How Restaurants Can Offer an Amazon Go Experience
Serve more tables by enabling your guests to skip the payment process
The rise of technology has revolutionized many industries, including the way we shop and dine. The introduction of AmazonGo, Amazon’s cashierless grocery store, has disrupted the traditional shopping experience, offering a fast and convenient way to purchase items without the need to wait in line.
Now, this technology is being adapted for use in restaurants, bringing the same benefits to the dining experience.
The AmazonGo grocery store experience and the restaurant “Get up and Go” payment experience have many similarities. Both offer a convenient and efficient way to purchase goods and food without waiting in line, waiting for a bill or going through a traditional payment process.
Whether you’re a fan of fast and convenient shopping or dining experiences, this new technology is worth checking out.
What is Amazon Go?
Amazon Go is a chain of convenience stores in the United States and the United Kingdom that are cashierless and in turn partially automated. Customers are able to walk in, and purchase items without being checked out by a cashier or using self-checkout stations.
If you’re unfamiliar with the process, watch this quick video below.
Why develop this technology?
If it’s not broken, don’t fix it, right? Well, maybe.
At the core, this type of experience alleviates a major pain for the modern consumer, and that is waiting.
People hate waiting in lines to pay at stores:
- 75% of consumers say waiting in line in line is the worst part of an in store experience
- One study showed 60% of shoppers would likely shop elsewhere if they could have a better checkout experience
- 86% of shoppers say they avoid stores if they perceive the queue to be long
Diners hate waiting to pay at restaurants:
- A national survey found that 52% of restaurant goers would like to see restaurants incorporate more technology to make payment easier
- 22% of customers hate waiting for the bill, even if it’s “only” 5 or 20 minutes
- One in 10 diners admit to not paying the bill because of waiting times
- Nine of 10 diners admit to foregoing a tip for the same reason
- Millenials and Gen-Z are willing to pay a premium, just to not wait to pay
A restaurant can have the tastiest food and the best service, but if the payment process takes too long, it could leave the customer with a negative perception of the whole dining experience.
What does it look like for a full service restaurant?
So how can restaurants leverage technology to alleviate painful and time consuming payment experiences, while maintaining a great dining experience?
One answer is to use a digital tab system.
In the video below, OrderUp’s CEO Chris Gilpin explains how restaurants are able to serve significantly larger lunch crowds because diners can simply get up and go.
The traditional steps of service remains the same. Guests still have a server, and are able to order directly from them, and pay with cash or card.
The only difference, is that it gives guests the option to get up and go should they be in a rush, or the restaurant is understaffed.
How Does a Digital Tab System Work?
Guests are seated at a table that is equipped with a unique QR code that is attached to a table number, and shows the most up to date menu.
Guests scan the QR code with their smartphone to access the restaurant’s ordering platform.
Guests will have to input basic info such as Name, Email for receipt, and a Credit Card (ApplePay or GooglePay) to have on file.
Guests place their order directly from their smartphone, selecting menu items and specifying any special requests.
The restaurant’s point-of-sale (POS) system automatically updates with the guests’ order, and chits are printed to the desired station (kitchen, bar etc).
Throughout the meal, guests can add items to their tab as they order more food or drinks. This can be done from the server side, or from the guests phone.
When the meal is over, guests can simply walk out of the restaurant. The restaurant can close the guests’ tab from their POS system, which automatically charges the guests’ credit card on file.
Guests receive a receipt via email or through the restaurant’s ordering platform, and can rate their experience or leave feedback.
Benefits of a Digital Tab System
Benefits to the restaurant:
Increased efficiency: By allowing guests to place orders and open tabs from their own devices, the restaurant can reduce the need for staff to take orders and handle cash, leading to increased efficiency and potential cost savings.
More customers & table turns: When guests have the peace of mind that they can be in & out, they’re more likely to dine at your restaurant versus another, especially if there are time constraints for busy hours like lunch service.
Improved accuracy: The use of technology reduces the chance of human error in the ordering and payment process, resulting in fewer mistakes and improved accuracy.
Enhanced customer experience: By providing guests with a quick and seamless ordering and payment process, the restaurant can improve the overall customer experience and increase customer satisfaction by letting the customer leave on their own time.
Increased data insights: The restaurant can collect and analyze data from the ordering and payment platform, gaining valuable insights into customer behaviour and preferences that can inform business decisions.
Benefits to the guest:
Convenience: Guests can place orders and pay for their food directly from their own devices, making the process faster and more convenient.
Increased control: Guests have more control over the ordering and payment process, including the ability to add items to their tab, view their total, and close their tab at any time. They are also able to order & pay traditionally if that’s what they prefer.
Overall, a hybrid ordering and payment system in a restaurant can offer an improved and more convenient dining experience for guests and increased efficiency and bottom line for the restaurant.
