Best Restaurant Software For Your Hotel & Restaurant Business

Managing a restaurant is undoubtedly an extremely daunting task! It involves a series of finely interconnected processes that need to be handled with precision to cater to the superior guest experience. The hospitality industry is experiencing a global boom, and technological tools are an amazing opportunity for restaurant owners to capitalize to the fullest. Most dining establishments have now made the smart transition to Restaurant Management System that serves as holistic solutions for daily operations.

The food service industry is on the brink of a dynamic revolution and is expected to display a vigorous growth rate of 7.01 CAGR between 2017 – 2022. Along with this phenomenal growth, there has also been a radical increase in the adoption of technological solutions in the hospitality sector – restaurant management software, mobile apps, artificial intelligence powered tools, VoIP phone service for hotels and restaurants, and self-service kiosks are some recent trends that have proliferated modern age restaurants.

Restaurant management software has changed the way cafes, food trucks, pubs, coffee shops, and hotels operate as it brings about cost-effectiveness, seamless task flow and delivers an exceptional customer experience. The best restaurant software can help dining establishments capture a digital audience and cater to their online orders or deliveries. In fact, online food delivery in the United States accounts for over 90% of all restaurant deliveries – online ordering is a trend that has fast caught up in India and other countries too as various food delivery apps have made their foray in the restaurant ecosystem.

Choosing the best restaurant software for your organization is certainly confusing, to say the least. There are tons of variants that offer tailor-made solutions. So how do you decide? Well, here is a curated list of the 8 best restaurant management systems that can accrue numerous instant advantages to your small restaurant:

Best Restaurant Software to Look Forward

1. Torqus POS

A highly popular core POS software, Torqus is trusted by over 3000 restaurants. It has a wide array of features that ensure wastage reduction, higher sales, and increased productivity.

Pros:

• Integrated customer loyalty engine and promotions
• Captures client data for a better-personalized experience
• Simple user-friendly POS with a three-step ordering process
• Internal and external vendor management
• Results in high customer engagement through loyalty programs for single or multiple outlets
• Graphical dashboard with real-time data analytics

Cons:

• Requires a bit of tech support for initial setup, however, there is excellent team support and training.

Pricing:

Torqus POS is a well-priced restaurant management system that provides a free demo for interested parties to check if it is a perfect match for their dining establishment. A personalized quotation can be calculated based on features, customization and organization requirements.

2. Hotelline PMS

This is an advanced cloud-based solution for hotel owners, small restaurants, resorts, clubs, and cafes. Hotelline PMS is one of the best restaurant software tools available and can handle diverse functions such as inventory, accounting, reservations, and payment processing.

Pros:

• Channel management for multiple property locations
• Cloud-based access to a structured database
• Simplified and graphic dashboard
• Seamless booking engine for direct online reservations
• Centralized reservation system for better lead management

Cons:

• Some features do not work in offline mode, hence the internet is always required for smooth functionality.

Pricing:

Hotelline PMS is an affordable restaurant software that provides good value for money. A free demo is available for interested clients, and prices start at as low as Rs 100 per room for hotel properties.

3. ChefDesk

This cloud-based restaurant management is a comprehensive solution for cafes, pubs, hotels, cafes, and restaurants that work in two different modules – a restaurant POS system and a sleek web interface. ChefDesk is a robust restaurant software that can manage a wide range of processes such as inventory, deliveries, orders, table management, and customer profiling.

Pros:

• Complete inventory functionality that tracks item quantities and wastage
• In-depth reporting capabilities for better decision making
• Cloud-based POS software with automatically synced data backup
• Clean and intuitive mobile application
• Integration with multiple payment processing options

Cons:

• Mobile platform may need frequent updating for smooth use, however, they have an excellent support team for system upgrades and maintenance.

Pricing:

ChefDesk is one of the best restaurant software tools in the market and offers a free demo for interested parties to check the system compatibility with their organization. Pricing plans are decided depending on the individual feature requirement along with system customization.

4. SlickPOS

This novel Restaurant Billing Software is an ideal choice for small hotels, restaurants, food trucks, kitchens, and food courts. It helps improving customer experience through a dedicated feedback application and handles inventory smoothly by avoiding wastage or pilferage of items.

Pros:

• A well-designed and simple user interface
• Complete customization of taxes, billing, payment options, and menu items
• Swift and superior customer support
• Compatible with iOS and Android, also works in offline mode
• Graphic dashboard with advanced sales analytics

Cons:

• Certain POS features are limited and still being developed.

Pricing:

SlickPOS provides a free trial with free usage for the first two months. It has a smart plan for Rs 999 per month and a perpetual plan for Rs 59,999 (one-time payment).

5. LOGIC F&B

This powerful and function restaurant software is tailor-made for food outlets, dining establishments, cafes, and hotels. Logic F&B has an integrated suite with kitchen, inventory, point-of-sale, CRM and financial management modules.

Pros:

• Complete accessibility through a cloud-based mobile app
• Accepts multi-currency payment
• Seamless order management and inventory control
• On-premise deployment with innovative features
• Maintains customer data for extensive personalization and customer relationship management

Cons:

• May require technical know-how for initial setup and installation.

Pricing:

Logic F&B is an affordable restaurant management software that offers a free trial for interested users. The company provides specific price quotations based on features and customization requirements of clients.

6. Peachworks

One of the best restaurant software platforms, Peachworks is a cloud-based Restaurant Billing Software that is designed for food service businesses of any size. It includes a sophisticated suite of vital features such as scheduling, forecasting, supply chain management, and sales analytics.

Pros:

• An intelligent dashboard that visually displays key performance indicators
• Quick and responsive tech support
• Ability to track and secure multiple payments simultaneously
• Business-friendly features such as inventory, accounts, billing, and CRM

Cons:

• Still in the development stage for multiple platform integration and communication with different POS portals.

Pricing:

Peachworks offers a free demo that allows users to assess system capabilities and check feature compatibility. It provides detailed pricing plans based on modular requirements and level of customization.

7. SMART Restaurant POS

A fully-customizable complete restaurant management software, SMART Restaurant POS is designed to meet any food business franchisee’s needs. It has a user-friendly interface, and around the clock support for organizational stakeholders or clients.

Pros:

• Intelligent inventory and stock management that can track discrepancies
• Real-time sales tracking
• End-of-the-day reports that give clear business parameter breakdowns
• Specialized modules for reservations, menu management, stocking, orders, deliveries, and payment integration

Cons:

• May lack some of the functionality of bigger restaurant POS systems.

Pricing:

SMART Restaurant POS has flexible pricing plans according to user requirements. However, it has priced the on-cloud solution at Rs. 650 per month and charges a one-time payment of Rs. 16,500 for on-premise software.

8. True Restaurant Management

A user-friendly, affordable and feature-rich restaurant management software, True management software is efficient in facilitating reservations, order processing, and inventory management.

Pros:

• Sophisticated report making capabilities
• Holistic suite with empowering features such as POS invoicing, order tracking and menu management
• Mobile application for better functionality

Cons:

• May require some technical support for initial setup and installation.

Pricing:

True Restaurant management is a cost-effective platform that provides pricing plans depending on organizational requirement and degree of customization.

Here are some Restaurant Industry Statistics that provide insights into the industry:

1. Technology has made the life of restaurateurs much easier

Hence the  growing demand for restaurant management software and POS (Point of Service/Sale) restaurant management systems.

In fact, the global restaurant pos software segment will be worth roughly $ 30,000 million in 8 years, with the fastest expansion in the Asia-Pacific Region.

2. Technology plays a significant role in a diner’s pre-dining prep

More often than not diners rely on Restaurant technology to decide where to eat (which explains the surge of restaurants being more active and engaging on social media), but word-of-mouth is still a huge motivator.

“50% of diners read reviews of restaurants on review sites, while 53% elect to visit a restaurant because their friends, colleagues or family recommended it.”

3. RESERVED!

Diners have expressed interest over pre-dining features that they wish restaurants could provide through technology. 80% would like to know how long the wait for a table before they arrive and 72% would want to choose their table/seating area beforehand. 60% would want to learn about special offers and 64% would want to confirm a reservation via text or SMS.

4. Polarized Opinions on Food Tech

But the consensus over the integration of technology into traditional food and dining experiences is divided.

“42% restaurant-goers would switch from one restaurant to another over the ability to order online. Meanwhile, only 20% of customers say they would rather use technology than interact with the restaurant staff.”

Clearly, the pervasion of technology is not appreciated in those areas where the human touch is needed and preferred.

5. “Let’s just get it delivered”

If you had any doubts about how popular food delivery has gotten, put them to rest.

The market accounts for $ 121,848 million in 2018. More importantly, online delivery has the largest share of the segment – 90.31% at $ 110,044 million.

6. As always, health is of paramount importance to customers

People want healthier options even if they won’t end up ordering something healthy. 70% of customers would choose one restaurant over another if it offered healthier food options.

7. Social Media Marketing

Restaurants, like most other businesses, are looking towards social media for marketing and customer engagement. 75% of restaurateurs used social media for advertisements.

8. Facebook VS Snapchat

Building upon the last fact, restaurants are most likely to use Facebook (92%) and least likely to use Snapchat (16%) for social media marketing, customer support, and enhancing customer engagement.

It is easy to see how well the restaurant business is responding to all the trends that keep popping up in the food and dining industry. These restaurant industry statistics are a clear indicator of its adaptability and openness to modernization. Technology has had its role to play in the way the industry has transformed and flourished.

Summing up

Restaurant management systems are a must-have tool for any dining establishment. Leverage the power of a good restaurant software to witness a dramatic escalation in all bottom line results!