26, September, 2024
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Best CRM Software for Restaurants
Biography
Mark Sempolsky leverages his experience as a Product Owner (PO) at a leading design agency to provide insights on CRMs for creative teams on our blog. Having navigated complex design workflows and client relationships since his intern days, David focuses on how CRMs can streamline communication, boost project management, and fuel creative success within design agencies.
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Latest Update:
Sep 16, 2024, 8:45 am
In a Nutshell
As an expert on Customer Relationship Management software, I have worked dozens of times with people in the food market, and they all agreed on one thing. If you want to be successful, you have to know your best customers and what they like.
That is why I prepared a list of the ten best CRM software specific for restaurants so you can treat them as they deserve.
- Limetray – Best customization.
- Sevenrooms – Best versatility for restaurants.
- Me&u – Most easy to use.
- BigZpoon – Best referral system.
- Zyda – Best advertising features.
- SerVme – Best for tracking clients.
- Toast – Best interface.
- EatApp – Best for table management.
- OpenTable – Best for messaging customers.
- UpMenu – Best CRM overall.
Why Do Restaurants Need CRM Software?
Over the last few years, restaurants have faced a change in their customer’s habits. Nowadays, more and more people prefer to stay home and ask for delivery instead of dressing and eating locally.
The shift in tastes is not necessarily a loss for the restaurants, since they still sell the food. Still, many are finding themselves struggling in a food market that is starting to prioritize fast deliveries over the experience of reuniting with friends to catch a bite.
And that’s where a CRM enters; using this software, you can register the details of your best clients, their favorite plates, and a lot of other information about them.
Best 10 CRM For Restaurants
Free Plan: No
Why I Like It
One of the things I love about this software is its customization options. With Limetray, you can easily create campaigns and discounts for your most loyal clients and notify them through a dedicated email, SMS, or Push notification.
The app also has a reporting feature that can give you insight into the success of any previous or upcoming campaigns so you can adjust them and attract as many clients as possible.
Most Important Restaurant Features
If your restaurant is on its first steps, then Limetray is a good option. The platform offers a website creation feature to help new owners create the site of their dreams using a wide variety of templates and options.
Once you have created the website, you can add an online food ordering system so your customers can order their dishes for delivery or on the way to the restaurant.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Has a lot of customization options.
- It allows users to make their own website and mobile app.
- Users can manage orders and inventory through the software.
Cons
- Requires practice or training to master the app’s features fully.
Free Plan: No
Why I Like It
During my time with this software, I fell in love with its versatility. You can use Sevenrooms to record info on your clients, the amount they spent, and the number of times they have visited. You can even use the app through tablets, smartphones, or a smartwatch!
Once you have enough info, you add custom tags to their profile, so other workers can immediately know their tastes and give them the best treatment.
Most Important Restaurant Features
Besides the CRM features, Sevenrooms can take charge of the payments, so your clients can pay from their phones using credit cards or apps like Google Pay.
If you lack a proper delivery system, Sevenrooms also offers one; you just have to add it to the website and start taking orders; the software even offers social media integration, so your customers can access it right away from Facebook or Instagram.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Has a social media integration.
- Allows users to add tags to the clients.
- It allows clients to pay through different apps.
Cons
- The app can be overwhelming for small restaurants or users with little experience.
Free Plan: No
Why I Like It
If you’re looking for a CRM that’s easy to use, then Me&u might be just what you need. With just a few clicks, you can start sending automated messages or emails to as many people as possible and making profiles for your clients.
Most Important Restaurant Features
Once you have configured Me&u, your clients can check the menu, order, and pay by scanning the QR codes linked to the app. (Of course, you must set those yourself).
You can also integrate many third-party apps into ME&U, including payment options. I recommend checking the list on their main website to create a strong platform suited to all your necessities.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Allows customers to check menus and pay through QR Codes.
- Has a training section for workers and managers available on their main website.
- The subscription is fairly cheap.
Cons
- It can feel insufficient for bigger restaurant chains.
Free Plan: No
Why I Like It
By using BigZpoon, you can get a clear idea of your customer’s behaviors and adjust the promotions to make them more effective.
I also liked the referral system since it rewards customers with tokens if they refer other customers, allowing your business to get new clients while attracting existing ones.
Most Important Restaurant Features
If a client cancels an order but the food is ready to serve, you can post it on the BigZpoon to notify customers. If anyone is interested, they can pick up the food with a small discount, the clients eat happily, you still get money, and the dishes won’t ever end up discarded.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Has options to develop a good reward system.
- It lets you automatize messages.
- It can help owners to develop menus for customers with allergies.
Cons
- It can be difficult to find some specific features.
Free Plan: No
75.50
Why I Like It
The main attraction of this CRM is, without a doubt, its advertising; with this app, you can easily create campaigns and share them to attract both new and regular customers. The platform also has a feature to keep track of your most popular dishes.
Most Important Restaurant Features
Zyda has a lot of features for big restaurants with a constant influx of orders. For example, you can use the app to contact different delivery services via WhatsApp and send your orders or contact call centers to ensure enough ingredients for the week.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Has a lot of options for advertising
- 24/7 chat support.
- It allows online payment options.
Cons
- It can be a bit expensive for smaller businesses.
Free Plan: No
Why I Like It
After testing SerVme a few times, I can safely say it is one of the best restaurant CRM. This app lets you quickly create profiles with data like allergies, table preferences, or special dates like birthdays or anniversaries.
Moreover, the system can also add tags based on how much the guest spends, use discounts, or simply visit. I had a lot of fun adding my rule to find which clients are devouring all the french fries in the restaurant of an acquaintance.
Most Important Restaurant Features
SerVme offers a wide list of features that will make any manager’s life easier. You can use the app to check which tables are available or make digital menus that guests can watch using their phones.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- You can program tags to be added automatically.
- It lets users register various details about the clients.
- Has a lot of management features.
Cons
- It takes time to fully learn all its features.
Free Plan: Yes
69
Why I Like It
I won’t sugarcoat it: Toast is so great that you might make one yourself after using it. With this platform, you can send custom emails to a dozen customers or design a loyalty program for the best ones.
That said, what I liked the most about this app was their gift cards. Toast allows the user to create and send or sell gift cards that clients can use with their phones, with no paper needed.
Most Important Restaurant Features
If you need an extra pair of hands, then Toast is ideal for you. With this app, you can easily attract new employees and add them immediately to your staff with just a click on your phone.
Now, if you already have enough staff, don’t worry; Toast also has a pretty good management platform, so you can supervise your employees and give them their well-earned pay.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Is easy to set up even for people without experience.
- Has payment facilities.
- Can help with the recruitment process.
Cons
- You can only use the services of the app on specified devices.
Free Plan: Yes
49
Why I Like It
Once you’ve activated EatApp, it will start registering the number of times people have visited your local or how much they have spent there.
If you can’t find your best clients, don’t worry because EatApp also adds a filter option that will show your VIP customers what they prefer to eat so you can always give them the best service.
Most Important Restaurant Features
Besides customer relationship management for restaurants, EatApp also offers a great reservation and table management system, that can help you keep track of all the tables available and shift them to make your local more comfortable for the customers and workers.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Is available in tablets, smartphones and web browsers.
- The apps are easy to navigate.
- You can use it to redistribute the tables at your local.
Cons
- The Essential and Pro plan can be very expensive compared to other apps.
149
Why I Like It
With OpenTable, you can easily create automated emails for your best customers or send them notes to make them feel welcome even before they enter the restaurant.
Most Important Restaurant Features
Apart from CRM, OpenTable can assist you with the marketing department, helping you create local events to attract close customers. Why not? Start advertising through social media, just make sure to catch the best angle of your dishes!
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Has a lot of marketing options.
- The UI is pretty attractive and intuitive.
- You can use to manage the tables and orders.
Cons
- Can be very expensive for small restaurants.
Free Plan: No
49
Why I Like It
Last but not least, I couldn’t forget to mention UpMenu, a very popular app in the restaurant market that allows you to gather feedback on your website, collect data from your clients, and create campaigns and discounts to attract more of them.
Most Important Restaurant Features
Attracting clients won’t be useful if you can’t treat them how they deserve; fortunately, UpMenu has you covered. With this app, you can manage online food orders and reservations and create your menu or website.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- You can track feedback from other social media accounts.
- The pricing is fairly balanced.
- Has a lot of features for marketing, CRM and management.
Cons
- The app can be a bit difficult to handle if you have no experience with CRM.
Small Restaurants Vs. Large Restaurant Chains:
It’s no secret that a small restaurant has different needs than a big one. While a small local will receive maybe five or 20 customers daily, a large chain can attract dozens, sometimes even hundreds, of guests in the same amount of time.
That’s why you must choose a restaurant CRM software tailored to your necessities. For example, if your business is on baby steps, then you should go for a that covers payments, deliveries, and website creation so you can start attracting as many clients as possible.
If you have an established brand, I suggest picking a CRM that can help you polish any area you might be lacking or attract new clients who haven’t visited your local yet.
Finally, check the price of all the platforms I mentioned before picking one. A CRM won’t do you any good if it eats all the income from the new clients.
Conclusion
As I mentioned at the beginning, if a restaurant wants to be successful, it needs to find out what its customers like, and that’s exactly what a CRM can do.
With that said, I also recommend checking all the other features that these platforms offer so you don’t only attract newer clients but also give them a better service.
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1) Which CRM Software Is Best For A Big Restaurant Chain?Depending on their needs, a big restaurant chain needs a CRM that can help it attract new customers in far areas. Also, it should have features to handle huge delivery orders, reservations, and many guests.
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2) Do Restaurants Use CRM Systems?Yes, restaurants use CRM systems to learn more about their customers’ tastes and improve their menu or service based on that data.
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3) What Is The Best Software For Restaurants?The best CRM software for restaurants is the one that can help them cover any area that they may be lacking and improve their overall service.
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4) Does KFC Use CRM?Yes, KFC uses a custom-made CRM created by themselves in collaboration with Evrone.
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