If you have ever eaten at an old-fashioned diner the process may have been, you told the waitress what you wanted, then she went over to the window overlooking the kitchen and shouted out your order to the cook. It was quick, direct but did leave a margin for error if the chef wasn’t paying close attention.
The need for communication between all parties in a large restaurant today is critically important. And as some chain restaurants have grown larger it has been incumbent to bring computers and advanced computer hardware into the mix to help expedite a smoothly running flow from kitchen to dining room.
Writing out a single check and putting it up on a wheel may work in small places but would not be too effective in a large one. POS or point of sale computer systems are a standard by which many restaurants operate today.
When a waiter gets a diner’s order, he then inputs the order often directly onto a touch-screen monitor. The screen has been customized for the menu and options of the particular restaurant. The order than travels to the different stations where the items need to be prepared. They may then be displayed on video screens there, so the chefs know when an item was ordered, how many and what an entire order consists of. Once the order has been fully prepared, an expediter may assemble it all and have a runner bring the food to the proper table.
Advances in computer hardware can enable some servers to bring a hand-held credit card reader to your table to process your bill rapidly.
While the POS system keeps front and back of house running well, it can also keep track of inventory as it is used and provide lists of items needed to be ordered.
While the dining experience may have evolved to some degree, the technology to help you get your order quickly and correctly has evolved immeasurably.