What is Restaurant Software Terms?
Restaurant software terms refer to the words and phrases that describe how digital systems support restaurant operations. You will see these terms in all ordering systems, as well as management dashboards, reports and settings. The terminology is used by all employees of a restaurant such as the restaurant owner, manager, and all staff members in order to understand and use different technologies for running a restaurant.
Understanding what all of these restaurant software terminologies mean will help employees communicate clearly and reduce the amount of time spent training employees. Additionally, it will help ensure that all employees are using their current restaurant systems correctly and are getting the most out of those systems.
Why Restaurant Software Terminology is Important?
Today, every restaurant utilizes various types of software (ordering, payment processing, employee management, and monitoring of customer interactions) to run their day-to-day operations. Each of these software applications has its own terminology that may confuse someone who is unfamiliar with the context of the terms.
By understanding the common restaurant software terms, restaurant operators can accurately analyze reports, set up their systems and work more productively with both vendors, support teams, and third-party interfaces.
Common Restaurant Software Terms
While terminology can vary slightly between platforms, many terms are widely used across restaurant software systems.
- Order Management- Creating, Tracking & Completing customer orders.
- Menu Configuration- Set up menu items, pricing, categories, and options within the software system.
- Modifiers- The ability to customize menu items like add ons or preferences.
- Table Management- Tools used to assign to, track, and manage tables during service.
- Split Billing: A single bill paid for purchase of food or drink by multiple payment methods.
- User Roles- Permission Levels assigned to the staff.
- Service Mode- The type of order flow, such as dine-in, takeaway, or delivery.
Reporting and Analytics Terminology
Restaurant management software creates reports using different terms to summarize performance and operations.
- Sales Summary- An overview of total sales for a selected period.
- Item Performance- How many times each specific menu item has sold.
- Peak Sales Periods: Specific times of day when you get the largest order volume.
- Void/Refund Rate- Summary of how many total transactions were voided or reversed.
- Audit Log- A detailed record of user actions within the system.
Using these terms, restaurant managers can evaluate, identify trends, and make informed decisions for their businesses.
Operational and System-related Terms
Restaurant software terminology also covers system setup, integrations, and daily workflows.
- Cloud-based systems are systems that process and store all of your data via the internet.
- Offline mode refers to being able to continue working during internet outages.
- Integration is the joining of your restaurant's software with another tool, such as accounting or delivery platforms.
- Automatic updates are software updates applied to your system without manual installation.
- Data sync refers to synchronizing information between connected systems.