Elevate Guest Dining Experience with Restaurant CRM Software

For restaurant operators, few things are more valuable than loyal, repeat customers. They form the backbone of your revenue stream and provide a reliable base for growth. This is where restaurant CRM software comes in. This type of software empowers you to better understand your customer base, tailor your service, and keep them coming back for more.

With so many options flooding the market, how do you pick the right restaurant CRM software for your business? What features should you prioritize? How do you separate marketing hype from genuine value? This post explores these crucial questions.

Table of Contents:

• Why Customer Relationship Management is Critical in the Restaurant Industry
• Key Features to Consider When Selecting Restaurant CRM Software
  
  • Contact Management
  • Reservation and Table Management
  • Marketing Automation
  • Reporting and Analytics
  • Integrations
• Choosing the Best Restaurant CRM Software for Your Business
  
  • Curate
  • Tablein
  • Better Cater
  • Foodstorm
  • Flex Catering
  • CaterZen
  • HoneyBook
  • Tripleseat
  • OpenTable
• Conclusion
  
  

Why Customer Relationship Management is Critical in the Restaurant Industry

You probably already know that acquiring new customers often costs far more than retaining existing ones. This is a universal truth, but it holds even greater significance in the food service industry. In a world where around 70% of retail and restaurant customers never return for a second visit, creating a loyal customer base becomes critical for sustained success.

Think of those diners who are regulars at your establishment. They keep coming back, not just for the food, but because they feel valued and understood. This sense of loyalty translates directly to tangible benefits.

This is where restaurant CRM software steps in. Imagine a system that remembers a customer’s birthday, their favorite dish, and even that time they requested that corner table for a special occasion. This ability to personalize interactions at scale is what makes a powerful restaurant CRM system invaluable. Consider incorporating email marketing to keep in touch with these loyal customers and encourage repeat business.

Key Features to Consider When Selecting Restaurant CRM Software

Picking the right restaurant CRM platform can be overwhelming. You’ll likely come across features that sound impressive in demos but don’t actually translate well into real-world usefulness.

To make an informed decision, let's break down the essential features of restaurant CRM software and explore how they can specifically benefit your restaurant:

Contact Management

This forms the foundation of any CRM system, acting as a centralized database to store all your customer information. Look for a CRM solution that is more than just a digital Rolodex. Your restaurant CRM systems should offer a robust set of contact management features.

• Detailed Customer Profiles: Go beyond basic contact details. Look for a CRM system that allows you to store guest profiles, this way you can take note of individual preferences, special requests or notes. The more comprehensive your customer profiles, the more effectively you can tailor your service and marketing.
• Segmentation and Tagging: This allows you to categorize customers based on various criteria – dining frequency, average spend, dietary restrictions, preferred seating, even their propensity to order certain types of dishes. This helps with targeted marketing campaigns. For example, you can send out promotions for a new vegan menu item specifically to customers tagged as "Vegan" or "Vegetarian".

A strong customer relationship management system should provide you with the tools to effectively segment your audience and provide a more personalized service. This can lead to unparalleled guest experience and repeat business.

Reservation and Table Management

Imagine a reservation system seamlessly integrated with your customer database. It eliminates the hassles of double-entry and provides your staff with instant access to customer preferences.

• Real-Time Table Availability: Optimize your seating capacity by efficiently tracking table availability, reservations, and wait times.
• Automated Reservation Reminders: Reduce no-shows and last-minute cancellations by automatically sending SMS or email reminders to customers before their reservation time.

Efficient table management is crucial for any restaurant, and an integrated CRM system can streamline this process significantly. Some systems even allow you to manage reservations for multiple restaurants from a single platform.

Marketing Automation

Reaching out to the right customer at the right time with the right message can significantly increase your customer engagement and repeat business. Look for a system that lets you create data-rich profiles based on customer data.

• Personalized Email Campaigns: Gone are the days of generic mass emails. Send targeted emails based on customer preferences and behaviors. Think birthday greetings with a complimentary dessert offer, or "We miss you" emails with a special discount for those who haven't visited in a while.
• Loyalty Program Integration: Track customer points, reward redemptions, and offer personalized incentives based on individual customer spending and preferences. Remember loyal customers spend 67% more than new customers.

Don't underestimate the power of customized marketing messages. CRM systems can track dining preferences and other valuable insights, allowing you to tailor your marketing efforts to specific customer segments.

Reporting and Analytics

Having access to data is one thing, making sense of it is another. Robust reporting tools give you valuable insights into customer behavior and help you refine your strategies. A good CRM system will offer:

Analyzing itemized guest information can provide a goldmine of data about customer behavior and preferences. By leveraging this data, you can make informed decisions to improve your menu offerings, marketing campaigns, and overall customer experience.

Integrations

Your restaurant CRM platform doesn't operate in a vacuum. Choosing a system that seamlessly integrates with your existing tech stack is crucial.

• Point-of-Sale (POS): Integrating your CRM with your POS system ensures that every transaction automatically updates customer profiles, providing you with a real-time view of their dining habits and preferences. Some CRMs even include POS systems, offering a comprehensive solution.
• Online Ordering and Delivery Platforms: Ensure that orders placed through your website, mobile app, or third-party delivery platforms are seamlessly integrated with your CRM, providing a unified view of customer behavior. This integrated front-of-house approach ensures a consistent experience for your guests.
• Email Marketing Platforms: Connect your CRM with your email marketing platform to automate personalized email campaigns based on customer data and behavior.
• Social Media Platforms: Integrate with platforms like Facebook and Instagram to track customer interactions, manage reviews, and run targeted social media ads.
• Reservation Systems: If the platform of your choice does not have a built-in reservation feature make sure to check if it can integrate with third-party reservation platforms to automatically update customer profiles with reservation details and preferences.

A restaurant CRM software with seamless POS systems integration is invaluable for managing guest data and automating tasks. The right CRM system can integrate with other tools to further enhance your marketing automation capabilities.

Choosing the Best Restaurant CRM Software for Your Business (2024)

Now comes the challenging part: sifting through numerous options to pick the right restaurant CRM software. Don’t be afraid to test-drive several options before settling on one. Many providers offer free trials to let you explore their platforms’ features and benefits. Request a demo or sign up for a free trial of the CRM that interests you the most.

Remember, there’s no "one size fits all" when it comes to restaurant CRM software. It all comes down to what works best for your specific needs, budget, and priorities. Carefully evaluate your requirements, explore available options, and choose a platform that aligns with your goals.

Here are some reputable platforms that cater to the specific needs of restaurants:

Curate

Curate is an advanced CRM system that is specifically equipped with features needed to automate and streamline your restaurant's catering business operations. It features a centralized client database, a custom proposal builder with e-signature capabilities, project management tools, reporting & analytics, among others.

Unlike any software, Curate is a platform that is specifically designed for the unique needs of business owners in the hospitality industry. It is a very easy-to-use CRM that provides all the tools you need and more importantly, makes your business a lot easier to manage.

Curate is the only tool that has integrations for both Nowsta and Galley.

Top Features

• Pipeline management
  
• Customized proposals
  
• Event Calendar
  
• Reporting and analytics
  
• Integration
  
• SAVE 9 HOURS A WEEK!
  
  
  
  

Tablein

Tablein is a reservation management platform designed to help boost sales and improve the operational efficiency of a restaurant. While its main feature is its reservation system, it has other powerful tools that are built specifically for restaurants such as website integration, floor planning, CRM, marketing tools, and more!

Tablein is headquartered in Lithuania and despite being marketed as a "booking system for small restaurants" it is trusted by luxury hotels such as Hilton, Radisson Blu, and Kempinski, among others.

Top Features

• Reservation management
• Website integration
• Sales and marketing tools
• Floor planning
  
  
  
  

Better Cater

Better Cater is a game-changer for those in the restaurant industry. This simple yet powerful software streamlines your entire restaurant operation, from online ordering to payment processing. Keep track of upcoming events using their built-in calendar that also lets you sync your Google calendar for maximum efficiency.

Better Cater is also a cloud-based software that enables you to view order histories and manage your CRM database practically everywhere.

Top Features

• Calendar management
  
• Customer database
  
• Planning and scheduling automation
  
• Invoice management
  
  
  
  

FoodStorm

FoodStorm is an all-in-one catering software that combines CRM tools, order management, and production planning. While it may not be programmed for regular restaurant operations, its real strength lies in its catering management features. 

It is perfect for restaurant owners who offer catering services and will find that its intuitive interface makes it easy to access customer information and manage orders. Online ordering is also possible via their custom e-commerce platform.

Top Features

• Order management
• E-commerce platform
  
• Marketing tools
  
• Integration
  
  
  
  

Flex Catering

Flex Catering is a user-friendly catering management software with built-in CRM tools. It streamlines the entire process of your restaurant's catering and event services with essential features like event management and scheduling, delivery tracker, and more.

Flex Catering also offers a client portal where customers can view their order history, make payments, and even place new orders online. This self-service feature can greatly reduce your administrative workload.

Top Features

• Event manager
  
• Client Portal
  
• Custom website
  
• Delivery Tracker
  
  
  
  

Planning Pod

Planning Pod is a cloud-based software that offers a suite of tools for catering businesses, including a robust CRM system. With Planning Pod, you have access to essential features that let you manage clients and files, and process payments in this all-in-one business software.

What sets Planning Pod apart is its user-friendly interface that works well even on mobile devices and extensive customization options. You can tailor the software to fit your unique workflows and branding.

Top Features

• Guest management
• File management
• Event timelines
  
• Payment processing
  
  
  
  

CaterZen

CaterZen is a catering management software that simplifies your entire restaurant management process. With features like kitchen production reports and delivery manager, it will streamline your workflow from start to finish.

Additionally, CaterZen's CRM capabilities allow you to store customer information, track interactions, and manage menu items. Its reporting tools provide valuable insights into your sales trends and customer behavior.

Top Features

• Delivery manager
• Kitchen production reporting
• Contact management
  
• Customer Relationship Management
  
  
  
  

HoneyBook

HoneyBook is a CRM that can help your restaurant's catering operations with its business management features. This software helps you streamline your entire workflow, from lead capture to invoicing. One of the standout features of HoneyBook is its robust CRM system. You can easily manage all your catering clients in one place, with tools for storing contact information, tracking communication, and even sending automated follow-ups to build strong customer relationships. 

Additionally, HoneyBook's real power lies in its project management capabilities. You can customize templates, automate workflows, and collaborate with your team - all within the platform.

Top Features

• Client management
  
• Project management
  
• Automation
  
• Catering templates customization
  
  
  
  

Tripleseat

Tripleseat is a restaurant CRM software designed with features that will optimize event management and execution with its ability to create 2D or 3D floorplans. Additionally, with Tripleseat's CRM features, you can capture leads, track client communication, and manage contracts, making it a very reliable and arguably one of the best event management software platforms.

The software also has built-in tools for event reporting and analytics which should allow you to gain valuable insights into your restaurant business.

Top Features

• Lead capture system
  
• Calendar management
  
• Custom branding
  
• Reporting
  
  
  
  

OpenTable

OpenTable is a restaurant CRM system that has been in business since 1998 and has been helping restaurants boost operational efficiency and enhance customer experience by providing a comprehensive platform for reservations, table management, and guest engagement. Additionally, it has one of the best restaurant customer relationship management system as it allows staff to track customer preferences, leading to improved customer experiences and loyalty. 

If you are looking for one of the best CRM software with a wide range of reliable features that have stood the test of time then you need to consider OpenTable. 

Top Features

• Reservation management
• Integrations
• Floor planning
• Reporting and analytics
  
  
  
  

Conclusion

In the competitive food industry, staying ahead of the game requires embracing technologies that can boost engagement, enhance loyalty, and provide outstanding customer service. A restaurant CRM software system has become non-negotiable for businesses aiming to create personalized dining experiences.

By understanding your guests' preferences, behaviors, and dining habits, your restaurant sets the stage for sustained success and unparalleled customer satisfaction. So embrace the power of a good restaurant CRM platform. It might just be your key ingredient for cultivating a devoted base of loyal diners.