Over time, many restaurant and retail owners have avoided switching from cash registers to advanced technology platforms. Why is that? Many of them were concerned that technology could get in the way of hospitality.
At the moment, things are quite different. According to a study by the Toast website, 73% of customers believe that technology improves the restaurant experience.
So how has the restaurant’s sales system evolved and what’s next for this kind of technology? Further, we will see a development of the technological innovations of the restaurant, 250 years ago.
The way we eat or have the most original experiences is because the technology in restaurants has changed quite a lot, it has evolved. Over the years, restaurants have used cash payment books, POS systems, mobile applications, as well as payments or revenue.
But first we’re going to make a journey to the history of technology in restaurants.
We go back a little, so in the 18th century, loyalty programs start through ordinary traders, who offer products in exchange for others. Later, in 1879, the first cash register came to life.
At the same time, the first drive-thru was invented by a California fast-food restaurant, Pig Stand Number 21, and the first take-out became popular in the US as a result of the completion of World War II and the invention of TV. In 1960, IBM created the first credit card, using a magnetic stripe to pin magnetic stripes on plastic cards.
The mid-1970s comes with a new change from IBM. It will integrate the first electronic cash register, the first computer-based system, used specifically for the restaurant industry. Then, in 1972, the terminal printer was developed, intended for printed kitchen tickets, as well as receipts.
Interesting is how gift cards were designed. Initially, they were created as a donation tool. Traders offered gift cards at a discounted price to non-profit organizations so they could sell them at the total price to make a profit.
Later, in 1991, the World Wide Web came to life, and then, a year later, the first POS software for Microsoft Windows was created.
Between 1993-1994, the first EMV – Europay, MasterCard and Visa – was brought to Europe. 1994 was one with multiple changes for restaurant owners. Also in 1994, Pizza Hut had its first online order – pizza with peprons, mushrooms and extra cheese, and Blockbuster introduced gift cards to reduce fraud.
We’re bringing the technology closer to the present, so the first tablet was created by Microsoft and produced by Lenovo in 2000.
Later, in 2002, the first POS system was introduced in the Cloud in the UK, and in 2003, McDonald’s restored credit cards.
In 2005 Freya 2, the software solution dedicated to all businesses in the HoReCa area, appeared.
In 2010, NFC – Near Field Technology functionality was added at a low cost to the mobile phone and other device market. In 2011, the Freya brand added various improvements to the software, coming up with a new version, Freya 3. A year later, consumer tablets took over the POS market.
We arrive in 2017, where only 2% of restaurant owners said technology was the challenge that brought them the success of the business.
As the Cloud represents the future in maintaining the success of a business, Freya adds this component to its portfolio. So, in 2018, Freya Cloud – centered for Retail – appears. In 2019-2021, Freya continues to develop on the Cloud side and for the following areas: Hotel and Restaurant.
The future of THE POS is in your hands. Will restaurants adopt the option to order online or new delivery technologies such as Domino’s Pizza? Will robots be integrated to ease operations and decrease labour production? Will Point of Sale systems become as ubiquitous as smartphones? These are trends that should be followed by any restaurant owner, so that the business is constantly growing and offers customers unforgettable experiences.
The combination of emerging technologies for both business and customer businesses has been what has completed the restaurant experience over the past decade. The focus was directed towards customer satisfaction and comfort, which were the key factors in the evolution of the modern Point of Sale system.
