The lists of tasks to complete as a restaurant operator can seem endless. That’s because there are multiple moving parts that require the attention of you and your staff. Whether that’s employee scheduling, inventory management, or even marketing, it’s not an easy job. So what can help you be more efficient? Good news! It’s likely within reach – your mobile device, more specifically the mobile applications you can download onto your device. There are apps for restaurants and business owners alike that can help you create smoother operations, improve your bottom line, and enhance your customers’ experience.
To take the guesswork out of searching and researching mobile apps for restaurants, we’ve compiled a list of the top eight apps for restaurant owners. We’ll be walking you through the following:
- The value of apps for restaurants
- 8 essential restaurant apps
The Value of Apps for Restaurants
So what value do apps for restaurant owners have? It’s the same value your favorite personal apps provide, which is staying connected while on the go. And as a restaurant operator, you’re likely on the go constantly, especially if you’re overseeing more than one location. Therefore, the ability to use restaurant apps for owners to do everything from accessing real-time updates and analytics to remotely communicating with team members, can be highly beneficial.
Mobile apps for restaurants are beneficial for operators because they are convenient and give restaurateurs the flexibility to manage their business while on the go, which helps them be more productive while not physically in their venue. For example, a social media management app can help restaurateurs effectively manage their social media presence by allowing them to plan and schedule posts ahead of time. On the other hand, a labor management app can help improve the employee scheduling process and streamline communication between staff members and managers. In other words, apps provide endless avenues for achieving greater operational efficiency.
8 Essential Apps for Restaurant Operators
Now that you know the value of apps for restaurants, let’s dive right into the top eight restaurant management apps that every restaurateur should have downloaded on their mobile device.
1. Yelp for Business
Did you know that according to our 2024 U.S. Diner Trends report, online ratings and reviews influence many diner decisions? In fact, 33% of U.S. diners have used Yelp in the past three months to look up restaurant reviews. Therefore, having a presence on Yelp is essential to encourage new customers to dine at your restaurant over your competitors, especially if you have glowing reviews on the app.
Yelp provides diners with a digital platform to submit reviews, which businesses can then respond to as part of their restaurant reputation management strategy. On the business side, Yelp for Business allows restaurant owners to have an app at their disposal to engage with customers, resolve issues quickly, and track visitor engagement. Restaurant operators also have access to customer feedback about their venue, so they can continue to improve and refine their operations, whether that be about the service or menu.
2. 7shifts
Does your restaurant suffer from scheduling snafus or a lack of communication? 7shifts is an employee scheduling software designed specifically for restaurants to ease the task of scheduling and improve communication with employees. The 7shifts app also alleviates any friction within employees, since it’s available for them to use as well.
Through the app, employees can view upcoming shifts, scheduled availability, and time-off requests. Additionally, as a restaurant operator or manager, you’re able to track labor analytics and make informed decisions to help you reduce your labor costs.
Best of all, 7shifts integrates seamlessly with most restaurant POS systems to streamline the flow of data. Thanks to the seamless POS integration, no manual entry is required, which reduces the risk of data entry errors and creates a single source of truth for all your most important restaurant metrics, including your labor costs.
3. Restaurant365
Seeking a complete back office solution? Restaurant365 is a back office solution that helps restaurant operators streamline their behind the scenes tasks, such as accounting, inventory, and labor, all without the need to be physically present at your venue. As a restaurant operator, oftentimes you’re not on-site, so with Restaurant365 you’re able to view real-time sales and labor data from anywhere, at any time. On top of that, you can control and manage your inventory digitally with your mobile device and transfer these items from the comfort of your home or anywhere on the go.
4. Hootsuite
As you might know, your restaurant’s social media presence can make or break the success of your business. However, for many operators, time is precious, especially given how time consuming other operational tasks can be. So how can you manage all your posting and engagement on top of your daily operations? The solution: Hootsuite.
Hootsuite is a simple, yet savvy social media management tool that helps you and your staff manage your social media accounts from one easy-to-use platform. It’s one of the top mobile apps for restaurant owners, due to it being a massive time saver, since you’re able to schedule your posts well in advance and do so on the go.
5. FoodDocs
Whether a restaurant is compliant with health and safety regulations matters to guests. In fact, 68% of diners would be deterred from visiting a restaurant if it received a health inspection warning. Fortunately, apps for restaurants, like FoodDocs, can help ensure your restaurant is safety compliant, especially when a health inspector pays a visit.
FoodDocs serves as a tool for owners to manage and monitor all aspects of food safety, including inventory tracking, temperature monitoring, and sanitation schedules. And as a result, you and your team will be better prepared for any unexpected health inspections and avoid receiving any warnings.
6. NextMe
Do your restaurant’s front of house staff struggle with manually managing a waitlist, especially during those peak hours of the day? A hosts’ dream is to seamlessly manage waitlists and communicate with guests and there’s a mobile app that can do just that.
NextMe is a waitlist app restaurant operators can use to handle long lines, minimize waiting times, and serve more guests. The app can be used by front of house staff to host a virtual waiting room for walk-in diners. It also has reporting features to improve your guest experience and operational efficiency. For example, you’ll be able to track wait time accuracy, so customers are accurately informed about how long it will be until their table is ready.
Your front of house staff can be more efficient and your customers will be grateful for the seamless guest experience if you use a solution like NextMe.
7. Wisk
Are you cost-efficient with your restaurant’s dollars? In this economy, restaurant operators most certainly can’t afford to overspend on food or lose money to excess food waste. Fortunately, there are apps for restaurants that can play a critical role in helping operators save on food costs.
Wisk is a restaurant inventory app that helps you manage your inventory efficiently, identify losses, analyze sales analytics, accurately cost drink recipes, and so much more. According to Wisk, “20-30% of your liquid assets are being spilled, over-poured or stolen,” therefore, an inventory tracking app can be the perfect solution to improve your bottom line and efficiently save on food costs.
8. DoorDash Business Manager
Whether you choose to equip your venue with a restaurant online ordering system or partner with delivery restaurant apps, like DoorDash, delivery and pick-up can serve as another stream of revenue. If you choose to go the third-party route, DoorDash Business Manager is an app specifically for restaurant owners to manage all the orders that come through DoorDash.
According to DoorDash, the app can be easily used for tracking live orders, managing store information, running campaigns, and viewing reporting. DoorDash Business Manager is one of the many restaurant apps for owners you must have installed to easily manage the delivery and takeout arm of your business.
Your restaurant mobile apps can be accessed in the palm of your hand, so you can be more productive, improve your guest experience, and increase your sales – all while on the go. Now that you’re armed with the top eight restaurant management apps, you’re better prepared for tackling your daily operations! See for yourself why these are the best apps for restaurant owners.
Megan is the Content Marketing Specialist at TouchBistro, where she uses her passion for food to write about the restaurant industry. She’s a big “foodie” at heart, and you can always find her enjoying a delicious meal at a restaurant with friends and family, or cooking one up at home. She also loves relaxing with a good book and making progress at the gym.
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