Square was live for this year’s Bar & Restaurant Expo in Las Vegas. We met with restauranteurs looking for cutting-edge technology to help solve their complex business problems. According to the Square Future of Commerce 2025 report 49% of consumers are expecting restaurants to keep or add to their current value offerings. The majority of those consumers (63%) are also planning on cutting spending on restaurant purchases. So, how do restauranteurs adapt to these changing behaviors this year? Here’s a quick recap of what we learned on the ground.
Navigating staffing in a new era
The bar and restaurant industry is undergoing a sea change when it comes to staffing practices. Restauranteurs everywhere are meeting staffing shortages with flexible management solutions while also looking into ways to better retain existing employees.
Restauranteur and Chef and Owner of My Two Cents LA, Chef Alisa Reynolds spoke with us live from this year’s Bar & Restaurant Expo. “One of the key points that I remember is staffing and challenges of staffing today. Trying to adjust to the new industry norms” said Reynolds
Catering to Gen Z’s evolving tastes
Gen Z diners are a growing piece of the dining landscape and they have different needs. They prioritize sustainability and a range of new ways to pay. But it’s also what they’re not prioritizing that’s caught everyone’s attention. “They’re not drinking anymore” said Reynolds, adding that hyping non and low alcohol beverage options means braving new waters when it comes to approaching this younger generation.
“Getting bodies in seats, how to bring people into the restaurant, how to use technology but not force it on Gen Z to try to create the same revenue. It’s an interesting topic and I think there’s more to come because it’s what we’re facing in our industry today. Restauranteurs, like Reynolds, are exploring ways to attract this demographic and focus on creating experiences that resonate with them through new and diversified offerings.
Demand for POS systems that go beyond POS
There is a rising demand for advanced point-of-sale systems that go beyond simple transactions. Restauranteurs are looking for deeper POS solutions that offer nuanced views of comprehensive business insights and reflect trends. “I will double down on, Square has a beautiful interface,” said Reynolds. “A lot of the time, people in the industry are not tech savvy and I think Square has it nailed when it comes to visibility, the dashboard, and easy ways of working with it.” She adds that using these solutions incrementally is helpful. Maybe you’re starting with the point-of-sale and then adding on scheduling, payroll, checking, and more.
Management systems that work together and integrate with other softwares are helping fellow restauranteurs see business finances’ at a glance and make more nimble decisions. We are seeing a big shift towards integrating different parts of the business like inventory, payroll, and communications into a single, accessible location. Why? Because solutions like these are helping streamline operations and give staff more control over their time.
Empowering non-tech savvy operators
Technology that’s accessible to all? That’s where the industry is moving, especially for the non-digitally savvy. User-friendly interfaces and incremental integration help democratize technology not only for restauranteurs but for their staff. Having one seamless way to interact with the business across multiple interfaces also helps make your business and staff more nimble. It gives you the ability to adapt to different situations quickly. As your business grows in complexity, having simple solutions to support that growth is critical to success.
“Restaurant work is so fast-paced that you need to make things efficient wherever you can. Square bundles everything together — sales reporting, employee timekeeping, and more. That means employees can focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences.”
— Chef Edgar Rico, Co-Founder of Nixta Taqueria, Austin, TX
“Square helps us plan the future of our business by — it’s going to sound weird — not really having to worry about it. I worry so little about our POS system. I have so many things going wrong all the time and not having it be our POS is amazing.” — Ryan Nosek, Founder of Ghost Town Brewing, San Francisco, CA
“We integrated Square in one day. It was very intuitive. That was really the key. I loved how simple it is to implement and how scalable it is. One location, five locations, it doesn't matter.” — Alex Donley, Co-Owner of Gioia’s Deli, St. Louis, MO
“Square has helped simplify things for us, from training to daily operations to efficiency. Everything is integrated. We see the same information everywhere we look.” — Omar Nazihi, Vice President of Operations, The Kebab Shop, San Diego, CA
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