- Higher costs due to the rise in minimum wages.
- Staff shortages due to sick time and holidays.
- Customers dissatisfied due to long wait times or poor service.
- Increased competition from other restaurants using technology to speed up service.
- Staff shortages mean heavier loads on existing staff and less efficiency.
- Customers who are frustrated with long wait times are taking it out on the servers.
- Higher stress means more staff turnover.
- Existing systems require double entry. First the server writes the order on slips of paper, then they enter the order into a computer terminal.
- While the server is entering the order into a terminal at another location in the restaurant, customers are waiting!
- The customer has browsed the menu and has made a decision on meal selection, but there is no server to take the order.
- They have questions about items on the menu such as ingredients, side dishes or prices, but they have to wait to ask a server.
- They are waiting to place their order, but the server is busy answering endless questions at another table. Or the server is busy entering an order into a terminal somewhere.
- Customers have a limited time frame to eat and get frustrated when they cannot get a server to take their order. This makes them late to their next appointment or to get back to work.
- Due to poor service, they may never come back even if the quality of the food is good!