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From Chaos to Control: How PAR Brink POS Transforms the Daily Grind for Restaurant Staff

PAR Team — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 05:00:04 +0000

In today’s restaurant landscape, where new technology and flashy trends vie for attention, a fundamental truth remains: human connection is the bedrock of truly remarkable guest experiences. As Brett Schulman, CEO of Cava and a valued PAR customer, aptly said in a recent QSR article, “the people who deliver great service every day, in every restaurant, every shift” are what set winning concepts apart. Well-trained, motivated, and engaged employees are the architects of genuine hospitality, crafting seamless operations, top-notch service, and a welcoming atmosphere that inspires loyalty and repeat business.

However, the industry faces a harsh reality: high staff turnover. According to a National Restaurant Association survey, nearly 62% of restaurant operators lacked the personnel to meet customer needs in 2023. This revolving door of employees disrupts operations, leaving knowledge gaps and requiring constant re-training. The impact is significant: increased training costs, compromised service quality and consistency, and ultimately, a dampened bottom line.

In this tight labor landscape, prioritizing the staff experience is crucial. Restaurants need to invest in technology that empowers their employees. The POS system – pulsing with omnichannel orders, data, and the constant churn of a busy day – holds immense potential to transform the staff experience. Streamlining operations, automating tasks, and minimizing errors frees staff from stress, allows faster service, and equips them for success. By creating a smoother experience with the right POS, you’ll see the rewards in efficient operations, happier staff, and delighted guests. For this, choose a complete POS partner – powerful tools, scalable tech, purposeful customer-focused innovation, and trusted allyship.

PAR Brink POS: Designed for Staff Success

PAR Brink POS, a leading cloud-based POS system, addresses staff-centric needs head-on. Built with meaningful innovation that prioritizes user needs and experience, Brink empowers your team from day one. Its flexible design and powerful functionality ease morning rushes, dinner crowds, and everything in between, reducing friction and making work less stressful.

Let’s explore some of Brink’s fantastic capabilities specifically designed to address common employee pain points ultimately making their jobs easier, more efficient, and more rewarding.

Resilient In-Store: In the hectic restaurant setting, a few things stress staff like a malfunctioning POS. Brink POS is designed to ensure that employees never lose access to their POS in-store, even in high-demand situations or technical disruptions. Even if the primary register stumbles, a dedicated backup seamlessly steps in, running independent of the internet and the cloud. This ensures that staff can focus on what they do best – delivering exceptional service – without the stress of tech meltdowns.
Configured To Staff Comfort: Take the guesswork out of the POS setup with flexible configurations and easy-to-customize screens. Brink bends to your restaurant, not the other way around. From out-of-the-box templates to custom menus and workflows, Brink fits your desired brand and processes. Staff learn in 30 minutes, not days, thanks to the intuitive interface and familiar feel. Less clicking, less training, and less stress ensures happy staff – it’s a Brink thing.
Easy Order Management: Sleek order preview panels let staff see up to 8 orders at once on the menu screen, allowing them to scan, validate, and process orders in seconds. No switching screens, hunting for details, or order confusion. Plus, Brink’s tablet-optimized drag & drop lets you shuffle orders on the fly. Easily manage the flow by moving orders, saving spots, and keeping everything organized with a single swipe. Brink ensures your team always stays in control.
Stress-free Pick-Ups: The Bag Chit feature consolidates all crucial order details onto one receipt, providing staff with a clear and concise overview of each guest’s to-go order. This eliminates the risk of order mix-ups and establishes a smooth pick-up process for both employees and guests, ultimately reducing stress and frustration for all.
Charitable Giving Made Easy: Brink’s Round Up for Charity functionality lets guests seamlessly support their favorite charities with a single tap at checkout, without the need for cashier prompting. It transforms potentially awkward moments between the guest and cashier into pressure-free, positive interactions. With manual prompting out the door, checkouts flow faster, making everyone happy.
No More Payday Panic: Brink POS automates pay rate changes, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and workplace equity. No more manual scheduling or calculations. Operators gain insights into future labor costs and can synchronize adjustments for all employees fairly. Freed from administrative tasks, managers can focus on strategic initiatives and better support their staff.

Investing in a staff-friendly POS system like PAR Brink POS is more than just a purchase; it’s a strategic move. Empowering your team with the right tools and support leads to a ripple effect: happier employees, smoother operations, and ultimately, better bottom line. It’s a win-win that keeps your business thriving for years to come.

Visit us at Brink POS or request a demo today!

The post From Chaos to Control: How PAR Brink POS Transforms the Daily Grind for Restaurant Staff appeared first on partech.com.

What Makes a Pizza POS?

PAR Team — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 21:39:10 +0000

Pizza is a dish held close to almost every American’s heart. It is a quick, easy, and delicious go-to meal for most families, with an estimated 93% of Americans eating a slice at least once a month. And in certain cities around the country where pizza is in the spotlight, like Chicago and New York, the number of regular pizza eaters can certainly be much higher. In the United States alone, pizza is a $45.1B industry, and that metric is only expected to grow as consumers continue to crave a slice of the pie.

Contrary to popular belief, pizza restaurants are not just another subcategory of the restaurant industry. In fact, it actually has quite a few distinctive features when it comes to leveraging technology and providing unique consumer experiences. Given the recent surge in customization in restaurants, having a tech stack that’s able to handle modifications and substitutions is more important than ever before—and pizza is no exception. Pizza historically has more nuances and modifications to the order than any other restaurant dish. This makes it essential for any pizza parlor to sport a point-of-sale (POS) system that’s more than up for the task, ensuring that customers can grab that flawless slice to their liking pronto! PAR Technology’s PixelPoint POS is proven to step up to the plate, handling every kind of pizza that comes its way, making it an ideal fit for all forms of eateries, whether it’s a big chain or a standalone joint that whips up its own dough!

But what makes PixelPoint POS the ideal choice for any pizza restaurant? Let’s break it down:

Customizable Pizza Builder: The ideal pizza POS must be able to build personalized pizza pies catered to consumers’ requests while assigning the right price tag to it. A POS system that can customize guests ’ pizzas to their liking ensures they can personalize their pizza size, crust type, cheese selection, an array of toppings, and any other request they may have.
Split toppings and half-and-half orders: The ability to split toppings and accommodate half-and-half orders is crucial. Split orders enable customers to choose different toppings on each half of their pizza, while half-and-half orders allow customers to combine two pre-made pizza recipes on one pie. It is important that your pizza POS allows for splits and half-and-half orders to allow customers flexibility.
Specials and Combos: Imagine a family pizza night without those delightful breadsticks or a sweet dessert on the side – it just wouldn’t be the same! Combos not only serve as a welcoming invitation for diners but can also act as a clever strategy to boost pizza sales. In fact, larger pizza chains often sweeten the deal by bundling sides or beverages with a pizza order. For managing such enticing combinations, your POS must seamlessly factor in special pricing, coupons, and discounts at the checkout stage. After all, it’s these little touches that keep both customers and profits rolling in!
Online Ordering and Delivery: The bread and butter, or the sauce and cheese, of pizza operations are online ordering and delivery services. According to the US Department of Agriculture, 59% of Americans choose to eat pizza in their homes rather than dine out at pizza restaurants. This makes online ordering and delivery options or integrations an absolute essential for any pizza brand’s POS system.
Customer Database: Whether it’s a sprawling enterprise or the cozy mom-and-pop pizzeria just around the corner, any pizza POS has the power to boost efficiency and customer frequency by utilizing a customer database. Leveraging a customer database serves two purposes: 1. For delivery and re-orders, operators can trim down time by streamlining the process, thus enhancing overall operations., 2. The brand can go the extra mile in cherishing and retaining customers with a range of customer management features. These include order history tracking, customer profiles, and the capability to dispatch targeted promotions or tailor-made offers. Incorporating such features will not only enhance business operations but will also add that extra layer of personalization that keeps customers coming back for more slices of your pizza goodness.

Whether you’re eyeing expansion for your operations or aiming to streamline sales and labor tracking, PixelPoint has all the ingredients a pizza restaurant could possibly desire.

If you’re looking to upgrade to PAR’s Pizza POS, or are interested in learning more, visit us at PixelPoint or schedule a demo today!

The post What Makes a Pizza POS? appeared first on partech.com.

Fortifying Your Restaurant: How A Modern POS Enhances Security and Compliance

PAR Team — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 20:45:08 +0000

In today’s landscape, restaurants are rapidly embracing technology to drive operational efficiency and elevate their guest experience. On average, brands now work with 20 to 30 technology vendors – ranging from POS systems, online ordering and delivery aggregators to loyalty programs, back-office tools, a plethora of digital payment methods and more. Ultimately, this recent technology surge has led to a significant increase in the volume of customer data that restaurants generate and need to manage, making data protection a paramount concern. Plus, with restaurant networks being routinely accessed by numerous staff and vendors within their ecosystem, new challenges have emerged in safeguarding this information. In an era marked by increasing data breaches and cyber attacks, data security is a top concern for IT and technology leaders in the hospitality industry.

Sitting at the core of a restaurant’s technology stack, the POS system is a critical bulwark in ensuring its security and compliance. This is because the POS handles sensitive payment information and acts as a bridge to various third-party vendors, making it a prime target for potential threats and breaches. Data breaches, when successful, are publicly reported and result in reputational damage, loss of customer trust, and financial burdens like lost sales, fines, compensation, and increased insurance premiums.

Therefore, it is essential for restaurant owners and operators to choose a POS partner with strong security features and a proven record of compliance to protect against these risks. In fact, The 2023 Smart Guide to Restaurant Management and POS Systems revealed that 69% of over 300 surveyed restaurant IT decision-makers identified meeting security and payment compliance requirements as one of the biggest benefits of choosing the right POS system.

Key Considerations for a Secure POS Provider

It is crucial to note that not all POS systems offer the same level of protection. Although the prospect of upgrading to a more secure POS might initially seem expensive and challenging, in reality, it is a small price to pay to avoid the above-mentioned consequences of data lapses. So, what do you need to futureproof and safeguard your restaurant’s operations in an increasingly digital world? Read below.

Modern Architecture and Security Features

Choose a POS system with the right architectural foundation. A cloud-native POS is designed from the ground up with optimal security in mind, making it the superior choice compared to legacy systems with on-premises servers or partial cloud configurations. Modern cloud-based POS solutions offer robust security measures, including data encryption, proactive monitoring, and role-based access controls. In contrast, legacy systems often run on outdated, inflexible software architectures and lack the robust security tools needed to combat evolving vulnerabilities, making them easier targets for cyber-attacks, ransomware, and other issues.

Proven Certification and Compliance Track-Record

The increased focus on data privacy has also led to strict regulations like the Payment Card Industry Software Security Framework (PCI SSF), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Restaurants must select a POS that enables them to fully adhere to these rules as non-compliance can result in hefty penalties, reputational harm, and the inability to process card payments, leading to loss in revenues.

Legacy POS systems can impede compliance efforts significantly. They often lack the mandated modern data handling practices, struggle with timely updates and patches, and face resource limitations. In fact, this challenge persists even with cloud-based POS solutions, as many of them lack full PCI compliance. To address potential compliance gaps in these cases, especially when managing multiple vendors or disjointed technology, restaurants are forced to invest in middleware or extra technology. This incurs additional expenses and distracts from core business operations.

PAR Brink POS is the cloud-based solution that delivers on these considerations, providing customers with a reliable POS partner that takes a comprehensive approach to security:

Brink POS uses powerful encryption to protect data during transmission and storage, ensuring safe exchanges between the POS system and other components. Unnecessary data is removed or anonymized daily, following industry standards.
To stay ahead of security threats, Brink POS regularly updates its cloud infrastructure and proactively monitors for any unusual activities. It also allows brands to precisely define user roles and staff permissions and enforces multi-factor authentication, reducing the risk of unauthorized access and internal breaches.
For system reliability and in-store continuity, Brink POS uses redundant servers to prevent failures, minimize downtime, and preserve data integrity. In the event of network disruptions, it seamlessly switches to offline mode, ensuring uninterrupted operations and secure data synchronization when reconnected.
Brink POS is designed to meet evolving regulations and holds an industry-leading track record of compliance certifications. It was one of the first to achieve PCI SSF certification, a modern standard for payment software security that builds on PCI DSS. Paired with PAR Payment Solutions, Brink POS also simplifies and automates compliance certification processes for brands. Thus, restaurant operators can focus on running their business instead of worrying about complex paperwork, compliance gaps, or fines.

Interested in learning more about modern POS systems that combine operational efficiency and security? Visit us at Brink POS or Download the eBook now!

The post Fortifying Your Restaurant: How A Modern POS Enhances Security and Compliance appeared first on partech.com.

Fresh Kitchen Increases Speed of Service and Order Accuracy with Brink POS®

Michelle George — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 13:29:31 +0000

In 2021, Fresh Kitchen turned to PAR Technology to deploy a configurable
point-of-sale system that could accommodate both cloud-based and on-
premises ordering—and enable customers to complete their orders in under
60 seconds.

Part of the Ciccio Restaurant Group, Fresh Kitchen is a modern, fast-casual
dining concept offering premium gluten-free, non-dairy, vegan-friendly
bowls and homemade sauces, as well as pressed juices, homemade
teas, and agua frescas without added refined sugars. With 12 locations
throughout the Tampa, Orlando, and South Florida markets, Fresh Kitchen
plans to expand throughout the state of Florida over the next several years.

According to Daniel Meretsky, Vice President and Head of Technology, Fresh
Kitchen “wanted to have the ability to have a Near Field Communication
(NFC) payment option that allows PARPay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and
other payment opportunities, but wouldn’t lock them in to any single card
processor.” Additionally, they wanted a point-of-sale system that could be
deployed quickly, at scale, without compromising quality.

“We wanted to ensure that the system was always on the forefront of
integrations with loyalty solutions and third parties,” said Meretsky. “One
that offered multiple levels of team members’ security and has a very
stable platform. We did an RFP with several companies and PAR came
out to be the one that met all the requirements that we wanted. When we
showcased it to a few of our other C-suite executives they really enjoyed the
PAR Brink POS ® experience.

…

The post Fresh Kitchen Increases Speed of Service and Order Accuracy with Brink POS® appeared first on partech.com.

Grow Your Restaurant with the Right POS Solution

PAR Team — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 13:20:09 +0000

Leave behind your legacy POS solution and upgrade to the all-in-one Brink POS

By Brandon Solnit – PAR Technology

Legacy point-of-sale solutions are a dying breed. What was once revolutionary restaurant technology has quickly turned into a headache for restaurant owners, managers, and franchisees. Old POS solutions tend to cause front-of-house clutter and confusion that leads to slower service speeds and lower customer satisfaction. Your POS must be an all-in-one, easy-to-integrate, and easy-to-use solution to provide customers with fast service and a wonderful experience. A solution like Brink POS.

PAR Technology’s Brink POS gives you the flexibility to scale and the customization to personalize your offerings, making it the ideal solution to grow your brand. This all-in-one system was designed for enterprises but fits the needs and is flexible enough for independent restaurant owners. It’s time to ditch your outdated point-of-sale technology and make the switch to the future of POS solutions. Here is everything you need to know about Brink POS and how it will elevate your brand.

An easy-to-integrate all-in-one solution

Brink POS is an all-in-one point-of-sale solution that includes everything you need to successfully run a restaurant and meet the demands of your growing brand. Brink POS is designed to scale and supports rapid rollouts with minimal friction. Open web API (Application Programming Interfaces) allows this point-of-sale solution to play well with others and work hand-in-hand with your existing products and systems. Brink POS’s open platform welcomes the latest and greatest in restaurant innovation, like PARPay, which brings forth more flexibility to pay, digital ordering strategies, and so much more for your customers. Brink POS’s extensive integration partner ecosystem gives restaurant operators the freedom of choice to select the partnerships that align with their needs.

Designed for the Cloud

With its cloud-based architecture, Brink POS allows restaurants to gain a sense of awareness and take control of their operations. The cloud-based architecture eliminates the need for a back-office server as all your data is seamlessly transferred to a secure and remote data center, reducing in-house clutter. Cloud-based services provide restaurant owners, managers, and franchisees with unlimited storage removing the need to install or maintain data in your restaurant. In the event of an internet outage, Brink POS will go into “Offline” mode and store crucial data and transactions that occurred in that time, then forward them to you when the connection is restored.

Brink POS enables you to receive essential data and insights about your customer’s spending habits and order frequency. Data is available in one place and can be exported whenever you need it from wherever you may be. To reduce the risks of cyber breaches, PAR Technology will act as an additional layer of technical support for your restaurant. Brink POS updates automatically and features will always be on the latest version in real-time at no extra cost.

Features that will benefit your brand

Outdated point-of-sale solutions do not provide essential features to help restaurants with their services. Brink POS, on the other hand, presents features like customizable menus, Brink Kitchen, and built-in loyalty that are beneficial to your services and designed to help guide your brand’s growth.

Customizable menus give restaurant owners and managers the freedom to personalize their brand by creating custom-built layouts, borders, and panels. This enables you to match your restaurant and maintain consistency throughout all applications.

To maintain regularity throughout your entire restaurant, Brink kitchen can be configured to unite your front and back-of-the-house staffers. Brink Kitchen is a built-in feature that is designed to reduce errors and improve the overall efficiency of your restaurant by increasing the communication of staff. Instead of juggling multiple orders on the line, Brink Kitchen permits your staff to easily keep track of and prioritize orders accordingly. Restaurant operators can ensure guests’ substitutions or special requests are always achieved to strengthen customer satisfaction.

Another way Brink POS strengthens customer satisfaction is through built-in loyalty programs. Brink POS can be configured to the best loyalty programs like Punchh that allow restaurants to connect with customers across all ordering channels. The Punchh loyalty program offers unmatched breadth and depth for industry-specific integrations and creates engaging campaigns through valuable customer data. Loyalty programs are currently a hot commodity in the restaurant industry and can help attract and retain customers.

Brink POS is tailored to fit the wants and needs of restaurant owners and operators. Make the switch to Brink POS today to remove the vendor spaghetti and the inconsistent experience that comes with legacy POS solutions. Tech is winning and it is time for your restaurant to be at the forefront of technology.

Learn more

Brink POS is a monthly SaaS (software as a service) subscription and is competitively priced so there are low up-front costs and lower maintenance costs. To learn more about how Brink POS can help your brand, request a demo today!

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