Hospitality Technology recently had the opportunity to get some inside tips from famed British chef Robert Irvine. The blunt Brit, who is known for telling it like it is on his hit Food Network show, Restaurant Impossible, recently partnered with Comcast Business Services to spotlight how technology can help improve workplace efficiency and enhance the guest experience. Here are some insights from the man who makes it his business to know how to turn failing restaurants around.
What technology do you think restaurateurs under-utilize?
Point of sale (POS) systems. The systems have many different capabilities beyond just ordering food including helping to manage inventory and can issue a variety of reports. The trouble is that most owners do not understand their full capabilities and thus are not maximizing their potential.
What do you feel are key tech components restaurants must have?
Inventory control systems, personalized notation about customers (favorite dishes, birthday/anniversary dates, etc.) and nutritional information about each of the dishes are necessities. In the industry space itself, technology can help avoid staffing issues by providing them with the information at their fingertips (e.g. iPads with menus, ingredients for each dish to help identify special dietary needs, diversification of checks).