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The Crucial Role of Internet Access in Bars and Restaurants

3:00 Minute Read

In the hyper-competitive hospitality industry, bars and restaurants face unique challenges that can impact their success. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 17% of restaurants close within their first year, and about half after five years. There’s lots of reasons any business can fail, but there are some reasons that can be prevented with some forethought. One of the critical factors influencing restaurant and bar success in operational efficiency and customer satisfaction is connectivity. Reliable internet access is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity.

Wi-Fi Reliability: A Foundation of Modern Dining

With most people carrying a connected device, a reliable Wi-Fi connection is essential for both customers and staff.

As Wi-Fi has become an expected feature in American bars and restaurants, a recent survey found that 39% of patrons would not return to a business with slow Wi-Fi, and 25% said they would only go back if the Internet speed had improved. Coast to coast, restaurant and bar owners understand the importance of secure and reliable Internet access.

The Cost of POS System Downtime

A restaurant's Point of Sale (POS) system is the nerve center of its operations. A chain of popular pizza restaurants struggled with their POS, due to inadequate bandwidth and an unreliable legacy network service. Much of their business depends on take-out orders, which were getting lost; they were also losing sales due to costly internet service outages.

Hobbled by low bandwidth, occasionally there were internet outages that left restaurants with dead phones, cash registers that couldn’t take credit cards and unfulfilled orders. Today, a revamped point-of-sale system is backed by an upgraded network and improved connectivity offers a more satisfying and engaging customer experience at every restaurant location.

Mobile Ordering, Payment and Data Security: Protecting Customer Information

As restaurants adopt more digital solutions, the importance of cybersecurity cannot be overstated. With the integration of mobile payments and customer data collection, establishments must prioritize safeguarding sensitive information. With the increasing demand for convenience, mobile ordering and payment options have become critical. Restaurants and bars need reliable internet access for their POS system, bundled with a security solution, and one consistent and reliable phone system, supplied by one vendor.

Integration of Third-Party Services

The rise of third-party delivery services like DoorDash® and Uber Eats® has reshaped the restaurant landscape. 60% of U.S. consumers order meals online for delivery or takeout at least once a week, with half of them using third-party delivery services twice a week or more. For the US, DoorDash accounts for 67% of this market, Uber eats at 23%, while GrubHub and others account for the remaining share. However, keep in mind that fewer of today’s diners are loyal to just one service. As a former GrubHub CEO lamented, “We believe online diners are becoming more promiscuous. Our newer diners are increasingly coming to us already having ordered on a competing online platform, and our existing diners are increasingly ordering from multiple platforms."

While these services can drive significant revenue, they require seamless integration with a restaurant's existing systems. This is another area where connectivity is of primary importance to bar and restaurant owners. For some locations, this requires reliable, dedicated Iinternet access, with 100% uptime into your place of business, when performance is critical.

Spectrum Business can help

In an industry where every detail matters, connectivity is a vital component that can make or break a small bar or restaurant. Enhance your business connectivity with the fastest, most reliable Internet speeds. Shop plans that work for you at any stage of your business.