The recently introduced smart 'pay at table' technology enables staff to call up the bill as soon as it is requested, print it straight away via the card machine, and take payment at the same time, eliminating the delays often caused by staff having to go back and forth between table and till.
The fully integrated solution, called Total Hospitality, connects and consolidates payments across all channels, whether customers are paying at the counter, at the table or via a mobile app.
Worldpay says seamless synchronisation between the electronic point-of-sale and payment devices removes the need for manual entry of transaction amounts. The new system helps hospitality businesses to serve more covers during peak time, it claims.
Biggest pain points
Waiting for the bill is one of the biggest pain points for time-strapped diners, with one in five saying the speed of service in restaurants is too slow, research suggests.
Delays in receiving the card machine, as the server goes back and forth to the till, adds to the annoyance for some.
For those aged 16 to 34 the delays are even more frustrating, Worldpay said.
Only 6% of customers quizzed found that service met their expectations of being quick and efficient.
Frictionless service
Chief product and innovation officer for the UK and Europe, Shaun Puckrin, said “Increasingly, consumers have come to expect the same frictionless service they receive online in the real world, with technology shifting the perception of what the modern dining experience should be. Payment stress can taint the entire dining experience.”
Restaurant critic and former restaurant owner Nick Lander said: “I was shocked to learn that so few consumers say service is slick when they eat out. Restaurants shouldn’t underestimate the impact the small details have on the smooth running of a busy night – both for the customer and themselves.
“There’s no excuse for bad cooking, but it’s the way that you’re looked after that makes the difference between a good meal, a great meal and an unforgettable meal.”
Worldpay processes over 40bn transactions through more than 300 payment types across 146 countries and 126 currencies.