May 17th is here! What does that mean for your hospitality business?

Finally! From today, the UK Government has confirmed that Step 3 of the lockdown roadmap will take place, where restaurants and hospitality businesses will reopen their doors. England, Scotland and Northern Ireland reported zero coronavirus deaths on the 10th of May, showing that the UK's vaccination program is helping to effectively stop the spread of coronavirus.

What’s happening on the 17th of May?

From today, lockdown restrictions will ease again! Meaning that:

• Pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants will be allowed to serve customers indoors.
• Groups of up to six or two households of any size will be allowed inside venues.
• Groups seated outside may have up to 30 people.
• Every customer aged 16 and over must check in with the NHS test and trace, or provide contact details.
• People will still need to order, eat and drink while seated, where alcohol is served.
• When not seated (for example being shown to a table or going to the toilet) customers must wear face coverings.
• Social distancing of one metre plus will remain.
• Capacity must be restricted to what is possible with social distancing and table service.

Some popular venues that are opening their doors today or this weekend in Newcastle will be The Botanist, The Broad Chare, Lola Jeans and Tyneside Bar Cafe.

What’s happening on the 21st of June?

From 21st June it's hoped that:

• All legal limits on social contact will be removed
• Nightclubs will be allowed to reopen

Boris Johnson has also said that there is a "good chance" the 1m plus social distancing rule can be scrapped on 21st June in England, hopefully meaning we will go back to normality!

Despite the government's goals to end all legal restrictions on the 21st of June, mask-wearing, screens, and one-way systems in restaurants may still be in place for the foreseeable future. Businesses will ensure that they will prepare for the final stage of the roadmap, with more details being given to them by the Prime Minister later this month.

What businesses in hospitality can do to prepare, whilst waiting for further details:

• Still offer outdoor seating on sunny days.
• Allow customers to order food at their table, this will make them feel more comfortable.
• Good hygiene throughout, washing hands regularly, cleaning surfaces ready for new customers, making sure staff cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or the inside of their elbow.
• Providing contactless payments for customers.
• Ventilation, opening windows/doors in the venue.

Mobile Ordering

In 2019 Mobile represented 60% of all digital restaurant orders, and since Covid-19, the use of mobile ordering apps has increased rapidly with many restaurants and pubs using mobile ordering such as Wetherspoons and the Stack. 

SPARK’s online mobile ordering app gives customers the freedom to have full access to the venue’s menu just by scanning a QR code. This gives them the chance to decide what they want to order, anytime using their mobile phone. Ultimately making them feel safe by reducing unnecessary physical touchpoints. 

SPARK’s Mobile ordering increases efficiency, as the back office venues have access to all settings and personalisation options to make changes quickly. We can provide the customer with disposable QR codes for easy access by doing this. It is more hygienic and safe for all customers and staff. SPARK’s mobile ordering will also free up your staff's time by taking orders with our automated kitchen ticket printing!

For more information check out our website

SPARK Pay

In 2020 Contactless payments accounted for 88.6% of total card payments. Contactless payment methods are becoming increasingly popular throughout the hospitality industry. They embrace some of the most cutting-edge technology while providing your guests with a more user-friendly experience.

SPARK Pay makes payments simple and easy, where you can serve customers anytime, anywhere. Contactless payments make your sitting in experience safer, with a swipe of your card on our SPARK Pay, payments are completed with just one touch!

Hospitality businesses will benefit by using SPARK Pay as it has a friendly user-face that ensures that the staff will require little to no training when getting started. The handhelds will sync with all other devices within our Cloud ecosystem to make monitoring your in-venue traffic simple. Our smart PDQs come equipped with multiple ways to take payments either through cash, card, gift voucher, third party, SPARK Pay and customers have the option to bill split with selective payment options making a customers experience more enjoyable.

Click here to find out more about SPARK Pay!

Kiosks

SPARK's Kiosk provides many benefits for the customer and the venue:

Customer

Kiosks provide a good purchasing experience, customers spend 30% more when using a self-ordering Kiosk compared to ordering traditionally. Kiosks are easy to use, reducing waiting times for the customers and providing quick and efficient services.

With the eat-in/takeaway option, a Kiosk gives consumers the choice if they would like to stay in the venue, or take their order away.

Venue

Kiosks process all payments from the customers, staff don’t have to manually process orders meaning they can help with other areas of the business. This reduces costs and provides better time management. The kiosk will show all of the upsells a hospitality venue provides. Every order that is placed will sync to all of the other SPARK devices, sending the order straight to the kitchen so the staff don't have to walk there every time to notify the chefs.

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