It’s not enough to assume the old, manual reservations and wait-list book that worked back in the day is still adequately serving your staff and guests. As restaurant technology continues to advance, owners and managers are finding new ways to enhance the guest experience and promote their dining establishments. Business-quality software is enabling restaurants to create a more engaging experience with each and every guest. In today’s post, we uncover the latest tech trends designed to bring efficiency and guest satisfaction into the restaurant industry.

1.Web Reservations

Restaurateurs are moving toward solutions that allow guests to make reservations right on their website. In doing so, they’re discovering the value of keeping the guest captive, and they’re often benefiting with more reservations. With a reservations app right on the website, managers provide a full-service guest experience from the start.

2.Mobile Wait-list Management

For walk-in diners, creating a quality guest experience often begins upon arrival and translates to the host or hostess providing accurate wait times. Managing the Wait List via a mobile tablet, such as an iPad®, improves staff communication about table status and enables real-time, accurate wait times for walk-in diners. This wait-list optimization goes a long way to prevent waiting diners from walking out the door.

3.Text Messaging

Text messaging is becoming more important to guests. Unlike traditional pagers, which have multiple limitations, texting allows the guest to continue shopping while waiting for their table. Wait List apps ideally should enable a text to confirm and remind guests of their reservations, and once their table is ready. Text notifications opens communication where they’re used to communicating - on their phones - making the process less painful for everyone involved.

4.Guest Personalization

Data is king and one of the most important steps to increasing guest satisfaction is delivering individualized, quality experiences. To do so often requires an understanding of the guest’s preferences, special occasions, dietary restrictions and other dining habits. There are but a small number of apps that manage the guest profile data in addition to all the features outlined here. One such technology is Agilysys’ own rGuest® Seat.

Earn and keep more guests with an online reservations tool that thinks like your guests, plus a wait-list and table optimization solution that works for your staff. Everybody’s happy!