The Menu – the latest insights on restaurant technology trends, customer successes, and best practices.

Oracle Cloud Marketplace helps you discover new integration opportunities. Learn how our flexible API helps you adapt to changing business needs and new customer trends quickly and schedule a free consultation today.

Oracle Cloud Marketplace helps you discover new integration opportunities. Learn how our flexible API helps you adapt to changing business needs and new customer trends quickly and schedule a free...

A success story about how one of our customers, Cabana Burger, increased deliveries by 400%, by leveraging Oracle MICROS Simphony POS solutions.

A success story about how one of our customers, Cabana Burger, increased deliveries by 400%, by leveraging Oracle MICROS Simphony POS solutions.

Just a few decades ago businesses could operate as cash-only establishments without an issue. However, recent advancements in technology have shifted consumer preferences towards engaging with restaurants through a variety of sales channels using devices that didn’t even exist all those years ago. To stay competitive small businesses have to manage everything from online ordering and delivery to inventory management, and more. Cloud-based point-of-sale systems are quickly becoming the gold standard for businesses looking to modernize and streamline their operations, reduce complexity of IT at the restaurant level, quickly expand guest service and reduce costs. No restaurateur ever wants to run a complex POS system out of their kitchen. But they also don’t want to give up the gains sophisticated POS systems offer in making their businesses more guest friendly and more profitable. With cloud POS you can indeed have your cake and eat it too. All POS software, whether cloud based on not needs to run on some sort of POS hardware. Let’s have a look at what this hardware entails. What is restaurant POS hardware? Point-of-sale hardware consists of the physical equipment required to run your cloud POS system. Restaurant POS hardware is a necessity for anyone running their business out of a physical storefront. Food trucks, pop-up restaurants, and even ghost kitchens all require some level of hardware to operate their business.  Here’s a look at just some of hardware needed to outfit a restaurant: Mobile ordering and payment tablets Fixed workstations Kiosk Kitchen display systems (KDS) Printers Scanners Cash drawers Scales Purpose-built vs. consumer grade hardware There are countless benefits to investing in a cloud-based POS system and equipment – but making the switch to purpose-built hardware isn’t cheap. It might be tempting to try and cut costs by purchasing consumer grade hardware, but there’s a variety of hidden costs most people aren’t aware of. Consumer grade hardware is designed for planned obsolescence and isn’t built to withstand the wear and tear of the restaurant industry. Consumer grade hardware might be cheaper upfront but will ultimately require replacement more frequently than purpose-built hardware. Oracle MICROS hardware is purpose-built for the restaurant environment as well as optimized for the software that’s deployed on it. Every component of your hardware portfolio is designed to work seamlessly together with processing power and durability you need to operate at the speed of your business. Purchasing your workstations directly from your POS provider gives you security of knowing that your hardware will be compatible with your software now, and in the future. You also gain access to the 24/7 follow-the-sun customer support and the peace of mind that your investment will continue paying dividends for many years to come. What are the necessary hardware components of a POS system? The amount and type of hardware required to run a restaurant varies depending on the size and scale of your operation. Small businesses might only need a single tablet and a credit card reader to get started. On the other hand, multi-revenue center establishment with several diverse sales channels might need to invest in multiple workstations, tablets, and self-service kiosks. Here’s a closer look at the most common types of POS equipment needed to run a restaurant Workstations and tablets POS workstations and tablets are the centerpiece of any POS solution. Workstations allow your staff to tie all operational aspects of the restaurant together and control the entire guest experience. Workstations are also needed to control every aspect of fiscal accountability of your operations so you can minimize or eliminate pilferage and waste. POS workstations – whether fixed or mobile – need to be rugged and designed for the inevitable abuse they will endure. An ordinary touchscreen will likely suffer a fatal malfunction if a pint of beer is spilled on it and a consumer tablet will probably shatter if a server accidentally drops it – and these accidents happen more in a restaurant than any server would care to count. Fixed workstations are the powerhouse of the POS system usually commanding much higher processing power than tablets. Due to their design these workhorses of the restaurant are often employed to run critical services and applications such as payment services, printing services and various API’s that integrate with 3rd party solutions. In fact, Oracle MICROS workstations are powerful enough to run all required services right on the device, eliminating the requirement for an on-site server or back office PC. Optimally fixed workstations are appliance-like in their design: purpose-built for rapid guest service, look attractive as part of your restaurant décor and designed to last a lifetime. POS tablets bring your operations closer to the guest. They help increase guest satisfaction by improving on the speed and attentiveness of the service and also help you increase your revenues by improving table turns / order throughput. Mobile tablets have been used for tableside service, curbside pickup, seasonal service such as  patio seating, table reservations and line busting in QSR environments just to name a few. As a fringe benefit tablets may also help improve fiscal integrity by delineating between order taking and order pickup – thus forcing every order to be entered and accounted for on the POS. Optimally, POS tablets are designed to allow for processing of payment in the form of a PaTT (Pay at the Table) solution so that servers can close checks tableside, thus reducing the time it takes to turn the table. Mobile payment is also crucial in curbside pickup where the extra trip to a payment terminal would be time prohibitive. When used in line-busting, the ability to pre-process payment means the only thing left to complete is the pickup, which will dramatically increase the speed of the line. Furthermore thanks to the growing prevalence of PIN chip cards and the legislation stipulating that cards cannot leave the cardholders sight mobile payment has now moved from a nice-to-have to an absolute business essential. As it comes to the type of integration of the payment terminal Oracle MICROS advises against all-in-one built-in payment terminals since the add-on approach provides you with much more operational flexibility. With a detachable payment terminal a server would be able to leave the pin-pad with one guest while walking over to another table to take a round of drink orders. The flexibility and speed of service you can achieve with a mobile tablet / payment terminal solution will dramatically increase your wait staff’s ability to delight your guests, garner better tips and increase your revenues. Workstation peripherals It’s almost impossible to imagine a POS solution without peripheral devices. After all, you will need the ability to print a guest receipt at a minimum. But a modern POS solution might employ a large variety of other peripherals depending on the needs and style of the restaurant. These peripherals might include: Receipt printers Mobile wallet readers Integrated scales Barcode scanners Cash drawers Customer facing marketing displays Order confirmation boards   As it comes to peripherals the most important thing to question is interoperability with your POS workstations and the software that’s running on them. You don’t want your floor manager to spend Friday evening with trying to figure out why the receipt printers stopped working after an OPOS driver update. Optimally all peripherals connected to your workstations are tested and certified to work with the system and each software release is also certified to support legacy peripherals. Only vendors that maintain a wide selection of advocated hardware offers can provide you with this level of guarantee and peace of mind. Customer facing displays allow restaurateurs to provide a streamlined customer experience and vastly improved order accuracy during the order process. Customers can view their order, check total, loyalty points, and more directly from the touch screen display. What’s more, innovative use of the rear facing display allows you to capitalize on these devices to run your promotions and place them in direct sight of your guests for better impact and uptake. Using the customer facing display to drive automated intelligent upsell is one surefire way to increase average check, which is why these solutions have found such a fervent following with many counter service and quick service operators. Self-service kiosk Question: what works even better than a line-busting mobile tablet to cut down on your counter line-up? Answer: Kiosks! Self-service kiosks have exploded in popularity since these devices can dramatically increase order throughput and as a consequence increase revenues. Increasingly, larger and larger segments of your guest demographic feels comfortable with interacting on a kiosk terminal especially if the order-flow is designed in a clear, logical manner. Cashiers need to be trained and kept reminded constantly about upselling – kiosk will do that for you automatically and consistently. Kiosks will also help managing your restaurant’s labor costs especially with the recent government mandates on minimum wage. Last, but not least kiosks can help you streamline your kitchen production – especially when they are paired with a KDS (Kitchen Display System). Kitchen display systems At the first glance a KDS station appears to be a mere replacement of a kitchen order printer. But there’s so much more to KDS! The main benefit of a properly implemented KDS solution is that it helps you “productionize” your kitchen. Your chef and sous chef will finally be relieved of the burden of prep coordination and can focus on the much more important aspect of food quality and presentation. While a printed kitchen order chit is “dead on arrival”, KDS orders can be dynamically updated, bumped, timed and sequenced so a multi-prep kitchen line can work in quiet, efficient harmony. KDS SOS (Speed of Service) stations will then in turn help your expeditor to coordinate service from the pass and serving multiple sales channels such as delivery and pickup. There are entire case studies written on the operational benefits of KDS, so we won’t go into more detail here – reach out to us for more information on the benefits of a true integrated KDS solution. KDS hardware is installed in the most unforgiving part of the restaurant – the kitchen. Ordinary consumer devices don’t stand a chance surviving the conditions Oracle MICROS KDS is exposed to on a daily basis. The 400 series workstations from Oracle MICROS are purpose designed for the kitchen environment with heat and IP (Ingress protection) ratings well beyond of even these harshest places. These KDS devices have also been designed to eliminate all cabling mess helping with regular cleanup and sanitation. What does OS have to do with it? Why should you care what OS (Operating System) runs on your POS workstations? After all, you will almost never see it. Every workstation will have an OS. Most often it is some flavor of Windows. The problem with generic operating systems is that they have never been designed specifically for the restaurant business. Ask yourself this question: does your workstation’s OS really need to load fax services or does it have to have a built-in word processor? Does it have to include a media player? All these superfluous services in the OS put an additional tax on workstation resources which means you will need to buy higher-spec workstations then you would really need. Additionally, Windows, iOS, Android and more require regular security updates. How will you maintain OS compliance and what effect will regular updates have on your day to day operations? Enter Oracle Linux for MICROS. We took Linux and created a purpose-built OS from it that includes everything you need and nothing that you don’t. With Oracle MICROS Linux your OS is light on its feet and is in the service of the POS software only. It is deployed, maintained and updated from the same Cloud source that the rest of your configuration resides in. With Oracle MICROS Linux you will never have to schedule downtime for another OS security update again. What’s more, you will not have to reinstall a new OS when support for your current version runs out, or even worse, buy new workstations because they’re no longer supported. The beauty of Oracle MICROS Linux is that with it, we are in complete control of the entire POS technology stack from the hardware through BIOS, the OS (Linux) through Database (MySQL) and the application. No other vendor offers this level of control and integration and the resulting optimized system performance, reliability and longevity speaks volumes for the benefits of this one-stop-shop approach. Being in complete control of the entire technology stack gives us the ability to end-to-end test and verify your ecosystem under a unified version control of all components. Contrast this with what happens when Apple releases a new iOS update for an iPad based POS system for example. What’s more, for existing Oracle MICROS POS hardware customers that have historically been unable to upgrade to the cloud, the introduction of Oracle Linux for MICROS opens up tremendous opportunities associated with point of sale as a service (POSaaS). Since Oracle MICROS Linux is so light on its feet, older legacy workstations might very well be adequate to run the latest cloud software, allowing you to sweat the hardware a little more instead of sending it to the recycling depot. Another concern with cloud-based POS systems is their reliance on a reliable Internet connection. The loss of network connectivity can cause business to grind to a halt. This may result in the loss of thousands of dollars of revenue for every hour network issues persist. Oracle MICROS Simphony is different. The system has been architected around independent services that can be deployed across a number of workstations in the restaurant. This means you don’t need to put all your eggs in one basket like you do with a server-based system. Additionally, all business critical services such as printing, payment service, KDS service and more have been designed to be able to run offline without connection to the cloud. While offline, the CAPS (Check and Posting Service) deployed strategically on a workstation at the property level will take care of coordination of local check sharing and services. Once the connection is restored to the cloud, CAPS will synchronize all local activity with the cloud database. You may also ask what happens when CAPS goes down? If that ever happens, the Backup CAPS installed on an alternative workstation will take over duties of the CAPS. And in the most extreme case when a workstation is completely severed even from the local network, the system will still continue operating basic functions such as opening and closing checks and even payment services if your payment device offers an alternative connection. Redundancy and stand-alone resilience are basic tenets of Simphony’s architectural design. The approach helped us create a solution that enables you to take advantage of the best the cloud has to offer with none of the drawbacks. When you’re able to dramatically simplify and reduce the IT footprint at the restaurant level without giving anything up in terms of functionality and guest service finesse, you know you have made the right choice for a best-of-breed, cloud native restaurant management system. Looking forward with Oracle There’s a lot that goes into running a successful restaurant – purchasing the right POS hardware should be easy. Oracles One for One offer enables restaurateurs to eliminate what is typically a large capital expense and simultaneously upgrade their restaurant operations at a competitive price. For each Oracle MICROS Simphony POS subscription, customers can replace their existing workstation or tablet with Oracle MICROS hardware for $1. Our product experts are standing by to help create a package that's right for your business. Get in touch and we can help you calculate your total cost of ownership so you can make an informed decision quickly. Reach us by phone: US: +1 866-287-4736; UK: +44 207 5626 827; AU: 1300 366 386; LAD: 52 559 178 3146)

Just a few decades ago businesses could operate as cash-only establishments without an issue. However, recent advancements in technology have shifted consumer preferences towards engaging with...

Author: Robert Peterson, Oracle Food and Beverage Restaurateurs have dealt with many changes over the last year. Global stay at home orders and an increased need for curbside pick-up and online delivery caused business models globally to shift seemingly overnight. Almost a year later, many business owners are reconsidering investments and attempting to the shift away from relying on third-party delivery apps in favor of offering online ordering and delivery to their customers directly.   Restaurant POS systems with open API, cloud-architectures have gone from a “nice-to-have" to a "must-have" for restaurants. As restaurateurs look ahead toward another year of uncertainty surrounding stay-at-home orders, staggered reopening and new rules yet to be written, investing in a modern point of sale solution that offers agility and speed to market has to be a priority.   Christopher Adams, Oracle's Vice President of Strategy for Oracle Food and Beverage, sat down with Joe Tenczar of Restaurant CIOs to discuss the future of restaurant technology and how Oracle MICROS Simphony can help business owners get back to growth despite continuous change and uncertainty in the industry.    Restaurant CIOs exists to help restaurants navigate the successful use of technology. Researching technology for your business can get overwhelming and confusing at times, Restaurant CIOs provides technology leadership and advice by bringing together CIOs from some of the country's largest brands to help restaurants research and choose the right technology for their business.  The group’s "Flash RFI" gives restauranteurs and their technology decision-makers with a quick snapshot of a tech solution's fundamentals, so they can decide if a deeper dive is worth the time and effort. The latest install of “Flash RFI” features Christopher Adams, Oracle's VP of Strategy for Oracle Food and Beverage answering 10 important questions Simphony POS.  Watch the full interview with Christopher Adams and Joe Tenczar on the Restaurant CIOs website here.

Author: Robert Peterson, Oracle Food and Beverage Restaurateurs have dealt with many changes over the last year. Global stay at home orders and an increased need for curbside pick-up and online...

Technology is rapidly changing the restaurant industry – Chris Adams, Vice President of Strategy and Solutions at Oracle Food and Beverage, shares his insights into which trends will impact the food and beverage industry most in the coming year.

Technology is rapidly changing the restaurant industry – Chris Adams, Vice President of Strategy and Solutions at Oracle Food and Beverage, shares his insights into which trends will impact the food...

Looking for an easy way to deliver game day favorites directly to your customers? Create a safe and memorable game day experience with these fun takeout ideas.

Looking for an easy way to deliver game day favorites directly to your customers? Create a safe and memorable game day experience with these fun takeout ideas.

The Oracle Food and Beverage Community has launched! Open to all customers, partners, and prospective customers, this community is aimed at facilitating and cultivating the collective knowledge of the Oracle ecosystem.

The Oracle Food and Beverage Community has launched! Open to all customers, partners, and prospective customers, this community is aimed at facilitating and cultivating the collective knowledge of the...

Consumer grade hardware might be cheap, but will it cost you more in the long run? Discover why purpose built hardware is a better investment for your small business.

Consumer grade hardware might be cheap, but will it cost you more in the long run? Discover why purpose built hardware is a better investment for your small business.

The latest round of PPP loans are now available for small business owners to help offset the impact of COVID-19. Here’s what restaurant owners need to know about this round of funding differs from the last.

The latest round of PPP loans are now available for small business owners to help offset the impact of COVID-19. Here’s what restaurant owners need to know about this round of funding differs from the...

Customer loyalty programs are the best way to reward and retain loyal customers. Discover the best tips for building a loyalty program for your restaurant with this complete guide.

Customer loyalty programs are the best way to reward and retain loyal customers. Discover the best tips for building a loyalty program for your restaurant with this complete guide.

2020 was a tough year for restaurants. Here are three areas restaurant owners will want to focus on moving into 2021, as well as specific restaurant KPIs to improve online ordering and delivery.

2020 was a tough year for restaurants. Here are three areas restaurant owners will want to focus on moving into 2021, as well as specific restaurant KPIs to improve online ordering and delivery.

Oracle customer, Fortney Hospitality Group (the management group behind Brother’s Bar & Grill), is now featured on FSTEC Comminty’s Tech Talks from the Top. Listen to COO Tony De Salvo share top lessons learned when moving their point of sale system to the cloud in this interview.

Oracle customer, Fortney Hospitality Group (the management group behind Brother’s Bar & Grill), is now featured on FSTEC Comminty’s Tech Talks from the Top. Listen to COO Tony De Salvo share top...

After a year marked by change, new solutions continue to emerge across the food and beverage industry. From a payments perspective, here are the trends Angus Blest, Adyen Head of Commercial Partnerships, sees sticking around, and how to include them in your plans for 2021.

After a year marked by change, new solutions continue to emerge across the food and beverage industry. From a payments perspective, here are the trends Angus Blest, Adyen Head of...

The following are five restaurant technology-focused predictions, including ones that examine how the industry will continue to rebuild and reimagine itself to technology’s impact on the customer experience.

The following are five restaurant technology-focused predictions, including ones that examine how the industry will continue to rebuild and reimagine itself to technology’s impact on the...

New survey shows consumers plan to splurge on catered meals and give the gift of food this holiday season, from cocktail kits to sauces from local establishments

New survey shows consumers plan to splurge on catered meals and give the gift of food this holiday season, from cocktail kits to sauces from local establishments

Once again Oracle Food & Beverage has been named a ‘Leader’ in the IDC MarketScape Worldwide Point-of-Sale (POS) Applications Quick-Service/Fast Casual Restaurants Sector 2020-2021 Vendor Assessment. Access an excerpt of the report in this post.

Once again Oracle Food & Beverage has been named a ‘Leader’ in the IDC MarketScape Worldwide Point-of-Sale (POS) Applications Quick-Service/Fast Casual Restaurants Sector 2020-2021 Vendor Assessment....

The appetite and market for off-premises dining is surging worldwide, driven by both consumers and operators. Many restaurants are permanently changing their operations to better align with customer preferences. This article covers recommendations on how to deliver the same service level guests have come to expect from your on-premises offering across your digital channels.

The appetite and market for off-premises dining is surging worldwide, driven by both consumers and operators. Many restaurants are permanently changing their operations to better align with customer...

Integrating contactless ordering, payment and reservations with MICROS Simphony POS helps Outback Steakhouse navigate the challenges of COVID-19, while keeping customers happy and safer.

Integrating contactless ordering, payment and reservations with MICROS Simphony POS helps Outback Steakhouse navigate the challenges of COVID-19, while keeping customers happy and safer.

Dark kitchens enable restaurants to maintain and expand their customer base at relatively minimal cost, providing the opportunity for growth and creativity. In this post we share essential technology for dark kitchen operations.

Dark kitchens enable restaurants to maintain and expand their customer base at relatively minimal cost, providing the opportunity for growth and creativity. In this post we share essential technology...

Oracle PartnerNetwork member Deliverect integrates with Oracle MICROS Simphony POS to deliver a connection between your brand and third-party online food ordering channels. Orders taken on delivery platforms like Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Glovo, and others are sent directly to your Simphony POS, making order management straightforward. In this contributed post, Deliverect provides tips on optimizing restaurant design to speed production and increase revenue.

Oracle PartnerNetwork member Deliverect integrates with Oracle MICROS Simphony POS to deliver a connection between your brand and third-party online food ordering channels. Orders taken on...

Nearly a forty percent of consumers said they ordered takeout more frequently from local restaurants during stay at home orders and over a third felt more loyal to the businesses they patronized during this time. But as the months roll on it’s overwhelming for customers to prioritize and act. In this post we list out our top three recommendations for making it easy for customers spend their gift giving budget with you this holiday season.

Nearly a forty percent of consumers said they ordered takeout more frequently from local restaurants during stay at home orders and over a third felt more loyal to the businesses they...

From drive thru to curbside, efficiency has never been more critical.

From drive thru to curbside, efficiency has never been more critical.

The Oracle Food and Beverage Virtual Connect program was designed to inspire and motivate you to take on the next challenge or opportunity for your business. Based on the last seven days of customer views and engagement, these are the most popular Power Sessions.

The Oracle Food and Beverage Virtual Connect program was designed to inspire and motivate you to take on the next challenge or opportunity for your business. Based on the last seven days of customer...

Food service management company Five Moments operates Friends Arena, a multi-purpose stadium in Stockholm, Sweden. In this post Five Moments Managing Director and Owner provides tips for getting ready for the future of sports and entertainment food service.

Food service management company Five Moments operates Friends Arena, a multi-purpose stadium in Stockholm, Sweden. In this post Five Moments Managing Director and Owner provides tips for getting ready...

Oracle Food and Beverage Connect – our first-ever digital connect conference – wrapped this week, featuring an opening keynote with SVP and GM, Simon de Montfort Walker as well as live ask the expert sessions.

Oracle Food and Beverage Connect – our first-ever digital connect conference – wrapped this week, featuring an opening keynote with SVP and GM, Simon de Montfort Walker as well as live ask the...

What does it take to make online ordering, curbside pickup, and contactless delivery more profitable? In this post we break down the essential components of an optimized online ordering system for restaurants -- from online menu management to payment processing, kitchen coordination, and fulfillment for restaurants of all shapes and sizes.

What does it take to make online ordering, curbside pickup, and contactless delivery more profitable? In this post we break down the essential components of an optimized online ordering system...

When Maryland’s stay-at-home order was announced in March, Market Street Public House in Denton, Maryland shut down, and owners Michelle and Brian Tyler weren’t sure they’d ever open up again. This article explores current consumer expectations and the impact of online ordering at independent restaurants like Market Street Public House.

When Maryland’s stay-at-home order was announced in March, Market Street Public House in Denton, Maryland shut down, and owners Michelle and Brian Tyler weren’t sure they’d ever open up again. This...

Online ordering, curbside pickup, drive-thru and delivery are all essential restaurant customer journeys. In this this article we share what successful businesses are doing differently and what we can learn from them to offer best in class interactions.

Online ordering, curbside pickup, drive-thru and delivery are all essential restaurant customer journeys. In this this article we share what successful businesses are doing differently and what we can...

Millions of people around the world are embarking on the daunting task of job hunting. Blockchain technology can help by acting as a trusted source of truth security for career credentials. Oracle's Emily He discusses with Dror Gurevich, CEO of the Velocity Network Foundation.

Millions of people around the world are embarking on the daunting task of job hunting. Blockchain technology can help by acting as a trusted source of truth security for career credentials....

Oracle Food and Beverage Virtual Connect, set to kick off in just 3 weeks, is shaping up beautifully. Our program is designed to inspire and motivate you to take on the next challenge or opportunity for your business. Our product strategy, solution engineering, consulting and customer success teams have built a robust catalog of Power Sessions on topics ranging from omnichannel cost control to international expansion. Most importantly, the program is designed to be convenient for you, our customers. We know time is precious and no one has free time in abundance. Here are our top 3 reasons for joining Virtual Connect.

Oracle Food and Beverage Virtual Connect, set to kick off in just 3 weeks, is shaping up beautifully. Our program is designed to inspire and motivate you to take on the next challenge or opportunity...

In honor and recognition of World Food Day 2020, which celebrates the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, we curated our most popular and relevant blogs focused on improving safety and reducing waste, through better inventory management, supply chain analytics and more. Whether you’re pursuing a zero-waste initiative as a moral imperative, or your business is striving for better margin performance, data is at the center of the equation. Enjoy these posts, and subscribe to the Food and Beverage and Data Analytics blogs to stay current.

In honor and recognition of World Food Day 2020, which celebrates the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, we curated our most popular and relevant blogs focused...

As uncertainty and confusion around local legislation related to COVID-19 capacity restrictions and other related requirements propagate in the US and abroad, ensuring customers are aware of your business status at any given time is critical to maintaining satisfaction and driving engagement. In this guest blog, Chuck Moxley, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Mobivity shares recommendations for maintaining real-time communications with customers.

As uncertainty and confusion around local legislation related to COVID-19 capacity restrictions and other related requirements propagate in the US and abroad, ensuring customers are aware of your...

As restaurants reopen, they are re-entering a market that is tenuous and uncertain. Operators are looking for new ways to preserve and grow their business, while simultaneously providing customers an enjoyable experience. In this article, we explore the new rules of engagement between consumers and restaurant operators.

As restaurants reopen, they are re-entering a market that is tenuous and uncertain. Operators are looking for new ways to preserve and grow their business, while simultaneously providing customers an...

Registration for Oracle Food and Beverage Digital Connect is live! Join us online Tuesday, November 10, through Thursday, November 12, for a free virtual event series.

Registration for Oracle Food and Beverage Digital Connect is live! Join us online Tuesday, November 10, through Thursday, November 12, for a free virtual event series.

Online ordering integrated with Oracle MICROS Simphony’s POS enables Corner Store to speed up service, reduce manual processes, send orders automatically, and offer a fully integrated and contactless experience.

Online ordering integrated with Oracle MICROS Simphony’s POS enables Corner Store to speed up service, reduce manual processes, send orders automatically, and offer a fully integrated and contactless...

As summer comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the creativity shown by restaurateurs and the city planners and the communities that supported them by showing up and dining out.

As summer comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the creativity shown by restaurateurs and the city planners and the communities that supported them by showing up and dining out.

What does the future of dining look like? Consumers tell Oracle what they want and expect in 2021.

What does the future of dining look like? Consumers tell Oracle what they want and expect in 2021.

Market Street Public House has leveraged Oracle’s POS integrations to seamlessly spin up online ordering to serve their local customers.

Market Street Public House has leveraged Oracle’s POS integrations to seamlessly spin up online ordering to serve their local customers.

For each Oracle MICROS Simphony POS subscription, customers can replace their existing workstation or tablet with Oracle MICROS POS hardware for one dollar.

For each Oracle MICROS Simphony POS subscription, customers can replace their existing workstation or tablet with Oracle MICROS POS hardware for one dollar.

Your restaurant business can still practice diversity and inclusion during COVID-19. One of our executives shares how.

Your restaurant business can still practice diversity and inclusion during COVID-19. One of our executives shares how.

Norrein Group partnered with Oracle to optimize Egon’s restaurant point of sale systems and processes to prepare for welcoming guests back. Not only did the reopening go relatively smoothly, but Norrein Group was able to open three new restaurants this summer.

Norrein Group partnered with Oracle to optimize Egon’s restaurant point of sale systems and processes to prepare for welcoming guests back. Not only did the reopening go relatively smoothly,...

Kick start your cloud kitchen or virtual brand with this comprehensive guide that covers everything from choosing the right location, to packaging, marketing, technology and more.

Kick start your cloud kitchen or virtual brand with this comprehensive guide that covers everything from choosing the right location, to packaging, marketing, technology and more.

Simon de Montfort Walker is senior vice president and general manager of the Oracle Food and Beverage Global Business Unit. He joined Oracle in 2018. Tapped for his deep experience in hospitality technology, de Montfort Walker leads the business unit’s efforts to deliver innovative hardware and cloud solutions, enabling restaurants of all sizes to personalize the guest experience, streamline operations, and grow their businesses.

Simon de Montfort Walker is senior vice president and general manager of the Oracle Food and Beverage Global Business Unit. He joined Oracle in 2018. Tapped for his deep experience in hospitality...

In my many conversations with restaurateurs from all corners of the world, I have been inspired by the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of our industry.

In my many conversations with restaurateurs from all corners of the world, I have been inspired by the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of our industry.

Oracle's open API strategy combined with a strong partner portfolio allows restaurants to extend their Simphony platform and innovate in this "New Next." Learn how to become a Simphony POS integrator in this short blog.

Oracle's open API strategy combined with a strong partner portfolio allows restaurants to extend their Simphony platform and innovate in this "New Next." Learn how to become a Simphony POS...

As restaurants slowly begin to reopen and employees come back to work, they will need to adapt to the “new normal.” Technology will play a key role and both current and future restaurant workers will need to learn new skills and adapt.

As restaurants slowly begin to reopen and employees come back to work, they will need to adapt to the “new normal.” Technology will play a key role and both current and future restaurant workers...

Oracle study highlights consumer views on restaurants during COVID-19 and what brands should expect in terms of take-out and dine-in experiences

Oracle study highlights consumer views on restaurants during COVID-19 and what brands should expect in terms of take-out and dine-in experiences

The COVID-19 pandemic has required the restaurant trade to make dramatic adjustments in their product offering, from how food is served, to how associates and diners are kept safe while trying to enjoy their experience. Here’s the story of one establishment that got it right, right from the start.

The COVID-19 pandemic has required the restaurant trade to make dramatic adjustments in their product offering, from how food is served, to how associates and diners are kept safe while trying...

VP of Strategy, Chris Adams, discusses how Oracle is working with partners to tailor programs for helping restaurants pivot their business models in the COVID-19 era.

VP of Strategy, Chris Adams, discusses how Oracle is working with partners to tailor programs for helping restaurants pivot their business models in the COVID-19 era.

Without close interaction between hosts and their guests, can hospitality still be hospitable? Restaurant technology like digital menus, pay at table, and kiosks can help.

Without close interaction between hosts and their guests, can hospitality still be hospitable? Restaurant technology like digital menus, pay at table, and kiosks can help.

The newly developed Oracle MICROS Point of Sale Systems Eat Out to Help Out Extension makes it easy for restaurants of all sizes to manage the back-end administration needed to take advantage of the new scheme.

The newly developed Oracle MICROS Point of Sale Systems Eat Out to Help Out Extension makes it easy for restaurants of all sizes to manage the back-end administration needed to take advantage of...

How Restaurants Can Revive the Post-COVID Food Chain.

How Restaurants Can Revive the Post-COVID Food Chain.

Webcast recap: make multi-channel restaurant ordering work for you. Oracle POS integration partners weigh in.

Webcast recap: make multi-channel restaurant ordering work for you. Oracle POS integration partners weigh in.

Modern tech and data intelligence help company support expansion plans to bring fresh, sustainable food to new communities.

Modern tech and data intelligence help company support expansion plans to bring fresh, sustainable food to new communities.

Readying for reopening? Dig into data to optimize your menu.

Readying for reopening? Dig into data to optimize your menu.

One executive who speaks with restaurant operators every day shares some of the challenges they’ve navigated and how they’re planning ahead.

One executive who speaks with restaurant operators every day shares some of the challenges they’ve navigated and how they’re planning ahead.

Wondering how to stay on the cutting edge in today’s competitive restaurant landscape? POS SaaS could be the answer.

Wondering how to stay on the cutting edge in today’s competitive restaurant landscape? POS SaaS could be the answer.

Request your free Restaurant Rebound Assessment and receive your very own bespoke report to help you to not only reopen, but rebound, rebuild, and reimagine.

Request your free Restaurant Rebound Assessment and receive your very own bespoke report to help you to not only reopen, but rebound, rebuild, and reimagine.

More than half of all global transactions running through the restaurant POS will be contactless in 5 years.

More than half of all global transactions running through the restaurant POS will be contactless in 5 years.

Data intelligence helps Italian restaurant chain, Panini Internazionale, manage inventory to delight customers while balancing the bottom line and eliminating waste.

Data intelligence helps Italian restaurant chain, Panini Internazionale, manage inventory to delight customers while balancing the bottom line and eliminating waste.

The food industry has been hard hit by the current health crisis, but two San Francisco-based restaurants are fighting back with good food and community spirit.

The food industry has been hard hit by the current health crisis, but two San Francisco-based restaurants are fighting back with good food and community spirit.

Panino Giusto looks to technology to safely welcome back customers.

Panino Giusto looks to technology to safely welcome back customers.

Restaurant operators will need to remain agile and continuously explore new business models and service concepts.

Restaurant operators will need to remain agile and continuously explore new business models and service concepts.

Outback Steakhouse Australia integrates its Simphony restaurant POS system with Oracle partner, Order Up, to optimize delivery and takeout.

Outback Steakhouse Australia integrates its Simphony restaurant POS system with Oracle partner, Order Up, to optimize delivery and takeout.

Restaurants are balancing and adapting to new on-premises dining environments. Here are four of the biggest changes.

Restaurants are balancing and adapting to new on-premises dining environments. Here are four of the biggest changes.

Dark kitchens are nothing new. But with their growing influence in the restaurant industry, how will they effect your restaurant business?

Dark kitchens are nothing new. But with their growing influence in the restaurant industry, how will they effect your restaurant business?

Here’s our top three labor management software reports to help define staffing plans and reduce cost for your restaurant business.

Here’s our top three labor management software reports to help define staffing plans and reduce cost for your restaurant business.

Most restaurant brands will go through three phases of recovery. We've identified specific tools for restaurateurs to help them manage change and prepare for the next stage.

Most restaurant brands will go through three phases of recovery. We've identified specific tools for restaurateurs to help them manage change and prepare for the next stage.

In April 2020, the Max Burgers made a swift decision to shift operations to off-premises when restrictions affected the restaurant industry. With an experienced team and a flexible self-ordering solution, MAX was able to pivot from table service to delivery and takeaway almost overnight.

In April 2020, the Max Burgers made a swift decision to shift operations to off-premises when restrictions affected the restaurant industry. With an experienced team and a flexible self-ordering...

The way we buy and sell goods continues to evolve at a rapid pace and for many merchants and customers, the role of technology has become increasingly important.

The way we buy and sell goods continues to evolve at a rapid pace and for many merchants and customers, the role of technology has become increasingly important.

Running your on-premises dining at reduced capacity will stress margins making it more important than ever to make sure you have complete control of inventory costs. We’ve worked with our team of experts to compile a list of top inventory reports you should be running to get ready for your re-opening.

Running your on-premises dining at reduced capacity will stress margins making it more important than ever to make sure you have complete control of inventory costs. We’ve worked with our team...

Here are five straightforward ways to kick off your onboarding to make sure your restaurant is staffed when you are ready to fully reopen your doors.

Here are five straightforward ways to kick off your onboarding to make sure your restaurant is staffed when you are ready to fully reopen your doors.

Preparing to reopen your restaurant? We have detailed checklists for Oracle MICROS Simphony POS and RES point of sale customers to ensure you’re ready for guests on day one.

Preparing to reopen your restaurant? We have detailed checklists for Oracle MICROS Simphony POS and RES point of sale customers to ensure you’re ready for guests on day one.

To meet the challenges that restaurants face, both from a business and customer standpoint, it will require agility and flexibility. Ghost kitchens became the hot new restaurant industry trend in 2019. Even big-name tech talent got in on the action, with former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick backing start-up CloudKitchens. In essence, ghost kitchens provide the “kitchen” piece of a restaurant operation without the on-premises dining or direct customer interaction—no host or wait staff, no cashier. The contactless customer model focuses on take-out service only, delivered mainly via apps such as GrubHub and UberEats. For entrepreneurs just starting, the ghost kitchen model provides a lower cost, faster time to market option than opening a full-service restaurant. For existing brands, ghost kitchens provide a lower risk method to expand into new areas or test out an entirely new concept. What no one saw coming in early 2020, however, was that the ghost kitchen trend would become a necessity for nearly every restaurant around the globe within a matter of months. With the emergence of COVID-19 and stay-at-home guidelines, many of the world’s restaurants had to close to foot traffic, leaving them with a choice: either temporarily close, or pivot to a delivery or take-out model.  For traditional table service restaurants, this was a massive disruption that left a multitude of questions. What on my menu is appropriate for delivery? How do I connect to delivery apps? Will I have enough business to justify the costs of remaining open? With innovation and ingenuity, many restaurants rapidly pivoted to simplify their menu and make it take-out accessible. But now that these establishments have had a taste of running a ghost kitchen, where will they go with it next? Ghosts Rising While no one knows exactly how the post-coronavirus world will fare for the restaurant industry, there is no denying that ghost kitchens remain a popular option. Creating Culinary Communities (C3), a food hall and virtual kitchen subsidiary of hospitality company SBE Entertainment Group, is currently on a hiring spree and plans to open 138 more ghost kitchens before the end of the year. Likewise, the restaurant chain Kona Poké is planning 20 ghost kitchen locations inside Reef Kitchen’s Miami facility. For full-service restaurants, they are counting the days to when they can throw open the doors and welcome back in their customers. But as full-service restaurants look to expand into new areas, in what promises to be a challenging environment, it’s likely a ghost kitchen model will be on the list of considerations. For starters, ghost kitchens are built to naturally support social-distancing, which is likely to continue in some capacity long after stay-at-home mandates lift. Dorothy Creamer, Senior Research Analyst, Hospitality & Travel Digital Transformation at IDC notes, “As the restaurant industry—and the economy as a whole—recovers, ghost kitchens will benefit from not needing the capital that traditional kitchens with a staff of servers and front-of-house staff and larger spaces will require. What they will require however is a nimble, robust infrastructure.” Good kitchen fundamentals remain—in any model What is very likely is that we start to see more hybrid models evolve. A full-service restaurant might opt to partner with a ghost kitchen to supplement their newly developed take-out business, while other brands could choose to boost profits by offering their kitchens as ghost kitchens for other brands. Some may look to ghost kitchens to expand into new territories. And now that more people have tried delivery-based ordering for the first time in the face of the current environment, no doubt we will see more independent ghost kitchens pop-up. But no matter the model, as Creamer noted, an agile infrastructure that can offer intelligence and the ability to pivot, will be critical. Because whether you are a ghost or a traditional kitchen, the fundamentals of good management remain. The technology that employs artificial intelligence, deep analytics, and open integration to other solutions, will enable restaurateurs to: Streamline inventory and menu management: It is essential to effectively manage cost and control inventory waste, to ensure the sales you capture have a healthy bottom-line. Using advanced analytics, you can easily see what items are selling best in which locations, and enable you to make adjustments to your menu to reflect new trends. Similarly, if faced with product shortages, as we may soon experience with pork with Tyson idling its largest plant, an effective analysis of your restaurant cost of sales (COS) can also help you evaluate which of your more prevalent items could perhaps be replaced with an alternative. Ensure a healthy supply chain: Suppliers, like everyone, have been hit by the current crisis and perhaps have too much of some inventory and not enough of others. You must be careful to track the supply chain in good times and bad, ensuring you can get the products you need at a fair price. Alternatively, make supply chain adjustments to account for any number of scenarios that could arise, from bad weather to the completely unexpected, as we are experiencing now. Reduce Waste: It’s estimated that industry food waste amounts to roughly $25 billion each year. Not only is that a hit to your bottom line, but it is environmentally unsound. By better managing inventory and getting a better grip on your menu, it noted that individual restaurants can cut up to 2-6 percent off their food costs.  Expand models: What better way to tackle the above three elements than expanding your model. Food kits have become a popular way to help busy families and budding at-home chefs try new recipes and expand their kitchen skills. So, in addition to offering finished meals, why not consider meal kits to help turn over inventory and offer customers a new way to interact with your brand. Stay flexible: It was not so long ago that we had never heard of UberEats or Door Dash. No one knows what service, opportunity, situation (like the current) may pop up next, so it’s critical to have an infrastructure that allows for maximum adaptability for whatever may come. Likewise, it is important to ensure in this model that you have access to customer data and do not lose that customer connection (see below). Better understand and reach customers: As important as understanding what you sell, is whom you sell it to and how frequently. By linking restaurant POS systems with customer experience offerings, restaurants can better target their best customers, or even “like” customers using a combination of first and third-party data. Coupled with targeted offers and elements such as loyalty programs, you can expand sales and reach new audiences. While nobody knows exactly what the future holds for the restaurant industry, the road ahead likely will not be an easy one. To meet the challenges that restaurants face, both from a business and customer standpoint, it will require agility and flexibility. If there is one thing the restaurant industry has shown in recent months, it is amazing resiliency. There is no doubt they will continue to explore all options to keep delivering great food to the customers they love. Ghost kitchens can help meet that goal by providing an invaluable channel for expansion and to help new restaurants get off the ground with lower risk.   Chris Adams has over 20 years’ experience in the hospitality technology industry.  Following time with Marriott, Chris began his career at MICROS (now Oracle Food and Beverage) in 2000 and has worked across many positions throughout his tenure, including operations, customer success, consulting and sales. Having worked in multiple countries and regions, Chris was Managing Director of Australia prior to the Oracle acquisition. Today, with his passion to see our customers succeed, Chris drives the strategy for Oracle Food and Beverage’s global portfolio as Global VP Strategy and Solutions. He is based in Maryland when not traveling the world spending time with our team, customers and partners.

To meet the challenges that restaurants face, both from a business and customer standpoint, it will require agility and flexibility. Ghost kitchens became the hot new restaurant industry trend in 2019....

Improving your reach and engagement with customers and prospects is more important than ever. Read on for insights on fine-tuning your targeting.

Improving your reach and engagement with customers and prospects is more important than ever. Read on for insights on fine-tuning your targeting.

If a temporary closure is necessary for your restaurant, there are several steps we recommend protect your assets. This can be overwhelming, so we’ve laid out a simple checklist to help.

If a temporary closure is necessary for your restaurant, there are several steps we recommend protect your assets. This can be overwhelming, so we’ve laid out a simple checklist to help.

Although many restaurants have pivoted quickly to off-premises dining only, that model isn’t a fit for every brand. Not to be deterred, several of those establishments are getting creative with offerings such as curated meal kits and market baskets. Some restaurants are even expanding their menus to become pop-up general stores.

Although many restaurants have pivoted quickly to off-premises dining only, that model isn’t a fit for every brand. Not to be deterred, several of those establishments are getting creative...

Sibylla currently offers drive-thru options at 36 sites but had not set up online ordering and pick-up. In just weeks, the company went from the idea of expanding online ordering and pick-up, to having all locations live and operational. The project was completed with the help of Oracle Food and Beverage and integration partner Pej.

Sibylla currently offers drive-thru options at 36 sites but had not set up online ordering and pick-up. In just weeks, the company went from the idea of expanding online ordering and pick-up, to...

Get your #GreatAmericanTakeOut game on tonight. Find a restaurant near you offering take-out or delivery with this state by state listing.

Get your #GreatAmericanTakeOut game on tonight. Find a restaurant near you offering take-out or delivery with this state by state listing.

More than ever, restaurants need to be creative, light on their feet, and forward-thinking to navigate current challenges, prepare for what comes next, and position for the unknown impact of the current health crisis on restaurant culture.

More than ever, restaurants need to be creative, light on their feet, and forward-thinking to navigate current challenges, prepare for what comes next, and position for the unknown impact of...

Food delivery and off-premises dining have gone from a hot trend to mission critical in a matter of weeks. If you have not enabled these services yet, you are likely asking how you can and do it sustainably. We are here to help.

Food delivery and off-premises dining have gone from a hot trend to mission critical in a matter of weeks. If you have not enabled these services yet, you are likely asking how you can and do...

With many countries practicing social distancing and staying at home, restaurants around the world have been forced to delay operations or change their business model, overnight. Yet despite the challenges across our industry, businesses have rallied to help those fighting on the front lines of the current crisis and continue to bring familiarity and comfort to the communities they serve.

With many countries practicing social distancing and staying at home, restaurants around the world have been forced to delay operations or change their business model, overnight. Yet despite the...

We’ve seen many customers seemingly overnight, adopt or prioritize take-out and delivery services to maintain revenue streams. Now more than ever, it’s essential to effectively manage cost and control waste to ensure the sales you capture have a healthy bottom-line.

We’ve seen many customers seemingly overnight, adopt or prioritize take-out and delivery services to maintain revenue streams. Now more than ever, it’s essential to effectively manage cost and control...

Cashless payment technology enables quick and easy customer transactions, convenient accessibility through mobile wallets, and can lower the overall risk of on-premise theft thanks to the reduction of onsite cash. While the move to cashless has been growing in the restaurant industry, never has it been more important than now – as establishments look to this method to support a contact-free business model.

Cashless payment technology enables quick and easy customer transactions, convenient accessibility through mobile wallets, and can lower the overall risk of on-premise theft thanks to the reduction of...

We’ve packaged up complimentary learning paths and restaurant delivery service integration options to ensure your off-premise operations are optimized and to keep your staff productive during times of low foot traffic.

We’ve packaged up complimentary learning paths and restaurant delivery service integration options to ensure your off-premise operations are optimized and to keep your staff productive during times of...

Restaurant delivery has moved from popular to critical in a very short time. Here’s a rundown of how to pivot your operation to accommodate the high demand.

Restaurant delivery has moved from popular to critical in a very short time. Here’s a rundown of how to pivot your operation to accommodate the high demand.

It's a wrap! Thanks to all of the customers, partners, and associates who made Oracle Food and Beverage in Miami a huge success. We'll see you next year!

It's a wrap! Thanks to all of the customers, partners, and associates who made Oracle Food and Beverage in Miami a huge success. We'll see you next year!

Automating restaurant menu management could be the special ingredient you need to increase your profits. Empower your business with Enterprise Menu Management.

Automating restaurant menu management could be the special ingredient you need to increase your profits. Empower your business with Enterprise Menu Management.

Thanks to 3C Payment’s long and successful partnership with Oracle spanning over 30 years, we’ve worked together to launch a new integrated Pay@Bar solution to solve our client’s issues, where staff can serve more customers quickly and operate more efficiently to increase business revenue.

Thanks to 3C Payment’s long and successful partnership with Oracle spanning over 30 years, we’ve worked together to launch a new integrated Pay@Bar solution to solve our client’s issues, where staff...

New Oracle MICROS point-of-sale suite meets the service needs of small restaurant businesses.

New Oracle MICROS point-of-sale suite meets the service needs of small restaurant businesses.

Oracle MICROS point-of-sale systems delivers modern, easy experience to restaurant owners, staff, and customers alike

Oracle MICROS point-of-sale systems delivers modern, easy experience to restaurant owners, staff, and customers alike

The Connect Zone at Oracle Food and Beverage Connect 2020 will feature 39 key Oracle integration partners to help you integrate and innovate on our open API platform.

The Connect Zone at Oracle Food and Beverage Connect 2020 will feature 39 key Oracle integration partners to help you integrate and innovate on our open API platform.

This week’s launch of Oracle Linux for MICROS puts cloud-based restaurant POS system management and POSaaS within reach for more on-premise Oracle MICROS customers.

This week’s launch of Oracle Linux for MICROS puts cloud-based restaurant POS system management and POSaaS within reach for more on-premise Oracle MICROS customers.

As the digital dining experience continues to lead change across the industry, restauranteurs must adapt to 3 trends shaping the future of restaurant technology.

As the digital dining experience continues to lead change across the industry, restauranteurs must adapt to 3 trends shaping the future of restaurant technology.

Online ordering, ghost kitchens, & food delivery services are disrupting the restaurant industry. Ordermark, an authority in online ordering, explains what’s next.

Online ordering, ghost kitchens, & food delivery services are disrupting the restaurant industry. Ordermark, an authority in online ordering, explains what’s next.

Integrations are key to delivering frictionless omnichannel ordering for restaurants. These best-practices will ensure your restaurant POS system integration success.

Integrations are key to delivering frictionless omnichannel ordering for restaurants. These best-practices will ensure your restaurant POS system integration success.

Attracting today’s digital-dining customer requires technology that creates a frictionless customer experience. Here’s how to implement it without breaking the bank.

Attracting today’s digital-dining customer requires technology that creates a frictionless customer experience. Here’s how to implement it without breaking the bank.

POS systems are emerging as critical customer data platforms for maintaining satisfaction and running effective gift & loyalty programs in restaurants and hotels.

POS systems are emerging as critical customer data platforms for maintaining satisfaction and running effective gift & loyalty programs in restaurants and hotels.

POS receipt printers play a crucial role in restaurant and kitchen operations. Here are 5 vital characteristics of a POS printer every restauranteur should demand.

POS receipt printers play a crucial role in restaurant and kitchen operations. Here are 5 vital characteristics of a POS printer every restauranteur should demand.