How to choose the best restaurant system

Among all the aspects involved in running a restaurant, deciding which system to use is one of the most important. After all, having an efficient, reliable tool is decisive for the success of the business.

But how do you choose the best restaurant system?

You need to know the different features and assess whether these solutions meet your business's needs, considering everything from customer service to results analysis.

In this article, you will understand which points to look at when evaluating a restaurant system and discover the advantages of EPOC. Check it out!

How important is the system for your business?

Adopting technology is indispensable in any type of business, and restaurants are no different. A good system lets you automate processes and gain far more efficiency, optimizing your results.

Even so, it is common to neglect the choice of system and end up going for the cheapest one, setting aside aspects that are fundamental to the business. An inadequate system can result in several problems, such as:

• Slowness and instability, hurting the flow of the operation.
• Complexity to use, increasing the team's training hours.
• Disorganized orders and delays in production.
• Slow service, causing customer dissatisfaction.
• Difficulties with inventory control, increasing waste and losses
• Integration failures with other systems, such as delivery platforms.
• Technical support that is unavailable and ineffective.
• Limitations that prevent changes to the operation and the expansion of the business.
• Rigid reports and inconsistent data.
• Lack of control and visibility over sales results.

All of that together can hold back your restaurant's growth. Você estará o tempo todo resolvendo contratempos e tentando manter a operação rodando — deixando de lado ações mais estratégicas de gestão.  

So the best restaurant system is the one that makes your operation faster and smoother, integrating every process and delivering more efficiency in every area.

Below, check out which aspects to evaluate to find the ideal system for your establishment. Keep reading to learn more!

How to choose the best restaurant system?

Choosing the best restaurant system depends, above all, on the characteristics of your business: service model, sales volume, the complexity of your operation, whether you have more than one location, among other aspects.

From there, you should evaluate the following points:

Ease of use

The better the system's usability, the faster your staff will learn to use it — which means you will not have to spend as much time on training, including for freelancers. 

On top of that, processes get done faster, because a system with good usability goes through fewer screens and requires few clicks to complete an action. When entering an order in the POS, for example, that makes all the difference.

Mobilidade 

Some older systems have mobility limitations and only work on certain operating systems or devices.

But today there are technologies on the market that let you access the system on a range of devices: card machines Smart POS, smartphones, tablets, on the computer and even through the web browser.

Mobility matters because it cuts down how much waiters have to walk around the dining room and speeds up service. It also lets customers pay the bill without having to go to the register. And you can follow your operation from anywhere.

Service models

Table, individual tab, direct sale at the counter. Each type of restaurant uses a different service model. The system has to match the model you choose and offer specific features so that service is more efficient.

For example: if you serve tables and want to deliver excellent service, the system should let you identify customers by seat, making it easier to enter and deliver the orders and also to split the bill, if that is the case.

Administrative back office

The best restaurant system should also include an ERP with administrative modules. That way, you have all your business information centralized in a single place.

It is still very common to find restaurants using different systems for management. That leads to a number of problems, such as incompatibilities, reports that do not match, loss of information. In other words: it is not efficient at all.

The administrative back office should have features such as inventory and product registration, financial and tax control, inventory control, CRM, among others.

Controle de estoque

Inventory control is one of the most complex processes in running a restaurant. That is why the ideal system should have features that let you create recipe cards, register products, automate records and generate reliable reports.

With that, you avoid losses and waste, organize your purchasing better and manage to cut costs.

Customer relationship

To build customer loyalty you need a close relationship. That is why it is worth choosing a system with CRM.

This tool lets you register customers, gather information about their visits to your establishment and what they ordered, and also send out communications with promotions and events.

Security, stability and support

These three points are crucial for your business. After all, a system that goes down can cause losses and customer dissatisfaction.

So look into the technology used to develop the system, how data storage works, whether you can keep operating offline and how support works in case of failures.

Implementation and maintenance cost

One aspect that counts for a lot is the upfront investment to implement and maintain the system. In some cases, you may need to buy specific equipment for the system to run smoothly.

So be sure to check the system's specifications. In general, the most modern solutions can be used across a range of systems and devices, and you do not have to invest as much in new equipment.

Flexibility and customization

The system should be flexible and customizable, so you can make changes and configure it in the way that makes the most sense for where your business is right now.

The best systems are the ones that keep up with the restaurant's growth, allowing expansion and adaptation to new demands without a hitch.

Integrations with other technologies

Finally, the system should make it possible to integrate with other technologies that are essential for your restaurant, such as payment methods, delivery platforms and management systems.

On this point, you need to assess how reliable and stable those integrations are so you do not run into problems.

What are the advantages of EPOC for restaurants

A EPOC is a restaurant platform built to bring intelligence to management and drive your growth. We offer the best restaurant system, with several advantages such as:

1 – Unmatched POS

Our PDV is the most modern and fastest on the market. It was built to speed up service and make sales control easier. Some of the standout features are:

• Mobility: it works on the SmartPOS card machine, phone, tablet and computer.
• Very easy to use, with the best usability on the market
• The waiter enters orders in just a few clicks
• Phased ordering with suggestive selling
• Table, tab and counter service – or all of them together
• Split table with order entry by seat
• Integration with a KDS system and expedite screen
• Course firing for higher service quality

2 – Complete Multi-store ERP

Our platform also includes a complete ERP Multilojas to simplify your management. You can access it from anywhere to follow your operation in real time and manage your restaurant, chain or group.

With administrative, tax, financial, purchasing, inventory and CRM modules and much more, you have every feature and piece of information available on a platform that is simple to use. Automate your processes and make your day-to-day management easier.

3 – Reliable data and custom reports

One of EPOC's big differentiators is the reliability of the data. Our platform collects all the information from your operation, end to end, and turns it into business intelligence.

With our Dashboard Analytics, you get highly available data and can run custom analyses with ease.

Get more predictability in your demand, identify consumption patterns, know which products are most profitable and create more effective promotions.

4 – Stability and Security

EPOC is a cloud platform that guarantees stability and security for your operation.

You can keep operating and selling even offline. If something goes wrong, you have effective, human 24×7 support available.

5 – Flexibility

You can configure the system to meet your restaurant's needs and make changes whenever necessary.

EPOC has solutions for every type of service: table, tab and counter – or all of them at the same time. That expands your business's possibilities and can help you deliver excellent service.

On top of that, you can also use the system on a range of devices, such as Smart POS, smartphones, tablets, computers and even through the web browser.

6 – Digital Menu and Self-Service

O EPOC GO and KIOSK are our digital menu and self-service solutions.

With them you can create an attractive menu, make updates in real time, give your customers full autonomy, speed up service, reduce operating costs and increase your average ticket.

7 – Integrations

EPOC integrates with the best payment solutions, delivery platforms and management systems on the market. That way, you have everything you need for your operation to flow smoothly.

Want to have all these advantages and use the best restaurant system on the market? Then talk to our specialists and find out how we can help drive your restaurant's growth. find out how we can help your restaurant grow!