Whether you own a little sandwich shop in a college town or manage a few high-end restaurants in a major metropolis, there are a variety of apps for restaurant owners that can help streamline your operations, from front of house to back. In this article, we’ll touch on six tools that could help take your restaurant to the next level.
1. Square Point-of-Sale System
Chances are, you’ve already heard of Square. One of the first app-based credit card processors, this app simplifies many point-of-sale touchpoints for your restaurant, no matter what level of service you provide. From quick service to ghost kitchen, Square has a variety of solutions and plans for your business, whether you’ve got your eye on commercial growth or just want to remain a local favorite.
2. Toast Point-of-Sale System
Another point-of-sale system, Toast offers tons of modern, must-have features, from touch-screen ordering for your customers to the ability to manage deliveries, generate gift cards, and even create marketing emails for guests on your mailing list.
Considered one of the best apps for restaurant managers, many in the food and beverage industry also appreciate how easy it is to communicate orders to back of house using the system’s Kitchen Display System (KDS).
3. 7Shifts Scheduling App
There are a variety of restaurant management apps that can help you schedule staff in a fraction of the time, but none more popular than 7shifts. The app estimates that many users cut back on time spent scheduling employees—and calling and texting them to confirm shifts—by 80%. Plus, the app allows you to manage time off, vacations, overtime and even swapped shifts.
Plus, as one of the best apps for bar managers and restaurant managers alike, 7shifts offers an in-depth look at budgeting and scheduling goals and even integrates with some of the most popular payroll providers and point-of-sale systems on the market.
4. Sortly Inventory Management Software
Every restaurant has inventory—and lots of it. With an inventory management software solution like Sortly, keeping track of what you have, where it is, and when it expires is that much simpler. With Sortly, you can set alerts to remind you and your staff when a certain item is set to expire or when it’s time to re-order more of something. This is critical when tracking perishable food and beverage inventory that you re-order every week. But, you can also track all your restaurant’s supplies in Sortly (everything from napkins and plastic forks to cleaning solutions and receipt paper) so you never run out again.
Sortly truly takes the guesswork out of managing restaurant inventory. Did we mention Sortly is fully mobile? You and your staff can update inventory in real time from any mobile or tablet device—perfect for fast-paced restaurants like yours.
Related: How Restaurant Professionals Use Sortly for Inventory Management
5. Evernote Productivity App
Have you ever thought of a new menu, design, or way to produce an upcoming event? With Evernote, it’s easy to organize all your ideas, documents, links, and images in one place. Consider this app a giant binder that organizes every little folder on your desk—without all the grunt work. Use it as you see fit, and get the rest of your team to collaborate.
6. Yelp for Business App
Love them or hate them, online reviews matter. Keep an eye on what your customers say about your restaurant—and communicate with them directly, too—with the Yelp app. You’ll be able to link potential diners to your restaurant’s website, menu, reservations portal, and so much more. Plus, you can create specials, offers, deals, and many other incentives to turn browsers into loyal customers.
7. Resy Reservation Management App
Many platforms help you manage guest reservations, but none are more popular than Resy. With Resy, you can optimize seats, automatically confirm reservations to reduce no-shows, and help attract diners looking for a new favorite restaurant to try yours tonight. Plus, with tons of data, analytics, and a POS integration, Resy does more than just help you fill your restaurant—it helps you make your restaurant run better, sooner.
About Sortly
Sortly is a top-rated inventory management app designed to help your restaurant or bar manage inventory better than ever before. With key features like expiration alerts, low stock notifications, and comprehensive inventory reporting to help you re-order, it’s no wonder more and more restaurants are turning to Sortly to get organized.
Ready to see how Sortly can help you? Claim your free, two-week trial today.
