and to payment processors, protecting emailed to them and go. might turn Millennials away. both business and consumer data. In addition, Revel iPad POS is EMV Ease of use: Consumers are used Millennials also buy everything compliant and helps protect both to tapping on their mobile device from their mobile devices now and consumers and operators against and it feels natural to them to pay expect to find restaurant menus credit card frauds and charge on an iPad and leave a tip to the at a kiosk, online, or in an app so backs. employees now. that they can order by tapping on the screen, and the food should be Change in POS look and ease of Sleek/Modern: Modern technology ready to pick up quickly. It is forcing use: As restaurants are constantly makes a restaurant look more restaurant owners to upgrade their competing to get consumers’ trendy and interesting to POS technology to ensure that they business, it is important for them to offer a modern and trendy space where their customers enjoy having a meal. Old POS systems are bulky and immovable and do not fit with new sleek, modern spaces, so restaurant owners are looking at replacing them with iPad-based POS systems such as Revel’s that fit better with the new design of their space. New technologies are also very easy to use for both the restaurant staff and the customers, and POS systems need to adapt to that. Revel’s iPad POS was built with ease of use in mind and is very easy to understand for customers as well as employees who can be

38 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide the convenience they bring to the payment process. But also, because EMV is becoming a requirement and chip cards take longer to process, mobile payments will be quickly seen as a faster and safer alternative for consumers to pay.

Foodable: What two trends do you see driving sales for operators in the next 24 months? (Does not have to be tech-oriented.)

Revel Systems: Mobile ordering and payment: As discussed previously, mobile apps are everywhere and consumers now expect all stores or restaurants to offer an app to order food are able to easily take customers’ affect restaurants? (potentially even at sit-down orders regardless of the technology restaurants now), take reservations they want to use. Revel Systems: Mobile POS will or consult their menu. Restaurants help restaurants increase efficiency that will be able to offer this Foodable: In your opinion, as it streamlines and automates technology to their consumers how has the rise of fast- communication between the will see increased sales compared casual restaurants impacted front of the house and the back to the ones who make it more the evolution of restaurant of the house. It also makes the complicated to get their food. technology? restaurants look more modern and attractive to consumers who Food quality: Health concerns and Revel Systems: Fast-casual have a wealth of options to choose obesity have raised awareness restaurants are defined by from for their lunch and dining about the need to consume efficiency, upscale/trendy experiences. healthy and varied food and atmosphere, and quality avoid processed food as much as food. Because of these key Foodable: Which payment possible. Fast-casual restaurants characteristics, old and bulky POS integrations do you see making are increasingly becoming more systems do not fit in their business. a difference within the next popular than fast-food restaurants Fast-casual restaurants need a POS year, if any? as they offer a cost-effective and system that can process orders healthy alternative to consumers. quickly and be transmitted to the Revel Systems: Mobile payment Operators who are able to bring kitchen instantly. The technology integrations such as Apple Pay, healthy options to their menu they use needs to look sleek to fit in PayPal or Bitcoin are going to will see increased demand as their trendy space. make a big difference within the consumers watch more what they next year. They are quickly being eat. Foodable: How will mobile POS adopted by consumers because of

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 39

2015 Editors’ Choice

OVERALL SCORE

7.7

EASE OF USE 8.41

MOBILE/SOCIAL 7.97 necessary for payment transactions. Square credit card processing is now compatible with both Apple Pay and EASE OF DEVELOPMENT 7.86 EMV.

Cons: While many features are free to set up and there Square is a financial services company founded in 2009 are no monthly fees, it’ll cost you a higher percentage by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, who serves as CEO for payment processing at 2.75 percent per swipe. of both companies today. Square features a mobile app, Judging by in-depth online research, there’s strong software and hardware, and offers a handful of options. negative sentiment about Square’s “brick wall” customer Its point-of-sale kit comes with a Square Stand (to hold service and, allegedly, Square has a habit of holding up your iPad), kitchen ticket printer, receipt printer, and funds with large pending deposits, leading to an abrupt cash drawer. On the back end, operators can manage deactivation of some accounts. However, a few of these inventory and check analytics, like a complete sales users admitted that the Square system has gotten a lot history of a specific menu item category. To make an better since their last gripe. experience user-friendly for guests, Square Readers allow staff members to grab customers’ orders in line to expedite wait time. Out-of-store product options 2015 Top Point-of-Sale System include a free online store that can be embedded in a Products restaurant’s website or blog for pickup orders placed online. Customer engagement tools sync up customer OVERALL SCORE analytics with email to offer promotions, discounts, and 6.95 communications with filter options. Also on the guest- facing side, diners can select their own tip amounts EASE OF USE 7.17 (with the percentage amount priced out for you) and can opt to receive receipts by email. EMERGING STANDARDS 7.11

Benefits: Low barrier to entry with no monthly fees. EASE OF DEVELOPMENT 7.09 Square integrates with other existing software such as QuickBooks and Xero. It also offers a wide range of financial services products, making it a one-stop- Revel’s iPad-based point-of-sale system caters to a shop for business needs. Square’s mobile and flexibly wide range of restaurant types, from quick-service versatile platform, compatible with iOS and Android, to full-service, and from independents with a single is user-friendly, and an Internet connection is not location to multi-location brands. Adding to the guest

40 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide be wary to take the risk on a newer and back-office functionality, while company. However, according to delivering information to guests in the Better Business Bureau, only six a fluid, live, tile presentation. The complaints have been filed in the Oracle MICROS Tablet E-series past three years, with half of them offers a touchscreen experience to being satisfactorily resolved. operators and serves as a lower- cost device due to its extended battery life.

OVERALL SCORE Benefits: Oracle provides IT

6.77 solutions that are comprehensive and fully integrated across cloud EMERGING STANDARDS 7.14 applications, platform services, and experience, Revel’s POS features engineered systems. With more include tableside ordering, and INTEGRATION 6.79 than 420,000 customers, Oracle’s payment flexibility to handle products boast a promise of split bills, gift cards, and PayPal KILLER APP 6.76 reliability, flexibility, and operational integration. For operators, features efficiency. include customized table layouts, ingredient inventory, online Oracle offers a range of enterprise- OVERALL SCORE ordering integration, payroll wide applications, hardware, management and employee and services to several industry 6.48 scheduling, customization for segments, from sports and loyalty programs, analytics, and entertainment to hotels and DESIGN 6.97 social media integration. Revel resorts, but still provides a offers a ton of add-ons to choose number of food and beverage EASE OF USE 6.84 from. Because Revel Systems offers technologies. Oracle’s products iPad syncing, the POS can create an aim to help restaurant operators EMERGING STANDARDS 6.67 order from one iPad terminal and optimize operations, whether for complete payment from another if kitchen management, back office, needed. cloud or mobile solutions. Oracle NCR Silver is an iPad-based POS Hospitality Simphony, for example, company that, in its product lineup Benefits: Like Square, Revel’s POS is a cloud and mobile management for restaurants, caters more toward is still able to process payments platform providing point-of-sale small businesses and franchises without Internet connection with — cafés, food trucks, and bars. its Always On Mode feature. An However, the company also offers easy-to-use interface allows for a pro restaurant edition for table- easy training and increases speed service restaurants. NCR Silver is an of service, decreasing wait time. app and cloud-based point-of-sale The website offers live customer system that allows users to take support. payments anywhere with an iPad or iPhone. Payment options include Cons: Pricing is not available PayPal, LevelUp, Bitcoin, and more, upfront. And with the company and the system integrates with being five years young, some may software like Quickbooks and Xero.

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 41 NCR Silver tracks sales, inventory, loyalty programs, guest surveys, operators only need to set up the and employees’ hours, and includes multi-unit management, labor menu once, and your customers’ online ordering, email marketing, management, enterprise reporting, loyalty account is also their online and a loyalty program. The pro and it integrates most credit card ordering account. version offers added benefits and gift card processing. Real- like flexible tableside payments, time reports analyze sales, labor, OVERALL SCORE customizable table layouts, check kitchen performance, and more, splitting, and sharing orders from and operators can generate them 6.35 multiple devices. It also integrates for one or multiple locations. With with a wide variety of credit card the Multi-Unit Management tool, EASE OF USE 6.63 processors. restaurants can make changes to one location and then apply EMERGING STANDARDS 6.41 Benefits: By offering a separate the changes to other locations pro version, NCR Silver does not later, if need be, as well. With PAR PRICE POINT 6.39 try to cater to all restaurant types Brink POS, system changes only with just one solution, providing features that make sense for each TouchBistro is an iPad-based point- type of operation. of-sale system that is customizable to the restaurant. Because of its Cons: According to Merchant mobility, tableside ordering is Maverick, the flagship plan costs possible, and the system integrates $59 a month but only one device with OpenTable, PayPal Mobile, is covered. Additional iPads or SmoothPay, bevIntel, Freepour, iPhones are charged $0.10 per sale 7Shifts, Xero, and QuickBooks. with a cap of $29 per month. The Features include splitting bills, restaurant pro plan costs $129 a and the ordering system is month. broken down by seat number have to be done once. The loyalty with flexible options to customize, features allow operators to create move, and edit items. In addition OVERALL SCORE a wide variety of reward programs, to paper receipts, TouchBistro 6.37 including point-based plans and allows the option for diners to visit-based plans. receive their receipts via email. EASE OF USE 6.61 On the operational side of things, Benefits: The software has TouchBistro features cost and EMERGING STANDARDS 6.56 automatic upgrades and is fault staff management tools, inventory, tolerant. If the Internet goes down, PRICE POINT 6.50 it will continue to operate in “offline” mode and then synchronize all data and transactions once the PAR Brink POS is a point-of-sale connection returns. PAR Brink solution for restaurants and offers it is a monthly service and cafés that is cloud-based, so there are no large upfront software users don’t need a back-office licensing fees. Additionally, PAR server to access data. Features Brink’s online ordering module include online/mobile ordering, is part of the POS system, so

42 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide custom floor layouts, and reports.

Benefits: Simply put, it’s user- friendly. TouchBistro has a lot of customizable options, including how your POS menu looks, making it easier for waitstaff to recognize categories and items. Its iPad- based functionality allows for flexibility and increased speed of service, considering the time it new business? Check out our Q&A TouchBistro: The landscape of would take to plug an order into with TouchBistro CEO Alex Barrotti the fast-casual industry is changing a terminal would be nixed with a below to find out all that and more. quickly and they need equipment product like this. that can keep up. Leading POS Foodable: How will mobile POS companies understand the fast- Cons: According to one operator, impact restaurants? casual industry’s need for cutting- setting up your menu on edge technology that not only TouchBistro can be intensive, TouchBistro: A mobile POS system grows with the business, but helps especially if your menu is on the enables restaurants to operate shape the customer experience. longer side, because it’s a manual at a higher level of efficiency and These customers have high process. Also, TouchBistro is not provide a superior customer expectations from the businesses cloud-based. experience not possible before (thanks Apple!) where they spend this technology was available. their hard earned money. Patrons Current customers using mobile want quick, efficient, error-free POS are turning tables faster and service, they want loyalty options therefore driving more revenue for for returning, and they want to pay their business. They are gaining anyway they want. Meeting this new deep insights about their business set of demands isn’t easy with a through detailed reports, and pen and paper or clunky, traditional making more informed business terminals. Mobile point of sale decisions about inventory, menu offers free updates and flexible management, and staffing based software that responds quickly to Q&A: TouchBistro on these actionable findings. the needs and the pulse of the Precious minutes are reduced in industry. TouchBistro is also a POS-based food preparation and delivery time, sponsor of this year’s Tech Guide. bills are easily and consistently Foodable: Eighty-two percent As POS becomes more mobile, calculated correctly, and even tips of millennials are choosing how will security be affected and are higher as the waitstaff are able fast casual. How will Millennial how will it evolve? What challenges to provide faster, smoother service. habits and behavior affect the will POS providers face within future of the POS experience in the next 18-24 months? And Foodable: In your opinion, restaurants? how will modern-day, mobile- how has the rise of fast- forward POS companies such as casual restaurants impacted TouchBistro: Between developing TouchBistro impact marketing and the evolution of restaurant careers and first dates or firstborns, communications to drive sales and technology? Millennials are busy and constantly

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 43 on the go, requiring hyper-efficient as quickly as their patrons do, but the restaurant industry, it isn’t to use of their time. It’s no surprise that each feature is integrated for a enterprise companies. The POS when they’re in search for a spot seamless customer experience. industry will follow the data security to eat, they demand a venue be protocols that have been laid out convenient and as quick and as Foodable: As tech becomes by enterprise-level organizations efficient as they are. According more mobile, how will security and evolve in a similar way to to a Business Insider article, evolve? these companies. This may mean Millennials make up the largest portion of today’s population TouchBistro: The mobile POS has and dine out more often than become the hub of the restaurant their Gen-X and Baby Boomer ecosystem and as this ecosystem counterparts. Therefore, the grows, so does the amount of data future of POS experience means that passes through the system. adapting to Millennial must-haves Credit card data, customer CRMs, like online ordering, advanced loyalty programs, accounting ordering, loyalty, strong social software and general business presence, custom orders, and data is sensitive and it’s paramount flexible payment options. It puts a that it’s handled securely. Leading new meaning to “the customer is POS providers have evolved to always right,” the new experience is ensure they are certified and whatever the Millennial demands. comply with all security standards. It’s critical that the future POS not What’s next? Though the notion only adapts to these dining trends of big data in the cloud is new to

44 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide using everything in the marketing toolbox from event sponsorship to SEO to Facebook ads to Instagram hashtags.

Providing a niche experience: Differentiation will be a key trend for driving sales in the restaurant sector. With the intense competition to stand out, particularly in dense cities where customers are presented with that IT roles become a larger TouchBistro: If a POS company hundreds, if not thousands of part of restaurant management, can present this cloud-based different dining options, it’s key with IT consultants and technical big data effectively, operators to provide a unique experience. employees being sought out by can generate more targeted and Restaurants will turn to food restaurant businesses. relevant interactions with their quality, food uniqueness, customer customers on the channels they service, experiential dining, and Foodable: With operator spend their time on. Through atmosphere/vibe to help give them adoption of cloud-based big leveraging social media, email and the ‘it’ factor. data, what challenges do POS loyalty, operators can promote providers face in the next 18-24 their business, drive positive months? reviews, and get quality feedback from their customers. This type TouchBistro: With data properly of B2C interaction increases secured, the next challenge for POS return business, word-of-mouth providers is effectively controlling recommendations, and social and presenting the information shares, each being critical to in a way that is easy for business healthy growth of any business. owners to understand and use. This means providing a service that not Foodable: What two trends only allows restaurant owners easy do you see driving sales for access to data such as customer operators in the next 24 trends, behaviors/preferences, months? (Does not have to be and actionable business insights, tech-oriented.) but also taking action like custom reporting and one-to-one customer TouchBistro: Restaurant communication. marketing: Gone are the days of dropping off flyers at local Foodable: How can more businesses near the restaurant or mobile, modern POS companies sticking a sign out front with the positively impact operator B2C latest promos or specials. There is a marketing and communications significant trend toward restaurant to drive sales and new business owners and operators becoming trial? savvy modern marketers and

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 45 5 Digital Display

In an increasingly chaotic world, restaurants have to work extra hard to stand out and grab guests’ attention. Traditional methods of marketing, such as print advertising and discount coupons, will no longer cut it in such a competitive market, and as such, many restaurants have turned toward utilizing digital displays to not just catch their guests’ attention, but also to hold their guests’ attention throughout the dining experience. easy changes to be made to accommodate for seasonal From digital menu boards to curated, in-house music additions as well as any 86’d menu items for the day. and video displays, these new technologies engage The boards can be customized and personalized to guests in new, innovative ways as well as offer long- each restaurant brand and can also be programed term benefits to restaurants that utilize them. While to upsell particular items and set target sales goals, the technology initially may seem to be quite an working to thereby maximize potential sales. Many of expensive investment, restaurants have found that their these boards are also equipped with customer tracking adoption of this technology has directly translated into functions and predictive analysis tools that can work to an increase in sales and overall profit. For example, monitor and evaluate guests’ spending habits. the move to digital menu boards may bring with it an initial high cost to invest in the on-site technology, but Other formats of digital displays involve visual and restaurant operators can begin to see a return with the auditory systems that are curated for each individual decrease in spending on printing and laminating costs. restaurant’s desired atmosphere. These technologies can be set to specific programming that restaurant Additionally, these menu boards bring with them a operators can determine, but which can also be set host of other inherent benefits for restaurants who to change depending on the time of day. Many visual utilize them. Apart from the enticing interactive and programming can also be set to incorporate restaurant visual elements that these menu boards provide, brand marketing material within the display to further there are also a number of specialty features that are engage with customers already seated within the unique to restaurants. Language options, for one, is a restaurant. major beneficial feature these menu boards can offer. Rather than just targeting local customers, restaurants Digital displays can be extremely useful in helping employing digital menu boards are able to offer a restaurants achieve the task of both attracting number of language options for the menu boards, customers as well as remaining engaged with them thereby extending their potential customer base throughout their meal. As guests continue to become immensely. For restaurants positioned in major tourist increasingly dependent on their connection with centers or airports, this feature is of particular note. technology, restaurants who opt for incorporating these Digital menu boards can be programmed to work for types of digital displays into their operating systems will the visually impaired, as well as featuring settings that continue to have a leg up on their competitors. display a number of dietary and allergen information. Aligning with the digital display category, Advisory Board Modern-day menu boards are easily updatable and Member Linda Duke says more digital menu boards are able to be managed remotely, thereby allowing for are what’s coming next in the industry. “Although many

46 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide fast-casual restaurant brands and large quick-serve Delphi Display Systems offers a range of solutions chains have already installed digital menu boards, and for digital signage, both for in-store and outdoor have shown success with them, the smaller regional (drive-thru) displays. Delphi’s indoor menu boards chains and independent operators are still using static offer high-quality visuals and allows operators to use boards, and will be increasingly converting to the digital video and animation to highlight menu items. Digital format,” said Duke. “The cost is one barrier to entry, menu boards can be managed remotely, and adaptive however. Just like VCR recorders and the first Walkman content changes based on items ordered, time of day, tape players were expensive, prices of digital menu and the weather outside. Delphi’s Insight Engage® boards will decrease as well. We are preparing by Solution is a software application that provides content creating digital content out of our clients’ menus and management, analytics, and reporting, and helps your introducing new photography and making it easy to menu act as a sales tool with its adaptive content. Drive- add visual content for the new generation of menus in thru solutions include the Endura™ 47P Outdoor Digital restaurants.” Menu System that features extreme weather resistance, bright screens for readability in direct sunlight, and William Bender agrees that digital displays, even beyond high-impact safety glass. Delphi offers three different menu boards, will be instrumental in staying relevant to order confirmation systems with options to sync up modern-day trends. drive-thru orders to your POS, and its Insight VERIFY™ Solution has the ability to upsell messages based on “A trend I — and we all — have identified is having items being ordered. In addition, Delphi offers two restaurant data (key performance indicators) on a products that track drive-thru performance and speed digital dashboard format,” said Bender. “KPIs need to be of service. available and easy to access quickly. The barrier is all the platforms and cloud access is not always easy, mobile, Benefits: Menu changes can be made for one or or on a fast network. Restaurant industry managers are multiple stores, and digital components in the drive-thru challenged and do not have time because they’re being experience can be managed from one single platform. pushed to do more with less labor budgets (people) and Also, Delphi’s Insight drive-thru platform includes resources… Brands need to provide relevant data in the the order confirmation, timers, menus, and headset right format on the right devices at the right time.” communication products, which can all be managed from a single web portal.

2015 Editors’ Choice

OVERALL SCORE

6.3

INTEGRATION 6.93

EASE OF USE 6.51

EMERGING STANDARDS 6.43

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 47 6 Mobile Apps/Social Media

Smartphones have continued to integrate themselves into customers’ day-to-day lives, offering a number of mobile applications to serve a never-ending list of purposes. These apps also extend into the culinary world, offering guests the ability to easily interact with local restaurants. From loyalty programs to mobile ordering apps to mobile payment options, tech-savvy restaurants have begun identifying the inherent benefits to be found in incorporating these apps into their own systems.

Still more apps exist to create custom, unique marketing campaigns in which restaurants can both engage with existing customers as well as work toward attracting new ones. These apps offer mobile technology to restaurant operators that include programs that track regulars. As Amelia Levin writes in an article, “Is On- customer data, such as mobile loyalty programs that Demand Delivery Actually Hurting Restaurant Brands?,” help restaurants monitor buying patterns and other for Foodable Network, from bike messengers to analytics to better customize their sales and marketing traditional car drivers, many of these New Age delivery efforts. These loyalty programs also serve to incentivize services focus on speed and food quality first, combined repeat business, all while building custom guest profiles with a dedication to the same superior customer service to better understand the preferences of a restaurant’s diners expect inside the restaurant’s four walls. And current customer base. according to Foodable Labs data, there were 2.3 million mentions of food delivery in Q3 2015 on social media, Perhaps one of the most innovative and emerging of the a 91 percent increase in just 30 days from August to many new mobile technology offers comes in the form September. of mobile payment apps, allowing restaurants to accept payments directly from these services. These apps work While there is undoubtedly a surge in these restaurant with services such as PayPal and Apple Pay, as well as mobile app services, and a number of new and traditional online payment method services provided innovative services now offered, social and mobile apps by Visa, MasterCard and American Express to allow for share a singular chief benefit for restaurant operators digital payments made by just a touch of the finger. who utilize them: speed. By facilitating prompt Oftentimes, these apps are also linked to a restaurant’s interactions between restaurants and guests, these POS system, allowing for mobile ordering for takeout apps essentially free up restaurant service staff for and delivery as well. other tasks, thus saving restaurant operators not just on time but also on labor costs. Related to mobile payments is something that has both consumers and business owners buzzing: on-demand New targeted restaurant mobile apps continue to be delivery apps. Many restaurants in the past 12 months released to the market seemingly once a week, and have teamed up with third-party delivery services to now that restaurant operators have begun to see their offer greater reach — literally, in terms of footprint, and merits, the sky is the limit for their continued use and in terms of attracting new customers while retaining the development.

48 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide

2015 Editors’ Choice

OVERALL SCORE

6.98

MOBILE/SOCIAL 7.71

EASE OF USE 7.60

DESIGN 7.34

LevelUp is a mobile payment platform that supports iOS, Android and Windows Phone. After an operator downloads the free LevelUp app, which then allows customers to store your restaurant in their Passbook or Google Wallet, payments can be made with NFC, by scanning the QR code on a customer’s phone, or by entering their credentials online to checkout. Soon 2015 Top Mobile Apps/Social Media after a payment has been made, customers receive a Products digital receipt. Deposits are made the next day. Other features include customer insights and analytics such OVERALL SCORE as a customer’s first visit to your restaurant, their most 6.8 recent visit, average spend, total spend, and number of total visits. Using this data, LevelUp recommends EASE OF USE 7.50 profit-maximizing strategies to your inbox and helps build flexible loyalty programs and real-time campaigns MOBILE/SOCIAL 7.43 depending on a number of factors, like time of day and weather. Hardware needed for LevelUp integration includes a scanner for QR codes, which costs a one-time EASE OF DEPLOYMENT 7.39 fee of $50 and an optional tablet if your POS does not support it for a one-time fee of $100. Campaigns are pay-for-performance — LevelUp charges a 25 percent Postmates is a logistics company that operates an fee of the incentive you offer, only on redemption. on-demand delivery service, working with a network of restaurants in a third-party manner. The business-to- Benefits: Deployment is quick and easy. LevelUp consumer system allows diners to place delivery orders integrates with more than 40 POS systems and online that are picked up at a restaurant by a local courier, and ordering platforms, including splick.it, Revention, Revel then delivered to the diner’s location by said courier, Systems, Future POS, Olo, Oracle, and POSitouch, to usually by bicycle or car. The Postmates model is based name a few. Plus, using a system like LevelUp saves on the idea that all orders will be delivered in under money on processing. an hour. Think of it as the Uber of goods and services

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 49 OVERALL SCORE solutions such as credit card

6.79 processing and a point-of-sale system, with nearly a third of all

EASE OF USE 7.20 transactions in North America completed through a mobile device. DESIGN 7.03

Benefits: Groupon offers many OVERALL INNOVATION 6.96 categories to suit your business but instead of a person being and target audience needs, with transported from Point A to Point B, EASE OF DEPLOYMENT 6.96 a promise of effective marketing your burrito (or whatever it is you’re and measurable results. Small craving) is taking a ride to you. Groupon is a service that connects businesses can make use of local commerce with the increasing functions such as the Merchant Benefits: Convenience is a major purchasing power of consumers Impact Report, which includes factor here, especially when through the effective marketing a profit calculator, marketing considering that the process — of high-reward deals for a limited analytics broken down by gender, from start to finish — will usually amount of time. Groupon caters age and geography, and consumer take you no longer than an hour. to both business owners and insights. Businesses can set a A third-party on-demand delivery consumers. What began in 2008 minimum number of deals to be system like this allows restaurant as a simple, Chicago-based idea to sold before they can be used to locations that don’t normally deliver advertise small businesses grew guarantee a minimum return, but the ability to do so, without having into a nationwide phenomenon customers only have up to a certain to do the work that comes with it, and has even crossed international date to purchase and redeem the like employing extra people. markets, including Germany, offer, which can sometimes be a France, Italy, Spain, the United challenge. Cons: Delivery fees are noticeably Kingdom, Switzerland, and Belgium. high for diners and include surge By using Groupon’s platform to

OVERALL pricing during busy times. At 4 p.m. offer deals to both existing and SCORE on a Sunday in Boston, for example, potential customers, restaurants 6.42 Postmates delivery fees increased can potentially increase foot traffic by 2.25x the norm, bumping up a and sales and gain some long- MOBILE/SOCIAL 6.86 $9.85 Sweetgreen order to $25.99. lasting customers along the way. The service fee is 9 percent of an The widely-used platform is low-risk KILLER APP 6.86 order, and at this time, the delivery to consumers to purchase a deal, fee was an astounding $15.25. but enough so that they will want EASE OF USE 6.76 Another negative about the service to cash in on their limited-time is that it hasn’t yet expanded to all offer(s). It’s also a good channel DESIGN 6.57 U.S. cities, so it may not even be for new guests since consumers available to you (yet). Additionally, can geo-target their search for some brands fear that using a activities and gifts in Groupon’s GrubHub is a popular online and third-party system will disconnect expansive online marketplace. mobile food ordering company that brand value and user experience Small businesses using Groupon connects local takeout restaurants since local couriers aren’t employed receive a comprehensive marketing with millions of hungry consumers. by the restaurant brand. campaign, complete with merchant According to its website, GrubHub

50 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide has partnered with 35,000 takeout Cons: Based on online feedback, them for their loyalty, and creates restaurants in more than 900 U.S. GrubHub takes a fee from the referral programs to increase new cities and London. In the restaurant restaurant for each order. While it customers and, in turn, sales. business, where time is money, the isn’t specified exactly how much, company aims to provide operators some say the company starts you at Benefits: Punchh is an easy-to-use with tools to bring in more business a 10 percent commission and after turnkey solution. Its technology and focus on areas that they you’ve raised your sales to a certain integrates with POS systems. And in couldn’t make time for before. With amount a month, it increases to 15 a world of mass messaging, it builds GrubHub, restaurant operators percent. Some have also pegged loyalty through personal, one-to- can add daily specials and change the average at 13.5 percent. one interactions with customers. menu items whenever menu items change. GrubHub’s OrderHub tool

OVERALL is focused on helping restaurant SCORE operators feel more organized 6.25 when it comes to confirming orders and keeping customers updated. MOBILE/SOCIAL 6.43

INTEGRATION 6.41

OVERALL INNOVATION 6.30

Punchh is a mobile loyalty and insights platform that uses fully integrated, private-label mobile apps as a vehicle to drive customer engagement. Punchh also provides brands with a data- driven marketing platform to target guests more directly and in the right context. To put it simply, Punchh offers a toolbox for restaurant operators that aims to create repeat customers Benefits: Every order is supported through loyalty-based tactics, like by the GrubHub’s 24/7 customer tailored offers, mobile payments, service. Diners also have access iBeacon offers, and mobile app to reviews, coupons, and special gamification that allows users to deals. Because GrubHub has earn points to incentivize them become a nationally known brand, to increase their foot traffic in becoming part of their restaurant your restaurant. Punchh also network essentially gives operators finds restaurants’ customers and free advertising through a range of influencers on social media who platforms like television, billboards, speak highly of a restaurant brand radio, and digital and social media. or restaurant experience to reward

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 51 WHAT WE LEARNED

Technology, even when broken down to just foodservice, is an inevitable beast. To find the right products for your specific operations takes patience and a personal awareness of what you’re looking to get out of it. As a business owner, understanding where your operation’s strengths and weaknesses lie is vital to making the best investment in technology that is customizable to your needs. Additionally, be mindful of features you might not normally seek out when shopping around, like customer service quality. No technology is perfect, and it’s important to know that you’re able to get long-term value out of an investment and have a team that’s familiar with the product, inside and out, to help steer you in the right direction and to maximize its efficiency for you. And perhaps most importantly, don’t be afraid to think outside the box. As you saw above in our Advisory Board members’ predictions, the restaurant industry has a tendency to be behind the curve with technology. But now, with more advancements and flexibility in the tech space, things like GPS-enabled curbside pickup and remote-monitored commercial kitchens are in the foreseeable future. It is up to you, as an operator, to challenge what’s next. You might be surprised to know who’s listening.

Note: None of the products or companies listed above are endorsed by Foodable or its Advisory Board. No brands except for the ones disclosed took part in the sponsorship of this Guide.

52 2015 Restaurant Technology Guide About the Foodable WebTV Network

Launched in September 2013, Foodable WebTV Network is a media organization founded by restaurant industry publisher & producer, Paul Barron. With the largest social media audience and reach in restaurant trade, Foodable leverages the power of social, mobile and new media to combine tech, social, content, analytics, and digital agency services designed to reach chefs, operators and brands as the need for evolving business strategy continues to accelerate. With so much separation between broadcast food networks and trade media, Foodable fills the void, bringing rich, broadcast-quality production and strong editorial content to trade professionals and food enthusiasts. A hybrid of sorts, rooted in the power of big data and firsthand industry experience, Foodable WebTV Network is your backstage pass to the current and future state of all things restaurant & hospitality.

About Foodable Labs

Foodable Labs provides global insights for the restaurant trade that surpass that of any competition in the trade media space. In partnership with DigitalCoCo, LLC. and its proprietary Restaurant Social Media Index (RSMI), Foodable Labs pulls data from currently more than 22,000 restaurant and hospitality brands daily, over 220 million global restaurant consumers engaged in social, more than 500,000 foodservice locations, and contains the world’s largest accumulated social data available on the foodservice and hospitality industry, with over 5.5 billion data points analyzed in 2014.

2015 Restaurant Technology Guide 53 Make sure your restaurant is included in our analysis for the Top 50 Restaurants Report by submitting your restaurant at http://rsmindex.com/services/

Check out other Foodable Lab reports here, including Social Insights: Issue No. 3, Beverage Social Media Index Q2 2015, Millennial Foodie Trends 2015, Top Social Pizza Concepts Q2 2015, and Top Ingredient Trends 2015.