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Originally Posted On: https://besttabletsguide.com/tablets-for-restaurants/
In the food industry, both customers and owners will tell you that technology is here to stay. About 73% of diners agree that restaurant technology improves their dining experience. Also, 93% of restaurateurs agree that restaurant technology boosts the efficiency of their business.
Restaurants and cafes are jumping on the digital train. From self-ordering kiosks to fully virtual “ghost kitchens.” With technology steadily taking a foothold in the food industry, the pandemic has only served to speed up its integration.
If you’re an owner looking to make the jump, digitalizing your menu on tablets is the way to go. It’s less expensive than self-ordering kiosks and not nearly as drastic as “ghost kitchens.”
So, keep reading to discover your options for tablets already helping food service everywhere!
1. Ziosk
A specialized table ordering tablet for dining restaurants manufactured by TableTop Media. Ziosk tablets grace the tables of giant chain franchises like Chili’s and Olive Garden. The brand also offers software and device options to small and medium-sized clients.
Ziosk currently has five options on its website:
- Ziosk Original, their standard tabletop tablet
- Ziosk Mini, a half-size portrait version of the Original
- Ziosk Pro, their handheld tablet
- Ziosk Tether, their POS terminal
- Ziosk Virtual, their web-based software accessible on their customers’ phones
Apart from digital menu displays, Ziosk tablets also provide entertainment for a fee. TableTop Media rents its devices through subscriptions and shares the revenue of paid games.
2. Presto
Presto is Applebee’s and Outback Steakhouse’s tablet of choice. This is a more versatile provider of tech for the restaurant industry. They have Presto Voice, a voice ordering system, Presto Vision, an AI camera tracker, and even an Autonomous Delivery Vehicle.
Most notably, though, we’re here for their Touch line with the Presto Flex tablet.
Presto Flex is a multi-purpose tablet with voice and camera capabilities. It can be handheld for taking table and drive-thru orders. And it can also be a tabletop tablet on customer tables, games, or counters.
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab Active
Our first tablet entry isn’t specialized for restaurant service. So will it hold up to the challenge? Absolutely!
As Samsung’s rugged tablet series, every device in this line can take a beating. From withstanding front-of-house orders, busy back-of-house kitchens, all the way to out-of-house deliveries.
Resistant to dust, dirt, and water, it’s your most reliable bet for busy food establishments. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab Active line includes Active2, Active3, and Active Pro. The hustle never stops because all of them have removable batteries with over 10 hours of battery life.
4. Apple IPad Air
No quality tech list would be complete without an Apple entry. Apple’s iPad Air is a powerful and flexible tool already embraced by many business owners. Although not an industry standard for menu display, it shines as a data managing and marketing tool.
With sizes including the 9.7-inch and 10.2-inch iPad Pro, it’s also one of the fastest ones on this list. Making it great for displaying menus and taking orders. Being an Apple product is a great bonus for employee familiarity with its operation.
5. Toast
Back to the specialized restaurant service tablets. Another all-around hardware and software provider for the food service industry. Toast is a well-versed source for your tablet needs.
Its standard Toast Flex 14-inch tablet can be tabletop, handheld, or even wall-mounted. Designed for restaurant rigor, it’s spill, dust, great, and heat resistant. The Flex line also offers Toast Flex for guests with a customer-facing screen and Toast Flex for Kitchen for BOH operation.
6. Nexus 9
HTC and Google’s lovechild, the Nexus 9, is a portable business tool for on-the-go performance. For budget-conscious restaurateurs, it’s more on the cheap side and can cost under $300. However, does that make it unreliable?
Of course not. As a business manager, you can rely on it for mobile POS on top of serving as a digital menu. As a work tablet, it can manage data analytics from customer profiling to inventory.
It’s also not too bad in the durability department with a Gorilla Glass 3 screen. One of the strongest screens on the market, it can resist high pressures, cuts, and scratches. All of which are very real threats in a busy resto.
7. Buzztime
This is Buffalo Wild Wing’s preferred restaurant tablet. This tablet brings fun and profit to a table with arcade and trivia games. It’s a fully handheld option that encourages socializing among guests.
It brings a menu to life and allows at-table orders and payments. As a restaurant tablet, it can also withstand the typical spills and scratches.
Why Should Restaurants and Cafes Switch to Digital Menus?
Digital Menus are powerful data managing tools for your Point of Sale (POS) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.
Whether they’re tableside, handheld, or on the counter, here are the benefits you can expect to reap:
- Premium customer experience
- Fast ordering
- Enhanced accessibility (translations, text-to-speech, alt text, etc.)
- Contactless transactions
- Improved customer profiling
- More information about an item and its ingredients
- Increased safety
- Eases staffing shortages
- Better inventory management
- Easier transition to online and mobile service
- Efficient front-of-house (FOH) to back-of-house (BOH) interaction
The Food and Drug Administration insists that restaurants implement “no touch” transactions due to health risks. It’s also recommended that high-touch surfaces—like tablet screens—should be frequently disinfected. When deciding what tablet to use for your business, make sure it can withstand regular wipe downs.
Take Your Service to the Next Level
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Digital menus on tablets make a world of difference for customers and employees alike. They speed up service and improve the guest experience. As data tools, they also ease the flow of information from the customer to the counter and to the kitchen.
Make the digital leap for your business! Take your pick from any of the great options sure to upgrade service in restaurants and cafes.
If you have any tech questions, don’t be afraid to reach out to our qualified team!
