Numerous media outlets have written about hilariously misspelled names scribbled on coffee orders. Although it may be amusing to read about someone telling a barista their name is “Gunner” and being handed a cup that says “Goner,” handwritten labels can cause major headaches for restaurant employees.
Order online/pickup is a growing segment of the restaurant industry – so it’s important for businesses with these capabilities to make sure they do it well. Mobile label printing helps eliminate confusion while orders are prepared and picked up, and it helps speed up customer service by cutting down the time it takes an employee to locate an order.
Here are four advantages to using mobile label printing:
1. Order Accuracy. A mobile printer easily creates clear, easy-to-read order labels for takeout packages. This eliminates the need to write on each container or tape receipts to boxes so employees know which customer’s order they belong to. Printed labels will also cut down the amount of errors made while preparing each order and time spent deciphering handwritten names when a customer comes in to pick up their food.
2. Customer Service. Mobile label printing helps ensure that customers receive fast and efficient service. Take out and online orders can be prepared quickly and efficiently, and food is ready in a timely manner. When customers arrive to pick up their order, food and beverages can be located quickly so people can get home to enjoy their meals. Clearly printed labels eliminate the possibility that a customer will receive the wrong order or have missing items.
Star Micronics Label Solutions
From printing product labels in a warehouse to quickly attaching linerless labels to coffee cups in a café, Star Micronics understands labeling solutions aren’t “one size fits all.” Designed with the application and user in mind, Star Micronics offers label printers with the technology needed for today’s digital, fast-moving world, and label paper for virtually any business scenario.
3. Branding. Your restaurant’s logo, address, phone number and website can be added to the label template, so each label is a consistent representation of your brand. Online orders and other to-go items that leave the restaurant with a customized label are an advertising opportunity that can help drive new and repeat business to your eatery. If takeout or delivery is a new part of your business, it’s a great way to get the word out that you offer this service.
4. Professional Appearance. Messy, handwritten labels don’t make a great impression. Take-out packaging that is printed with your restaurant’s logo, marketing messages, and contact info give orders a professional appearance. The online order/pick-up in store process will appear polished and smooth and your customers’ positive experience will encourage them to return.
To maximize the impact printed labels can have on your business, you need to use the right technology. Star Micronics’ SM-L300 portable receipt printer, for example, supports thermal receipt paper and lined or linerless MAXStick label paper, making it the perfect mobile label printing solution for restaurants. The SM-L300 also doubles as a fully integrated label printer for retail stores, restaurants, delivery, and warehouse applications.
Mobile label printing can help restaurant owners increase efficiency and accuracy, enhance customer service, and ensure that orders are prepared quickly and correctly. Printed labels eliminate errors made during preparation or pick-up due to misplaced receipts or an employee’s bad handwriting. Customers will appreciate professional service and a fast, high-quality experience, which will keep them coming back for more.