hd hp rpos ebook

Fast-Tracking Foot Traffic

Practical strategies to grow in-store dining.

Brought to you by HP and ReSource Point of Sale

logo hp resourcepos

The great takeout revolution of 2020 changed the course of restaurant history forever. Accustomed to the convenience of takeout and delivery, customer foot traffic began to wane. And while in-restaurant dining has increased since then, it continues to compete with other dining channels.

In this eBook, we will discuss the current state of in-person dining, define four pillars of an exceptional customer experience, detail actionable strategies to grow foot traffic in your restaurants, and explore how a knowledgeable partner can help lead the way to success!

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About ReSource Point of Sale

ReSource POS was founded in Chicago and now serves customers in offices located in Illinois, Florida, Bosnia and Paraguay. We work to empower business owners in the retail and restaurant sectors to differentiate themselves with our best-in-class solutions and services.

ReSource POS by the Numbers

  • First established in 2003
  • 170+ full-time team members
  • 5 international offices
  • Supporting 12,500+ endpoints

About HP

HP takes pride in delivering systems and solutions that drive innovation and make contributions that can change the world. Providing a large portfolio of personal systems and printing solutions, HP serves a wide range of industries to make your digital life better and more efficient.

HP by the Numbers

  • Served 80+ years
  • 30+ awards for sustainable impact
  • 11 industries
  • 58,000 employees
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Current State of In-person Dining

Shifting dining dynamics and enduring change.

The 2020 lockdowns had sweeping implications for the way we socialize, work, and eat. Restaurant and retail leaders alike are still grappling with its effects, including shifting customer preferences, a proliferation of new channels for ordering and delivery, and a reduction in in-store dining in favor of more convenient alternatives.

The in-person-dominated dining landscape of 2019 and the takeout-dominated dining landscape of 2021 have been replaced with a more diversified alternative, in which diners shift freely between channels as they balance their desire for convenience and experience. For restaurants, this changes competitive and operational dynamics in profound ways. Let’s look at where customer preferences stand and what it means for restaurants.1

eat at home
on premise dining
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75%
say it’s more enjoyable to eat at home

50%
like watching TV while they eat

33%
enjoy wearing comfortable clothes while they eat

The average person gets delivery 4.5 times per month, and dines out 3 times per month

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63%
like the atmosphere

48%
enjoy socializing

75%
because they don’t feel like cooking

Though over half of consumers still prefer take-out and delivery scenarios, this number has decreased from 68% in 20212 to 57% in 2023. This indicates stronger diversification across dining channels and a willingness for diners to come back on-premise—particularly if there is a compelling reason to do so. Why do diners choose to visit some restaurants on-premise and stick to takeout for others? It comes down to the experience.

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4 Pillars of Exceptional In-person Experiences

Inspire in-person traffic, and keep them coming back for more.

If experience is what inspires diners to eat in-person, what makes an exceptional experience that is worth repeating? While individual preferences vary by customer, there are four pillars that together create a winning in-person experience: Aesthetic, Atmosphere, Amenities, and Assembly.

Aesthetic Is your restaurant attractive and inviting?
Atmosphere Does your restaurant create a warm and enjoyable ambiance?
Amenities Are you providing customers with more than great food?
Assembly Does your restaurant cultivate a sense of community?

A restaurant’s aesthetic encompasses the tangible elements of the restaurant environment that contribute to its appearance and appeal. Some of these elements are visible from the street—like architecture and signage—while others are only visible inside the restaurant’s four walls—like paint color and lighting. While curb appeal is a significant driver of foot traffic, we’ll focus on the interior.

A restaurant’s interior aesthetics are impacted by a variety of elements. First, and perhaps the most obvious, are the physical aspects within the restaurant that appeal to the human eye. This includes stylistic choices such as paint, furniture, lighting, décor, artwork, signage, and menus within the space. By starting with a vision for the aesthetic they’d like to achieve, restaurants can ensure each and every element contributes to this vision to establish an aesthetic that is both cohesive and appealing.

The technologies a restaurant uses play an important role in maintaining the desired aesthetic. Technologies should be modern,

elegant, attractive, and unobtrusive—enhancing rather than detracting from the space’s look and feel. In addition to impacting a restaurant’s aesthetic, the technologies a restaurant uses also make a powerful statement about its level of innovation, security, and commitment to customer satisfaction.

Before we move on from the aesthetic pillar of the restaurant experience, let’s discuss digital aesthetics. For modern restaurants, social media is an extension of external and internal aesthetics. In fact, it is often the first encounter a potential diner has with the space.

A restaurant’s website and social media presence is utilized often by potential customers to see if the aesthetic is up to par with their standards. 60% of Gen Z and 55% of Millennials3 look for photos of food on a restaurant’s website to decide if they want to eat there and 50% of Gen Z and 44% of Millennials4 say a restaurant’s website discouraged them from visiting because the food photography wasn’t enticing.

In contrast to aesthetics, which focus on the things we can see and touch, a restaurant’s atmosphere is focused on the things we can smell, hear, and feel. This can refer to noise level, music, perceived authenticity and energy, as well as the restaurant’s flow. These elements, while subtle, shape a customer’s attitude towards the space. 

Creating a warm, welcoming mood in your space that customers want to frequent begins with the employees. Staff interactions and attitudes towards customers can build loyalty, encourage repeat visits, grow sales, and foster meaningful connections with customers. 65% of customers appreciate when restaurants remember their names and 50% like when restaurants recall their favorite drink.5 These small touches enhance customer intimacy, which transforms the restaurant experience from cold and passive to warm and familiar.  Many elements that contribute to the atmosphere begin the moment a customer enters the restaurant, making this pillar a critical piece of the experience puzzle.

When a customer walks in, they are immediately met by the space’s sound—including its noise level and music. An optimized acoustic design can positively affect comfort levels and communication within the establishment. Consider where your speakers are placed, the layout of your furniture, and the material chosen for your walls and floors. In addition to noise on a conversational level, most restaurants incorporate background or live music in their space. Choosing the right music is a major aspect of ambiance. According to one study, playing on-brand music in-store can increase sales by 9.1% if the music fits the energy of the space.6

Again, technologies are critically linked to the atmosphere. Interfaces that are easy and even enjoyable to use create an ambiance that is customer-centered. Coupling autonomous kiosks with smiling crew cultivates an ambiance that is friendly and human. Harnessing table side tablets or kiosks creates an ambiance that is approachable and focused on convenience. The way these solutions work together can create an atmosphere that is inviting and service oriented.  

Amenities are services or offerings that go above and beyond good food and are most often aimed at enhancing convenience, utility, or enjoyment for guests. Research tells us that the modern customer not only desires more than food—they expect it. When deciding which restaurant to go to, 78% of customers consider convenience level,7 and more than half of consumers utilize loyalty programs for dining.8  

One amenity that is valued by the modern customer is WiFi. In addition to improving the speed of payment processing, offering guests Wi-Fi transforms the restaurant into a space where guests can not only eat but also work and socialize.

Amenities can also take the form of discounts or rewards. In recent years, many restaurants have adopted loyalty programs as a way to reward customers who frequent the restaurant.

Loyalty rewards can take the form of points, exclusive perks, discounts, or special events, fostering a sense of belonging and appreciation among regulars. A strong majority (70% of patrons) say reward programs are a meaningful part of their brand relationships,9 emphasizing the power of personalized amenities to boost loyalty and sales.

Assembly refers to the interconnected relationships, interactions, and contributions between people. Because we are communal by nature, assembly is one of the number one reasons people choose to dine in person instead of at home. Restaurants that embrace and build upon our natural inclination towards community are winning the fight for foot traffic.  

With 80% of diners expecting restaurants to be active in their community10, it is crucial for restaurant owners to begin building an environment worthy of assembly, starting with building relationships among your local community. Begin by forming connections with local groups and adjacent businesses and inviting them to hold events in your space. Other ways to encourage group events include providing exclusive discounts to larger parties or to specific cohorts of customers and ensuring the structure of your space in a way that’s conducive for larger groups to convene.

In addition to encouraging customers to hold events in your location, schedule events of your own. Host music nights, trivia competitions, sports nights, themed dinners, and more to bring people together and encourage social interaction. Assembly gives your customers a powerful “why” to prompt in-person dining, and with larger groups comes larger sales.  

HP’s solutions combine best-in-class capabilities with a sleek, modern aesthetic that enhances the visual appeal of your space. In addition, they enable vibrant digital imagery to bring your menu to life.

What pillar is most important to your dining experience?

dining experience poll
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Strategies to Grow Foot Traffic

Give customers a reason to keep coming back.

The four pillars referenced above can be combined to form actionable strategies that increase foot traffic. Here are 7 strategies that build upon the elements of Aesthetic, Ambiance, Amenities, and Assembly to keep guests coming back for more.

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footstep number 2
footstep number 3
footstep number 4
footstep number 5
footstep number 6
footstep number 7

Which strategy do you think your restaurant would benefit from the most?

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The HP Hospitality Suite

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There’s not one single element that makes an exceptional dining experience. Rather, exceptional experiences combine multiple elements together in a way that matters most to your customer. Whether your in-person dining experience is built upon community gathering or a valuable rewards program, technology is a powerful tool to help you orchestrate, optimize, and measure the experience of your guests’ dreams.

With a flexible suite of solutions that can run a full range of operating systems and software, HP’s powerful suite of hospitality solutions empowers restaurants to optimize the in-person dining experience while meeting the unique operational demands of their business. Work with HP and ReSource Point of Sale to bring new ease of use and efficiency to both sides of the counter while enabling and supporting your strategies to increase foot traffic.

Get to know the HP hospitality suite.

hp engage one pro 1

Multiple accessories to enable strategic placement of POS solutions.

HP Engage One Pro Features:

  • Secure data privacy
  • Automatic updates and security checks
  • Stand and mounting options
  • Magnetic stripe reader and barcode scanner
  • Variety of screen sizes, configurations, and accessories
hp engage go

Endless customization options to fit the aesthetic of your restaurant.

HP Engage Go Features:

  • Versatile configuration options
  • Directly embed key accessories
  • Customize unlock procedures and permissions
  • Variety of docking, mounting, and jacket solutions
  • 9 hours battery life
  • HP Fast charge
hp engage express

Versatile configuration options to elevate employee service in front and back of house.

HP Engage Express Features:

  • Seamless integration of key accessories
  • Endless customization options to fit our environment
  • FHD touchscreen
  • Resists liquid intrusion
  • Optional mounts and shelving configurations
  • Offers countertop and pedestal models
hp engage flex

Repeatable experience for your customers with high performance you can rely on.

HP Engage Flex Features:

  • Flexible connectivity and accessory options
  • Multiple processing speed and memory size options
  • Advanced security features
  • Tool-less serviceability for easy repair
  • High-level, long-term performance
  • Automatic firmware intrusion detection
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Gaining Momentum with the Right Partner

With years of industry experience and expertise, ReSource Point of Sale is a trusted hospitality expert that provides a collaborative approach to your restaurant technology landscape. We put your business’ long-term goals first, creating the perfect solution for you that elevates the in-person experience and increases revenue.

With industry-leading partners like HP, we deliver best-in-class technology to create an easy, repeatable experience that your customers will want to experience again and again.

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Solution Design

Elevate your aesthetic with versatile configurations.

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Install and Integration

Enhance your atmosphere with the right tech.

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Training and Support

Keep your amenities running.

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Customer Success

Bring your community together.

How can we help you?

Allow us to put our commitment to client success to work for your business.

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