Back in the day when cash was king, many customers made it a practice to drop their extra change in the tip jar after purchasing food at a counter service restaurant. It was their way of recognizing that staff, whose wages were modest, deserved some compensation for their hard work. But what happens now that more and more customers are paying with their credit or debit cards or even via their mobile phones?
The Benefits of Your Point-of-Sale Solution
If you own a counter service restaurant, you probably have a point-of-sale (POS) system that enables you to transact all sorts of payments, whether at the counter or via a mobile card reader right at a customer’s table. In addition to giving customers a way to use their credit and debit cards to purchase food, your POS is an invaluable assistant in the running of your business. It provides tools for monitoring inventory, administering payroll, and generating different types of reports.
All of these capabilities help you manage your restaurant more smoothly and efficiently, but there is one more that you may not have considered. If your POS isn’t already equipped with one, you can upgrade to a solution with a screen that enables customers to tip your counter staff at the time of payment.
Wage Increases
No one needs to tell you that the restaurant industry is cutthroat. Many eateries are surviving on only the thinnest of profit margins, making it exceedingly difficult to give your loyal staff the financial incentives you wish you could. Having a tipping screen on your POS gives you a way to let customers express their appreciation to staff in a concrete way that truly can make a difference. With fewer people carrying cash these days, having a seamless way to tip electronically is the only method that will give many customers a chance to provide a gratuity.
To Tip or Not to Tip
While many patrons will want to provide a little extra, not all will. Others may choose to do so tomorrow but not today. For this reason, you’re smart if you make sure your POS screen also prominently displays a “no tip” alternative. After all, no one wants to feel forced to spend more.
Now that cash is going the way of the DVD, don’t leave your customers –or your staff in the lurch. Talk to your merchant account provider today.
Equip yourself with a restaurant payment system that will help you run the place while simultaneously allowing patrons to tip your hard-working staff.
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