Mythbusting 5 spooky misconceptions about restaurant operations

We've all heard some frightening restaurant lore that needs busting. Monday's fish is Friday's leftovers. Red meat only pairs with red wine. Rubbing chopsticks together before eating rids them of extra wood shavings.

With spooky season upon us, it's time to debunk five common restaurant myths and explain how they can be solved with smart restaurant technology.

Myth 1: Monday's fish is last week's leftovers

The late chef and TV personality Anthony Bourdain once advised diners that Monday's fish was last week's leftovers. This 1999 fable still haunts sushi restaurants and other establishments from selling fish at the beginning of the week. Perhaps this fable was true at the time, and perhaps it wasn't, but technology has changed and accelerated things for the better.

Today, seafood shipments arrive nearly as frequently as a restaurant wants them − often daily – and are tracked within inventory systems to ensure freshness.

Consider highlighting menu items through high-quality digital signage and displaying drool-worthy salmon, trout and other seafood photos on your mobile ordering app to make a fish-worthy splash with customers and boost your bottom line. Fish isn't just for Fridays: customers should feel comfortable diving in and dining on fresh fish fare any day of the week.

Myth 2: Third-party delivery service is easy

Third-party delivery experienced a huge uptick during the pandemic and served as an important resource for restaurants. However, setting up and maintaining your restaurant's profile can be scary.

Challenges with equipment and updates to menu items and inventory can cause confusion for third-party delivery drivers, customers and staff. While these apps can increase brand exposure and eliminate the additional work it takes to hire, train and manage in-house drivers, these benefits come at a cost, including giving up control of the customer experience.

Further, third-party delivery services usually charge high commission fees. Sales might surge, but profits won't rise at the same rate. Additionally, if your POS system fails to integrate with the third-party application, staff will have to re-enter these orders by hand, which eats up precious time that could be spent on customer-facing tasks.

And remember that you are still responsible for negative reviews, even if it was the third-party delivery services' mistake.

Myth 3: Customers don't want texts from favorite testaurants

When it comes to interacting with brands, more than 50% of Americans prefer texting over talking. Most millennials and Gen Z patrons, in particular, see text as a powerful customer experience and service tool.

Text is a great option to keep loyal, subscribing diners in the loop about special menu items or discounts since 98% of texts are opened and 60% of customers read texts one to five minutes after their delivery.

So, text your restaurant's Halloween (or other time of year's) specials, particularly to reward loyal customers. By optimizing your marketing campaigns with text messages, you'll reward valuable diners and identify target customers who are more likely to spend more with your restaurant.

Myth 4: Employees know the menu inside and out

It's not likely that a worker will remember every single dish that is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, running low or pairs well with red wine, especially if the menu changes regularly. They are human; even the ones who have been with an establishment for the long haul.

Rather than expecting them to remember everything about the menu on their own, restaurants can equip staff with the right technology to have this type of information at their fingertips. Consider implementing handheld POS devices in your restaurant to increase order flexibility, speed and accuracy.

In doing so, customers get their meals faster, eat their food sooner and pay for their tickets quicker, allowing more time for the next group to come in. By turning over more tables, these handheld POS devices can enhance your service and boost your sales in one swoop.

Plus, since good help is chillingly hard to come by, technology puts you in a better place to increase server retention.

Myth 5: POS systems are expensive and only largescale restaurants can have sophisticated technology

Never underestimate the power of the POS. An efficient POS system is key to positive customer interactions and seamless dining experiences.

Regardless of restaurant size, every establishment needs a smart POS, not just the big guys. The right technology not only completes hassle-free transactions across multiple payment types, but also supports reward programs, connects front- and back-of-house operations and provides an exceptional end-to-end customer experience.

Food is the heart and soul of a restaurant's business, let your POS system be the brain.

Rather than getting spooked by misconceptions, lean on restaurant-specific technology to up the customer and employee experience. Dining with your establishment shouldn't be scary; it should be scrumptious. The right technology can help.