How a smart terminal can speed up the checkout process for your restaurant.

Whether you run a casual, counter-based eatery or an upscale establishment, speed and efficiency are crucial. Once the food is ordered or the meal completed, diners want nothing more than to pay up quickly so that they can go on with their lives. In case you didn’t already realize it, the smart terminal that provides you with payment processing for restaurants can help you to achieve this all-important goal.

What is a smart terminal?

As the name suggests, a smart terminal comes equipped with numerous features that go far beyond the processing of customers’ credit and debit card payments. Today’s terminals are, in fact, a combination of hardware (tablet or terminal, receipt printer, and perhaps a barcode scanner) and software that can act as the brains behind your entire operation. Smart terminals can connect with your payment processor, as well as additional business-related programs that you are already using.

Use tablet-based smart terminal and POS solutions at the table.

If you have recently eaten at a chain restaurant such as Chili’s Grill and Bar, you may have already experienced the benefits of ordering and paying for your meal right from the table. By using a table-based tablet, diners can peruse the menu at their leisure, making their selections as soon as they are ready. Their orders are then immediately forwarded to the kitchen and placed in queue for preparation.

The same efficiency occurs at the end of the meal. Instead of needing to wait for a busy server, patrons simply swipe or dip their card into the device’s reader, add a gratuity, and go—without timely delays or the security risks inherent in relinquishing a credit card to someone else. With this self-guided process, efficiency and security are enhanced, and staff have more time to answer diners’ questions or complete other necessary tasks.

Benefits of using a smart terminal during checkout.

Now that we have seen how accelerating the checkout experience can benefit your customers, it’s time to learn some of the other advantages that a smart terminal can bring to your restaurant. They include the following.

• Accurate credit card processing. With the help of your smart terminal, your staff can quickly accept credit and debit cards of all types. Because the process is secure and automated, you don’t need to worry about human data entry errors. What’s more, your system is required to be fully compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), which means that all possible measures have been implemented to protect customers’ electronic information from data breaches.
• Enhanced customer information. Even though your smart terminal helps to ensure that the payment process is lightning-quick, it still has time to collect and store important details. For instance, you may want to start a program that rewards regular patrons for their business. Your system can monitor when one of your loyalty program members makes a food purchase, immediately applying any discounts or rewards they have earned—all without slowing down the checkout process.
• Remote management. Because your smart terminal is cloud-based and connects seamlessly with the rest of the elements in your POS solution, it isn’t necessary to be at your restaurant location to be in touch. Should problems arise with a payment, or a staff member encounters difficulties, you can access the system dashboard from wherever you are. Consequently, what might have been a protracted ordeal can be resolved much more quickly.
• Contactless payment options. As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to cause concerns about health and safety, it seems likely that customers will not stop wanting to limit direct physical contact with people and surfaces. Touchless card readers use near-frequency communication (NFC) technology to dialogue with a customer’s chip-enabled credit card, smartphone, or wearable device when it’s placed within one to two inches. In just a few seconds, the patron’s identity is then verified and the payment is securely and safely processed.
• Added payment flexibility. Few things are more frustrating than arriving at the register only to learn that the establishment does not accept your preferred method of payment. Fortunately, modern smart terminals are equipped to provide maximum versatility in this arena. Options have now expanded beyond merely accepting cash and credit cards to include checks, virtual wallets, and even cryptocurrency.

When you optimize the use of your smart terminal’s many features, everyone wins. Because tables can be turned over faster, you can serve more customers, thus adding to your profits. Your employees’ work days can be less stressful due to the added efficiency, and you as the owner can have more time to attend to specialized tasks that help to grow your restaurant. Perhaps most important of all, the customers who are the lifeblood of your eatery will receive the fast, diverse, and efficient payment-related services that will keep them coming back!