Service model

In this model, the wait staff remains involved with the customer but ordering and paying are automated. This allows servers to focus solely on answering questions when needed, or filling drinks. It improves table turnover rates because the customer can order and pay in their own time without flagging down someone. Some businesses, like Applebee’s, have kiosks where customers can flip through the menu and pay, while others require the customer to scan a QR code or open an app. Multiple services that can integrate with your POS allow restaurants to enable this.

Self-service beverages

While standard buffets can limit your takeout and delivery options and make food costs hard to manage, technology is creating the opportunity for other self-service options. For instance, Barlow’s Public House has installed a beer wall that gives customers a refillable card that they can scan and then fill from one of their many taps on hand.
See: Best beer wall in WA

On the non-alcoholic side, Panera Bread has introduced the Sip Club, which allows customers to pay $10.99 a month for the ability to come into the store and fill up a self-serve beverage any time they want. The transaction requires no increased labor and is linked with their loyalty program to ensure that members of the club download their app and sign up for their emails. Meanwhile, Sip Club members are coming into their store and smelling fresh-baked bread on a more regular basis.

Item-specific all you can eat

High food costs and food safety concerns are making the traditional buffet look less appealing, but customers are still interested in the idea. One example is Capo Boston, which doubled its sales on Wednesdays by offering all –you –can –eat pasta for $32 a person. Doing this with a cost-effective, but popular item on your menu can generate a lot of excitement and bring in new customers.

Half-service

This model is utilized at Café Nordstrom locations and proves you don’t have to be traditional to have class. Customers order up front and then choose a table, meaning that all the action – including third– party food delivery pickup – is centralized at the front of the store where two cashiers take orders. This is not a new concept, but it is one that is becoming more popular as restaurants remove tables in their dining rooms and streamline operations. In most cases, this model can improve table turnover times.

Further reading:

• Embracing the Quick Service Model – Boss magazine

Small plates and dim sum carts
Small plates in the style of tapas are becoming common for non-Spanish cuisine, but the Chinese dim sum cart has not yet been applied to, say, pizza. In the dim sum model, the cooks will produce large batches of a food item and staff will bring them around on carts where tables can choose from the items available. It can be cost-effective and efficient for the kitchen, and it creates a fun atmosphere that can’t be replicated by takeout or delivery.

Self-service kiosks for quick service
For operators that continue to struggle finding and retaining employees, self-service kiosks may be a good alternative. Fast food restaurants like Shake Shack and McDonald’s have been installing more self-service kiosks in their fast-casual restaurants, and customers appreciate the easy interaction. These can be as easy to install as an iPad on a stand and plenty of companies offer their platform for as low as $50 a month.

Prix fixe
A good way to save on food costs and preserve your prestige as a premium restaurant is to adopt the prix fixe model. French for fixed-price, prix fixe restaurants like Maximilien in Seattle offer a set multi-course menu for their customers and rarely allow customization. This can be changed as often or as little as you would like and allows the restaurant to cut food costs and specialize in certain ingredients better than many of the other service models. You can easily try it out with your existing menu by taking a few existing menu items, adding their prices together and reducing the total by about 10%. (That extra 10% off will likely not affect your bottom line because customers are much less likely to order four courses when they are not bundled together.) Many restaurants offer prix fixe menus with wine pairings for each course, which drives the ticket size up further. This elegant option can turn your spot into a date night favorite with huge ticket prices overnight and is a great option for operators looking to add some class to a hotel restaurant.

The key ingredients for a successful prix fixe model are requiring firm reservations several days in advance and charging the customer when they make the reservation. This allows you to know more precisely what your food and labor requirements are going to be ahead of time. This will lead to less food waste and more efficient scheduling based on the specific needs for the day.

Further reading:

• Restaurant iconiq offers inspired plates and killer views
• Canlis menu The Herbfarm menu

See: Rick Braa: Optimizing menus