A lot has been said about the value of digital phone menus (whether web apps or apps) during the coronavirus pandemic. Phone menus are proving valuable at achieving social distancing between staff and guests. And without guests handling physical menus. But there are many very strong reasons why phone menus should prevail well after the coronavirus is in the distant past.
Here are ten big reasons.
1. Eliminating the need for reprinting of menus
Well let’s start with a very obvious one. The printing of menus can be a sizeable part of a restaurant’s cost base over the year – particularly if there are regular changes. But what shouldn’t be ignored is the management time negotiating with suppliers and getting designs finalized. This would all end with e-menus.
2. More efficient ordering and reduced labour costs
Phone menus enable the process to operate as efficiently as possible. Accessing the menu, ordering and payment can all be done via the phone. This means quicker and slicker service for guests – but it also opens up the opportunity for significant savings in staff costs.
3. Elimination of waiter errors
However well trained, even the best waiters occasionally misunderstand what guests are wanting. With phone menus, this risk is eliminated.
4. Elimination of guests’ false claims
In the same way, guests can no longer argue black is white when it comes to what they ordered.
5. Increased scope for menus in multiple languages
It’s not uncommon to see a menu in two, or very occasionally three, languages. But physical menus cannot realistically go further – and even having a menu in two languages can make the menu much larger – and somewhat less visually appealing. Phone menus can accomodate an unlimited number of languages – and without needing to show more than one at any time.
6. Upsell potential
Phone menus can achieve this, and in subliminal ways. Wine pairing, suggestions of sides to have with the main course and the use of photos and videos to promote your signature/high-value dishes and cocktails can all contribute significantly to driving up the average revenue per cover.
7. Instant menu updating
With phone menus, restaurants can instantly and easily add dishes and remove unavailable options instantly. And they can promote items they wish to push at that time (eg due to limited shelf life).
8. Toggling between different menus that apply at different times of day
Restaurants that have different menus for lunch and dinner, or for weekdays and weekends, have had to maintain two (or more) menus, and have had to switch the menus between serving sessions. With phone menus, this is done with a simple click.
9. Providing more information to your guests
With phone menus, restaurants can provide a lot more information. There is no limit to the amount of information you can provide. So long descriptions and detailed nutritional/allergenic/religious/lifestyle-based information can be freely provided. And importantly, restaurants can react to new regulations on such disclosure very quickly and without the need for any reprints or visually unappealing stickers.
10. Getting greater feedback
Phone menus can include a facility for guests to rate their experience at an establishment. In general, restaurants should expect a much greater volume of meaningful feedback where the questionnaire appears on the phones of guests right at the end of their meal.
