Mobility & Loyalty Dominate POS Headlines in March
March headlines proved that mobility and loyalty still remain the hot topics where the point of sale is concerned. Major operators including Pizza Hut and Buffalo Wild Wings have been investing in new tableside technology to enhance the customer service and payment experience. Check out all of the hot news stories from March.
Pizza Hut Tests Tabletop Technology to Further Engage Guests
Pizza Hut is in the concept phase of testing an interactive table, created in partnership with Chaotic Moon Studios, which has done work on the Pizza Hut mobile app. The table lets guests visualize their pizza as they construct it right on the tabletop touchscreen as they order it. Guests will be able to select crust, sauce and cheese (half or whole), then add toppings. The entire menu will be available on the tabletop.
Hotels & Restaurants Dabble in Mobile Payment
Most every customer these days has a smartphone in his or her pocket. Many also have a tablet in their purse or briefcase as well. With consumers becoming more and more reliant on mobile technology in every aspect of their lives, customer-initiated mobile payments is a natural progression for both hotels and restaurants. While there is not yet widespread use of mobile wallets, experts agree that this is the future of payments.
Buffalo Wild Wings Engages Guests with Next-Gen Tabletop Tablets
Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. has announced that it is partnering with NTN Buzztime, Inc. to bring the company’s BEOND tablet-based entertainment platform to all of their North America restaurant locations by the end of 2015. Buzztime’s BEOND tablet lets Buffalo Wild Wings Guests order food, request songs and television programming, play games (both multi-player and arcade-style), and pay the bill.
The seven-inch Samsung Galaxy touchscreen tablets are pre-loaded with games and music options. With a mix of complimentary and paid content, the BEOND tablets enable multi-player, multi-location gaming; guests may play popular trivia and poker games against other individuals, another table or even other restaurant locations. The Guest Experience Wingman feature allows Guests to send an alert to their server with pre-defined requests like questions on how to use their Buzztime tablet, set up a Blazin’® wing challenge or requests to have a TV channel changed or get their check.
Already available in approximately 150 corporate-owned locations, it is expected that the tablets will be rolled out to about 500 Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants by the end of 2014 and to all North American locations by late next year.
Duffy's Sports Grill Adds Mobile and Messaging Capabilities to MVP Loyalty Program
Duffy’s Sports Grill has expanded its Paytronix-powered MVP loyalty program with the addition of mobile check in, mobile sign-up and real-time messaging capabilities. A Paytronix customer since 2010, Duffy’s runs a highly successful MVP rewards program that has more than 425,000 active members who drive 70% of the transactions across its 24 casual-dining restaurants in Southern Florida.
The Duffy’s MVP loyalty program segments guests based on behavior into three spending tiers: MVP, All Star, and Hall of Fame. With check level data and other metrics provided by Paytronix’s POS integrated solution, Duffy’s is able to strategically design messaging, offers and promotions tailored to each tier’s behavior.
VeriFone Partners with XPIENT
VeriFone Systems, Inc. has announced its partnership with XPIENT Solutions to provide a class leading payment-as a service (PAAS) solution for quick service restaurant (QSR) and fast-casual dining markets. The solution enhances security through payment system isolation and end-to-end encryption while providing a pathway to EMV and NFC payment acceptance at the point-of-sale (POS).
Shift4 Certifies for EMV Transaction Processing with Moneris Solutions
Shift4 Corporation, provider of DOLLARS ON THE NET®, the world’s largest independent payment gateway, announced the completion of certification to Moneris Solutions Corporation, Canada’s largest debit and credit card processor, of Shift4’s Universal Transaction Gateway® (UTG®)/DOLLARS ON THE NET solution for EMV® transaction processing.
Shift4’s UTG software controls the chip card reader, so any merchant using an approved device and whose point-of-sale system was certified for debit with Shift4 after June 2009 does not need to certify with Moneris or obtain EMV approval. No additional development will be required on the merchant’s side (those whose systems were certified prior to June 2009 will need to have just a few minor modifications made to their code). The certification is currently available using the Ingenico® iPP320 PIN pad device.
POS System Integrates Hotel-Based Features
In March 2014 Vivonet Acquisitions Ltd. received an approval to support hotel environments with their omni-channel POS solutions. The successful Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) compatibility was made possible by an approved certification with PAR Springer-Miller Property Management systems.
The new PAR Springer-Miller integration will enable Vivonet to add various hotel-based features to their POS solutions. Some new features include hotel-based business features, house-guest available credit enquiries, POS room charges, check-in inquiries and payment processing updates.
POS Helps Popular Chicago Eatery Streamline Ops and Saves Time and Money
Gino’s East has been in business for nearly 50 years, with few changes in its daily operations process. The famous eatery has been working toward revamping its overall operations, with a goal of freeing up management’s time to help improve day-to-day tasks, as well as save money.
Gino’s needed a powerful POS solution that would help optimize processes, reduce employee errors in order taking, track inventory better to reduce waste and use customer data in order to create effective marketing campaigns. Handling these tasks manually was not a cost-effective or realistic option.
A new POS system also would have to be cost effective, seamlessly transition into the restaurant’s current environment and be easy for staff members to learn and use. Gino’s East researched POS options that would help improve all areas of its restaurant, ultimately selecting Harbortouch. The most compelling criteria for choosing Harbortouch was ease-of-use, performance and excellent customer service.
Viableware Named a Finalist for the NRA 2014 Operator Innovations Awards
Viableware, innovators of the RAIL – a pay-at-the-table solution designed exclusively for full-service restaurants – has announced that it has been named a Finalist for the 2014 Operator Innovations Awards from the National Restaurant Association (NRA), the leading business association for the restaurant industry. Viableware is one of three Finalists in the Technology category vying for Innovator of the Year – which will be announced live in Chicago during the NRA Show (May 17-20).
The RAIL is a handheld device designed to look like the traditional bill presentation folder used at most full-service restaurants – but unlike the original, the RAIL will accept EMV payments, allow guests to securely self-swipe credit or debit cards, auto-calculate the tip, split the bill multiple ways, pay-by-item, and receive email receipts. Dickie Brennan restaurants in New Orleans – including The Palace CafÉ and Tableau – are among the first to introduce the RAIL payment platform to their guests.
Pizza Hut Tests Tabletop Technology to Further Engage Guests
Pizza Hut is in the concept phase of testing an interactive table, created in partnership with Chaotic Moon Studios, which has done work on the Pizza Hut mobile app. The table lets guests visualize their pizza as they construct it right on the tabletop touchscreen as they order it. Guests will be able to select crust, sauce and cheese (half or whole), then add toppings. The entire menu will be available on the tabletop.
Hotels & Restaurants Dabble in Mobile Payment
Most every customer these days has a smartphone in his or her pocket. Many also have a tablet in their purse or briefcase as well. With consumers becoming more and more reliant on mobile technology in every aspect of their lives, customer-initiated mobile payments is a natural progression for both hotels and restaurants. While there is not yet widespread use of mobile wallets, experts agree that this is the future of payments.
Buffalo Wild Wings Engages Guests with Next-Gen Tabletop Tablets
Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. has announced that it is partnering with NTN Buzztime, Inc. to bring the company’s BEOND tablet-based entertainment platform to all of their North America restaurant locations by the end of 2015. Buzztime’s BEOND tablet lets Buffalo Wild Wings Guests order food, request songs and television programming, play games (both multi-player and arcade-style), and pay the bill.
The seven-inch Samsung Galaxy touchscreen tablets are pre-loaded with games and music options. With a mix of complimentary and paid content, the BEOND tablets enable multi-player, multi-location gaming; guests may play popular trivia and poker games against other individuals, another table or even other restaurant locations. The Guest Experience Wingman feature allows Guests to send an alert to their server with pre-defined requests like questions on how to use their Buzztime tablet, set up a Blazin’® wing challenge or requests to have a TV channel changed or get their check.
Already available in approximately 150 corporate-owned locations, it is expected that the tablets will be rolled out to about 500 Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants by the end of 2014 and to all North American locations by late next year.
Duffy's Sports Grill Adds Mobile and Messaging Capabilities to MVP Loyalty Program
Duffy’s Sports Grill has expanded its Paytronix-powered MVP loyalty program with the addition of mobile check in, mobile sign-up and real-time messaging capabilities. A Paytronix customer since 2010, Duffy’s runs a highly successful MVP rewards program that has more than 425,000 active members who drive 70% of the transactions across its 24 casual-dining restaurants in Southern Florida.
The Duffy’s MVP loyalty program segments guests based on behavior into three spending tiers: MVP, All Star, and Hall of Fame. With check level data and other metrics provided by Paytronix’s POS integrated solution, Duffy’s is able to strategically design messaging, offers and promotions tailored to each tier’s behavior.
VeriFone Partners with XPIENT
VeriFone Systems, Inc. has announced its partnership with XPIENT Solutions to provide a class leading payment-as a service (PAAS) solution for quick service restaurant (QSR) and fast-casual dining markets. The solution enhances security through payment system isolation and end-to-end encryption while providing a pathway to EMV and NFC payment acceptance at the point-of-sale (POS).
Shift4 Certifies for EMV Transaction Processing with Moneris Solutions
Shift4 Corporation, provider of DOLLARS ON THE NET®, the world’s largest independent payment gateway, announced the completion of certification to Moneris Solutions Corporation, Canada’s largest debit and credit card processor, of Shift4’s Universal Transaction Gateway® (UTG®)/DOLLARS ON THE NET solution for EMV® transaction processing.
Shift4’s UTG software controls the chip card reader, so any merchant using an approved device and whose point-of-sale system was certified for debit with Shift4 after June 2009 does not need to certify with Moneris or obtain EMV approval. No additional development will be required on the merchant’s side (those whose systems were certified prior to June 2009 will need to have just a few minor modifications made to their code). The certification is currently available using the Ingenico® iPP320 PIN pad device.
POS System Integrates Hotel-Based Features
In March 2014 Vivonet Acquisitions Ltd. received an approval to support hotel environments with their omni-channel POS solutions. The successful Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) compatibility was made possible by an approved certification with PAR Springer-Miller Property Management systems.
The new PAR Springer-Miller integration will enable Vivonet to add various hotel-based features to their POS solutions. Some new features include hotel-based business features, house-guest available credit enquiries, POS room charges, check-in inquiries and payment processing updates.
POS Helps Popular Chicago Eatery Streamline Ops and Saves Time and Money
Gino’s East has been in business for nearly 50 years, with few changes in its daily operations process. The famous eatery has been working toward revamping its overall operations, with a goal of freeing up management’s time to help improve day-to-day tasks, as well as save money.
Gino’s needed a powerful POS solution that would help optimize processes, reduce employee errors in order taking, track inventory better to reduce waste and use customer data in order to create effective marketing campaigns. Handling these tasks manually was not a cost-effective or realistic option.
A new POS system also would have to be cost effective, seamlessly transition into the restaurant’s current environment and be easy for staff members to learn and use. Gino’s East researched POS options that would help improve all areas of its restaurant, ultimately selecting Harbortouch. The most compelling criteria for choosing Harbortouch was ease-of-use, performance and excellent customer service.
Viableware Named a Finalist for the NRA 2014 Operator Innovations Awards
Viableware, innovators of the RAIL – a pay-at-the-table solution designed exclusively for full-service restaurants – has announced that it has been named a Finalist for the 2014 Operator Innovations Awards from the National Restaurant Association (NRA), the leading business association for the restaurant industry. Viableware is one of three Finalists in the Technology category vying for Innovator of the Year – which will be announced live in Chicago during the NRA Show (May 17-20).
The RAIL is a handheld device designed to look like the traditional bill presentation folder used at most full-service restaurants – but unlike the original, the RAIL will accept EMV payments, allow guests to securely self-swipe credit or debit cards, auto-calculate the tip, split the bill multiple ways, pay-by-item, and receive email receipts. Dickie Brennan restaurants in New Orleans – including The Palace CafÉ and Tableau – are among the first to introduce the RAIL payment platform to their guests.