After a long grocery shopping trip, the last thing your customers want to do is go home and cook.
That’s why opening a quick-service restaurant (QSR) inside your grocery store is a golden opportunity to meet your customers’ needs, set yourself apart from the competition, and generate extra revenue.
In this blog, we’ll explore everything you need to know about QSR management so that you’re ready to offer fresh, delicious, made-to-order meals alongside your customers’ go-to grocery staples.
Grocery Store QSRs: An Overview
Grocerants (combined grocery stores and quick-service restaurants) have exploded in popularity — and for good reason.
This hybrid business model is a win-win for grocers and customers. Grocers enjoy increased foot traffic and profits, and customers appreciate the opportunity to grocery shop and enjoy a quick, convenient meal.
But grocerant success doesn’t happen by accident. You might be an expert at operating a profitable retail store, but you’ll have to adopt new tools and strategies to run this new arm of your business.
Now, let’s look at five foundational QSR management tips.
1. Start With the Right POS System
Efficiency is the number-one ingredient for QSR success, but providing fast, accurate service is nearly impossible without the right technology. You’ll lose track of orders, fall behind in the kitchen, and ultimately lose revenue.
That’s why our top tip is to invest in a point of sale (POS) solution specifically designed for grocery stores and quick-service restaurants. This powerful tool helps you manage the retail and QSR sides of your business.
Let’s look at a few must-have QSR management features:
- Customizable touchscreens put the right buttons at your cashiers’ fingertips, empowering them to provide top-notch, fast customer service.
- Kitchen printing ensures seamless communication throughout your QSR and allows your kitchen staff to start preparing orders immediately.
- Modifications allow your customers to order meals to their specific preferences — whether it’s adding extra tomato to their sandwich or swapping their wrap for a gluten-free option.
- Tip management gives your customers the option to reward your QSR staff for their stellar customer service during checkout.
Your POS system should also include all the features you need to manage your grocery store. Here’s what to look for:
- Real-time inventory tracking helps you maintain the perfect balance of inventory, prevent stockouts, and eliminate costly spoilage.
- Sales reporting and analytics provide insights into your customers’ preferences and shopping habits, allowing you to fine-tune your product selection, open hours, and marketing strategy.
- A built-in loyalty program rewards repeat shoppers and encourages them to rely on you for all their grocery needs.
- Self-checkout options help you compete with big-box grocery stores and offer customers a fast, convenient checkout experience.
\While you could invest in two separate POS systems, relying on a single solution for grocery store and QSR management will save you money, speed up the training process for you and your employees, and simplify your inventory management and sales reporting.
A well-designed menu is the foundation of QSR success. If your menu is too complex or has too many options, your employees will struggle to keep up.
Your menu should also be tailored to your customers’ unique tastes and preferences.
For example, if you run an international grocery store specializing in Asian flavors, you might offer a small but delicious selection of dumplings, noodles, and other dim sum dishes. If you own a natural food store that carries organic, healthy ingredients, your QSR menu might focus on whole grain wraps or hearty salads.
Pro tip: Your POS system’s sales reports can help you understand your customers’ preferences and habits. Use these insights to regularly adjust and refresh your menu, ensuring your offerings always match your diners’ wants and needs.
3. Train Your Staff
With the right training, your employees can ensure smooth QSR management, happy customers, and high profits.
Here are some essential topics to cover when training your counter and kitchen staff:
- The menu: Your employees should be familiar with all menu items, ingredients, and potential allergens.
- Your POS system: Ensure your counter staff know how to take orders, add modifications, and process customers’ payments, and that your kitchen employees know how to use your kitchen printer and complete orders.
- Customer service: Train your counter staff to greet customers and take orders quickly, pleasantly, and accurately.
- Food preparation: Your kitchen employees should understand the importance of safe food handling and accurate preparation.
- Workflow: Develop strategies to help your employees handle rushes while still prioritizing order speed and accuracy.
In short, give your team the tools and knowledge they need to take orders efficiently and prepare meals correctly.
4. Develop a QSR Inventory Management Strategy
As an expert grocer, you already understand how critical proper inventory management is. It reduces waste, prevents stockouts, and ensures your customers can rely on you to restock their fridges and pantries.
Proper inventory management is just as important for your QSR.
Along with following standard QSR food safety guidelines for labeling and storage, we recommend using a grocerant POS system with built-in inventory tracking features. This way, you can keep a close eye on what’s in stock and replenish your ingredients right on time.
5. Master the Art of QSR Pricing and Promotions
You’ve perfected your menu, invested in the right grocerant POS software, and trained your staff. Now, all that’s left is to attract customers.
Smart pricing and promotional strategies are key for QSR management and high sales. Make sure your prices are high enough to cover your costs, but low enough to appeal to customers.
Creating combo meals is an excellent way to encourage customers to spend more while making them feel like they’re saving money. You can offer a special discount when customers buy an entree, side, and drink. For example, they might order a sandwich from your QSR counter, then grab a bag of chips and a drink from your grocery store’s aisles.
Launching a loyalty program is another effective way to increase QSR sales. Members can earn rewards for shopping and eating with you every time they visit, making them more likely to become valuable repeat customers at your grocerant.
Make QSR Management a Breeze With Markt POS
Ready to take your grocery store to the next level by starting a QSR? We’re here to help.
Markt POS is an all-in-one POS solution specifically designed for specialty markets and grocerants. Our software includes everything you need to run a profitable grocery store, manage a QSR, win over customers, and achieve high profits.
Discover how Markt POS can transform your grocerant by scheduling your live demo with one of our industry experts today!
