Anyone familiar with restaurant table tracking

My wife's business is looking for a solution to better track tables and their orders. Currently, the customer is given a flag with a number on it, and then the runner has to walk around looking for the number. They want to better narrow down their search area. I know RFID and GPS options exist, we're just not sure what to look for. We got a quote from one of these companies that was 6k in hardware and 400 bucks a month, which is just way too much money. Not sure if thats the typical rate, or they're just insane.

 

Couldn't she just use certain numbered flags for certain sections? If the runner has to take something for #327 he should know that's table #2 in section #3. The flags given out really don't have to be given out in sequential order.

 

If the situation is that you give the customer a flag when they place their order, then they choose where to sit, the table flag is often the only way to track the customer when its time to bring food to their table.

I'd look for a solution that has a receiver in the flag that will, when triggered, light up the flag and make it flash or something to make it easier to spot. This of course, requires good sight-lines throughout the seating area to see the flashing flag.

Sort of like putting one of those coaster pagers on the flag, then page the coaster when the order needs to be taken out to the table.
Thinking about it, I'd look at coaster pagers and figure out a way to mount them on a flag so that they can be easily used that way.
You'd just need to be able to separate the coasters from the flag to recharge them.
Google "Coaster Pagers" and you'll get some ideas.

 

personally using flags is kinda "tacky" to me. ever been to a really good restaurant with flags? make a map of the floor plan, number, or letter them, laminate it. now make several, one at the entrance for the seating person, one at the waitstaff staging unit, one in the kitchen, one in the bussing, runner area... make the runners, bussers learn the numbered sections. dry erase marker waitstaff sections by name or color. with the dry erase, it can be changed easily, for "issues"

dont allow the patrons to know how you are finding their table correctly, it should be magic. Just like waitstaff that dont use order pads, just go by memory, and the order is right. that is a GOOD RESTAURANT.

dont over think it. you dont need extravagant means to do this. Ski

 

In a full service customer fully managed sit-down restaurant the host seats you the waitstaff comes and takes your order. All tables are numbered and the table number goes on the order ticket so when the food comes up, the ticket shows where to deliver it. This happens regardless of whether the customer ever sees any evidence of the numbering system, or an order pad, etc.

One step back from that is you seat yourself, then the first person to visit you notes the table # and ties it to your order.

Since the OP said they use flags now, I made the assumption that their setup is that the customer comes in and orders at the counter, receives a flag, then selects their own seat.

The issue is that the staff have to find where the customer chose to sit. While each table is still likely numbered on the floor plan, there is the matter of linking the order to a table location. In that situation, there are several ways to handle locating the place to deliver the order:

- Don't deliver, make the customer come back to the counter and pick it up

- Use the flag to find the customer's table
Several ways to deal with figuring out where a customer has sat:
A) have the bus/dining room staff note where flags are while circulating to clear tables and check on customers - assign each table a location and have the bus/dining room staff whiteboard which flag is at what table. The person dropping off the order will recover the flag, and clear the whiteboad. There are probably ways to do this with a screen and a keyboard as well.
A solution of this sort using RFID or barcodes would have the circulating staff scan the receipt/flag barcode/RFID and then the table barcode/RFID on a pad/tablet. This gets sent to the screen at the counter to link the table with the order.

B) use bigger flags so they are more easily visible
C) use some sort of light-up flag that can be triggered from the counter
D) track all flags with some sort of radio location, and have the map of flags show up at the counter. Most expensive, but least intrusive.

I've experienced variations on this where you just put your receipt on the table, and the dining room staff circulate and note your receipt # and link it to your table #. The customer never sees/notices how this is done.

 

How big is this place? Is the flag system really that difficult?

 

It might not be all about size. Sight lines can impact the search time as well and meanwhile the food is getting colder and the person doing the search is wasting time.

There is one other solution not mentioned by Beac, and that would be to put electronic ordering pads on the tables and then folks don't even have to go to the counter to order. If the menu is too large or varying day to day this doesn't work well either. Probably fairly high initial cost but should come with a lower monthly cost. It does require the tables to be a bit more "fixed" in location, so might not be great for places that get large parties.

I think in general places that operate on the order at the counter and we bring you the food are on the decline because of some of the limitations. I just don't see many places like that anymore. Most places I see these days you either get full service or you come back to the counter to get your food (Five Guys, etc.).

 

I've never known a resturant of any size (other than a tiny store-front restaurant with less than say 5 or 10 tables) where there isn't a floor plan and numbered table locations.

If you have a electronic order pad attached to a table, the link between the order and where to deliver it is easily done in the software. Each pad has an address that is linked to the table location.

 

I guess I should clarify some points, though Beac83 nailed most of the assumptions.

1. Its a brewery with food option (so not super hoity toity), the customer orders at the counter and takes a flag and then goes to sit wherever they want. No assigned seating.
2. We thought about having the customer coming back and picking up their food, its how it was originally planned and tested, but that led to its own issues and we found out customers really liked having food brought to them (for a number of reasons).
3. Its a very new place (opened in September) so overhead is a concern now, having someone dedicated to just walk around and note tables is not in the cards, plus, tables can flip pretty quick so that option would definitely need a dedicated person for just that.
4. Its a big enough area, 2 inside rooms, and a large out door area (picnic tables for seating if that explains the vibe). So when people grab a flag, they can fall over, or people put them where its just not visible, or whatever. Its becoming enough of a hassle that we're looking at other options.

All said, its an issue, and we're trying to find the best solution. A RFID type map would definitely be the best (narrow the location down to a 10 foot area or something), but the quote we got was so out of the realm of possibility, we just need to come up with other options.

 

Is the place too loud to call out names?

 

If you are going to have circulating staff, you will need to make them a value add. Offer to refill water, sell more beer, etc. to make it pay. Otherwise, just have the staff that are clearing tables do it. No additional overhead, but more efficient service.

If your model is food is ordered at the counter, but alcohol is ordered tableside, the server doing the alcohol sales is ideal to provide this linking of food orders and table locations.

 

There's no table service at all, everything is ordered at the bar. The only table service is dropping off food orders. There's also no dedicated bussers, its people with time between running food, or washing dishes, or bartenders during a break. Very small staff right now.

Its a lot of nitpicky issues that makes this a special case unfortunately.

 

Could you put up a few mail order cameras capable of spotting the numbers?

 

Lol...first world problems...sheesh.

 

larger flags with longer poles so they can see them better....maybe use US state flags or world countries so its a kitsch thing. Instead of a small number 37 flag, people are flying a 12" flag from Idaho or Belarus. They just have to note the state/country on the order ticket.


Also good luck. Restaurant business sucks, but at least in this case you get beer with it.

 

Sounds like a tough situation.

The only other thing to investigate is RFID readers (combined with RFID in flags) or perhaps bluetooth beacons at doorways so at least you'd know which room to look in.

But I'd keep looking for a low-tech solution. The best, cheapest solutions are the ones you can do simply.

 

I'd try an improved flag solution (taller/better visibility) as an initial fix. I also think its ok to call out the number and look for a raised hand, but that may not jibe with your vibe. What's the pub (yes, I am interested in your beer list)?

 

Put a shock collar on the customer. When his food is ready give him the "juice". It'll be easy to see which customer is flopping around on the floor.

 

Tell them when your orders ready we'll give you a little tingle, holler so we can find you. If we can't find you we'll turn it up.