The Ultimate Restaurant Management System Guide

The Ultimate Restaurant Management System Guide

As you’re thinking about updates you can make to improve profitability and efficiency within your restaurant, perhaps you’ve heard about restaurant management systems. When you hear “restaurant management system,” there’s probably a lot that goes through your mind. Some common questions you might have include: What is a restaurant management system? What are the benefits? And which one is best for your specific restaurant? 

In this guide, we’ll go through some of the most frequently asked questions about restaurant management systems and give you some tips on what benefits and features to look for when selecting the best restaurant management system for your unique restaurant.

What is a restaurant management system?

A restaurant management system (RMS) generally refers to all the software you use to run an efficient and profitable food business. Many restaurants have an all-in-one restaurant management system that helps them manage everything from point-of-sale transactions to inventory management and staffing. 

What does RMS stand for in the restaurant industry? 

In the restaurant industry, RMS stands for restaurant management software or restaurant management system. A solid RMS is critical to the success of your restaurant. A good restaurant management system can help you streamline your operations, serve customers and employees at a high level, and win back time to spend improving your restaurant instead of just managing it.

What are the benefits of a restaurant management system?

The benefits of a restaurant management system include:

  • Increased productivity
  • Precise and automated sales tracking
  • Better customer relationships
  • Greater employee satisfaction
  • Fewer human errors
  • Enhanced inventory tracking
  • Better reporting 

What features do the best restaurant management systems include?

The best restaurant management systems are robust enough to handle several aspects of managing your restaurant. A good restaurant management system will include the following features:

  • Safe and cash management 
  • Inventory management 
  • Restaurant purchasing
  • Food safety 
  • Restaurant operations 
  • Restaurant HR & staffing 
  • Restaurant reporting 
  • Restaurant employee health checks

A restaurant management system should include safe and cash management

You can’t run a profitable restaurant if you don’t have a way to manage cash. Look for a restaurant management system that includes restaurant cash management software. The best solutions will allow you to track the flow of cash all the way from the customer to the bank. Many cash management systems integrate with your existing POS system. With cash management software as part of your RMS, you’ll get detailed reporting and an accurate picture of how much cash you’re bringing in.

A restaurant management system should include inventory management software

Keeping track of food and inventory that’s coming and going is key if you want to mitigate loss and ensure you can keep up with demand. Restaurants inventory management software is designed to make it simple to count inventory and maintain reliable reporting. Our inventory management software makes it simple to keep tabs on your inventory levels and make informed decisions to boost profits and limit food waste. Working as part of a broader restaurant management system, restaurant inventory management software is a key part of your overall success.

A restaurant management system should include restaurant purchasing software

A restaurant management system isn’t much good if it doesn’t include purchasing software. The best restaurant purchasing software features automatic electronic ordering and the ability for managers to make instant approvals. With our software you’ll also see invoice matching, pricing updates, and automatic inventory integration. Purchasing can be a big headache, and if you get a restaurant management system that doesn’t take care of it, you’ll be sorry.

A restaurant management system should include food safety software

Nothing will hurt your reputation faster than poor food quality. If a patron gets sick because your food was old or undercooked, word could spread quickly and sales could drop dramatically. Not only that—if your food safety isn’t up to code, you could be hit with hefty fines when the inspector comes around. Our food safety software allows you to easily record food temperatures, get notifications when food is outside of compliance, and set cleaning and maintenance schedules. Do yourself a favor and ensure your restaurant management system includes software for food safety.

A restaurant management system should include restaurant operations software

Managing your restaurant effectively means keeping operations running smoothly. Restaurant management systems that include operations checklists can help you there. The best restaurant operations software will allow you to boost productivity and empower your employees. How? With custom tasks and checklists for things like cleaning and opening and closing duties. With staff communication tools that help you ensure smooth shift changes. 

A restaurant management system should include restaurant HR software

If your restaurant doesn’t have an HR department, you’re not alone. They can be uncommon in smaller restaurants. Thankfully, the best restaurant management systems have HR capabilities. Get restaurant HR software that helps you with staffing, training, and compliance. The right software will help you keep good records and ensure your staff is happy and compliant.

A restaurant management system should include restaurant reporting software

It’s hard to improve your restaurant business if you don’t have the right data and reports to make informed decisions. Your restaurant management system must have reporting capabilities if it is to be effective. We make restaurant reporting simple with a solution that shows you real-time sales data, calculates profitability, and helps you reduce admin costs. So when you look for an RMS, be sure you consider reporting as a top feature.

A restaurant management system should include employee health check software

The health of your employees is always important, particularly since they’re handling food. It’s perhaps never been more critical than it is now as COVID-19 has caused heightened health scrutiny, particularly in the food business. Be sure you are complying with local health and safety protocols by getting employee health check software that lets you easily track the health of your employees, manage sick leave, and give health assessments. 

What system will you use in the restaurant?

As you can see, a robust restaurant management system incorporates many different softwares in one single solution that helps you keep your restaurant running effectively. The system you use for your specific restaurant may vary, but the tools we’ve outlined are important to keep in mind. If you’re looking for a comprehensive restaurant management system to help you manage and grow your business, we’re ready to help.

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Leverage Technology to Manage Restaurant Labor Costs

Between increased costs, labor shortages, and socio-economic complexities - staying on top of labor costs is more important than ever for franchise owners.

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