Tech Tips for Small Cafés & Restaurants: Save Time, Impress Guests
Running a café or small restaurant isn’t just about good food and friendly service — it’s about juggling bookings, rotas, stock, and food safety too. And if you’ve got a team of just a few people, every second counts.
Thankfully, technology is making life easier for independent hospitality businesses across the UK. You don’t need to be a tech expert or have a huge budget — just a few smart tools can make a big difference.
1. Smarter Point-of-Sale (POS) Systems
Modern POS systems are about more than just taking payments. Tools like Square, Zettle, or Lightspeed give you:
Real-time sales data
Stock tracking (down to the last croissant)
Easy menu updates
Built-in loyalty schemes
Many also work from a phone or tablet, with no need for bulky till hardware.
2. Online Ordering and Table Booking
Even if you don’t do full takeaway, having an online menu or simple booking link is a must these days.
You can:
Take bookings via your website or social media
Reduce no-shows with automated reminders
Accept click-and-collect or delivery orders
Sync everything with your calendar or POS
Tools like OpenTable, Tablein, or GloriaFood are affordable and easy to use.
3. Staff Rotas and Timesheets Made Easy
When you’ve got a small team, planning shifts fairly — and tracking hours — can get messy.
Apps like Planday, Homebase, or Deputy let you:
Build rotas quickly
Handle shift swaps without endless messages
Track hours and export to payroll
Stay compliant with working time rules
And your staff can view everything on their phones.
4. Food Safety and Hygiene Records
Food hygiene isn’t optional — but it doesn’t have to mean piles of paper either.
Tools like Safer Food Group, FoodDocs, or even basic Google Forms can help with:
Daily opening/closing checklists
Fridge/freezer temperature logs
Cleaning schedules
Staff training records
It’s easier to stay compliant — and be ready for that next inspection.
5. Building Your Online Reputation
Most customers will Google you before they visit. Make sure they like what they see.
Keep your Google Business profile up to date
Use Canva or Later to plan social posts
Ask for reviews with a friendly follow-up (or automate it!)
Monitor mentions or reviews using tools like Reputon
Good tech here = more footfall and repeat visits.
Start Small and Build Up
You don’t need a full digital system overnight. Most cafés and restaurants start with just one upgrade:
Switch from a card machine to a smart POS
Take table bookings online
Digitise your cleaning checks
Each step makes life easier, saves time, and helps your business shine.
Need Help Getting Started?
At Infracto, we help small hospitality businesses across the UK choose, set up, and manage the right tools — without jargon or unnecessary extras. You stay focused on great service — we’ll take care of the tech.
