Solving Connectivity Challenges in Quick-Serve Restaurants

Network congestion and connectivity issues are common challenges faced by Quick-Serve Restaurants. Learn how the Nitrogen8M Plus SMARC can streamline customer service and future-proof your technology.

Published on August 29, 2024

Solving Connectivity Challenges in Quick-Serve Restaurants

Quick-Serve Restaurants (QSRs) face many challenges in their fast-paced, high-demand environments. As customer expectations grow higher, fueled by the growth of digital ordering, contactless payment, and mobile apps, QSRs continually have to go above and beyond to keep pace.

Some of the key challenges include:

Handling High Volumes of Customer Orders: QSRs rely heavily on point-of-sale (POS) systems and digital kiosks, which require reliable connectivity to have consistent communication between front-of-house and back-of-house systems. When connectivity fails, POS systems and kiosks stop working, causing order delays and requiring additional manpower at cashier registers. This requires resources that could better be used in speeding up order fulfillment.
Managing Network Congestion: Network congestion, especially during peak hours, is a huge concern, as it can delay orders, disrupt service, and even create lost sales. This congestion is usually caused by the large number of devices trying to communicate simultaneously, from POS systems and kitchen displays to customer mobile devices, all competing for bandwidth in a crowded RF environment.
Maintaining a Connected Ecosystem: A cohesive, connected ecosystem is vital for efficient restaurants. From kitchen automation systems and drive-thru communication setups to digital signage and mobile order processing, these devices must work together. However, integrating these devices in the already crowded infrastructure of QSRs creates a big challenge.

How to solve these challenges?

Addressing these challenges requires a solution that offers powerful processing capabilities to handle high volumes of customer orders. Let’s use an example application of a popular quick-serve restaurant chain. This chain has multiple peak hours throughout the day with large customer rushes in the morning, lunch, and dinnertime. During these rushes, the restaurant is flooded with a wave of orders, both in-person and through mobile apps. The sheer volume of transactions can create huge pressure on the restaurant’s infrastructure.

One of the main issues is the need for reliable communication between all systems, front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH). FOH systems, including POS systems and self-service kiosks, much constantly communicate with BOH systems, like kitchen displays and automated cooking equipment. When these systems are not properly synced, orders may not reach the kitchen in time, leading to delays in food prep and longer wait times for customers.

For example, during peak hours, the restaurant’s Wi-Fi network might struggle to handle the simultaneous connections from all of these FOH and BOH devices causing delays in transmission, leading to order errors or even missed orders entirely. In rare situations, the POS system could crash entirely, forcing additional staff to take manual orders, which is time-consuming and prone to errors.

What solutions are available?

By implementing devices with powerful processing capabilities and the latest connectivity, restaurants can ensure that their FOH and BOH systems remain consistently synced, even during peak hours when data traffic is at its highest. The key is to use a platform that supports high-speed wireless connectivity, such as Wi-Fi 6/6E and Bluetooth, along with strong multiprocessing capabilities and high-resolution graphical support for kiosks. This combination allows the system to efficiently manage the flow of data between devices, minimizing delays, preventing errors, and making sure that orders are processed smoothly and quickly, even in the busiest environments.

Adding to the complexity, integrating new technologies like mobile ordering and digital payment adds further challenges to the network. Each new device or system that needs to connect with the existing infrastructure can be a significant technical hurdle. As technology continues to advance, it’s vital to incorporate these updates to stay current. However, if this integration isn’t carefully managed, it can create multiple points of failure, compromising the entire system’s reliability.

It's clear that QSRs need a solution that not only addresses connectivity challenges, but also lays a groundwork for future technological advancements. This is where the future-proofing capabilities of system-on-modules (SOMs) come into play. A platform like Ezurio’s Nitrogen8M Plus SMARC represents a powerful platform for I/O, display, data processing, and wireless communication. This allows restaurants to incorporate new devices without the need to overhaul their infrastructure. The Nitrogen8M Plus SMARC supports multiple options for Wi-Fi 6 or 6E, utilizing a standard M.2 form factor with various memory configurations. This flexibility ensures that each device, whether it’s a POS system, automated kitchen equipment, or a kiosk, can meet its specific hardware requirements while leveraging the same SMARC hardware form factor. Additionally, as Ezurio releases new SMARC modules, the same footprint can be used, but with upgraded processors, wireless, and memory options to ensure your devices stay current with the latest technology without requiring a redesign of the hardware.

Quick-Serve Restaurants are a challenging environment where connectivity and processing capabilities are in high demand, managing high volumes of orders, network congestion, and new devices. To stay ahead in the industry, restaurants need to invest in technology that not only meets current demands, but also prepares an upgrade path for the future. Check out our Nitrogen8M Plus SMARC to learn how its powerful, flexible platform can help keep operations running smoothly and efficiently.

Learn more by visiting: https://www.ezurio.com/nitrogen8m-plus-smarc