We scoured the internet to see what apps are popular and which ones ranked high with users. From dozens of options, these 15 offer to help with all kinds of issues, including inventory management, scheduling, table management, online ordering – even help with opening a second location. Who knows? You just might find your new favorite.
7shifts
What it is: Scheduling app for restaurants
Provides: Management of staff from anywhere, forecasting of labor costs vs. projected sales, integrated time-clocking feature, notification when employee about to hit overtime
Promises to: Spend 80 percent less time on scheduling logistics
Best for: Any restaurant or hospitality company with multiple employees
Bar and Club Stats
What it is: iPhone/iPad, Android ID app
Provides: ID scanner to ensure customers are in your bar or ordering drinks legally
Promises to: Help you deter underage drinking
Best for: Anyone who serves alcohol, high-volume bars and clubs
BlueCart
What it is: Supplier/inventory management app
Provides: One-click ordering for all your suppliers in one step; manage inventory from your phone, check in orders when truck arrives
Promises to: Reduce time spent on ordering; decrease returned orders by 82 percent, cut food waste in half[
Best for: Any restaurant, hotel, supplier, wholesaler or distributor
ChowNow
What it is: Online ordering system with custom-built iPhone and Android ordering apps
Provides: Ability for customers to place orders directly from restaurant website, Facebook page and apps branded to your business; dashboard that shows top spenders, amount in sales and more
Promises to: Increase number of orders and free your staff from the phones
Best for: Anyone offering to-go orders or delivery
Find Me Gluten Free
What it is: Smartphone app
Provides: Allows diners who eat gluten-free to find restaurants that cater to their needs
Promises to: Promote your restaurant to diners who eat gluten free
Best for: Gluten-free restaurants or those marketing gluten-free menu items
Kitchen CUT
What it is: Cloud-based software and app for entire F&B operation
Provides: Supplier management, recipe costing and menu planning, allergen tracking, nutritional analysis, track your kitchen waste and more
Promises to: Give you more time for customer engagement, creativity and innovation
Best for: Restaurants and bars
Nowait
What it is: Waitlist management app recently acquired by Yelp
Provides: Reservations, wait lists and seating by sending alerts to guests via smartphones
Promises to: Eliminate need for expensive pager equipment, organize waitlist and plan seating; diners can browse restaurants by wait time and add themselves onto your wait list, then receive a text when their table is ready
Best for: Restaurants looking to ditch the pagers
Orderly
What it is: Invoicing and inventory app
Provides: Paperless invoicing, automated accounting and easy inventory.
Promises to: Automate spend reports, show price trends, cut inventory time by 50 percent
Best for: Any restaurant big or small
Partender
What it is: Smartphone app to quickly measure spirits at end of night
Provides: Consumption analytics to help you spot check variances, ID your top movers and dead stock
Promises to: Inventory your bar in 15 minutes; save you up to $10,000/month
Best for: Bars; any restaurant with full ABC
Restaurateur
What it is: iPhone/iPad-based app for opening a new restaurant
Provides: Ability to sketch out a business and financial plan, profit & loss statement; chart operating expenses and project revenue
Promises to: Provide documents to negotiate rent or prepare for banks and investors
Best for: Those planning to open another location or a new restaurant concept
Schedulefly
What it is: Web-based employee scheduling app
Provides: Create, post and manage weekly schedules online, including coordinating time off and shift changes
Promises to: Help you avoid costly overtime and forecast labor costs.
Best for: Any restaurant or hospitality company with multiple employees
Truckily
What it is: App to manage your food truck’s digital presence
Provides: Ability to share and update food truck location via Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare; send push notifications to diners when your truck is near; schedule locations for up to a year out
Promises to: Be your social media hub
Best for: Food trucks
Uncorkd
What it is: iPad-based wine menu
Provides: Ability to keep wine, liquor, beer and cocktail menus updated in real time; information and pictures that shows customers each bottle’s origin, vintage and recommended pairings.
Promises to: Potentially boost wine and beverage sales by 20 percent or more
Best for: Any restaurant with a beverage program
When I Work
What it is: Mobile employee scheduling app for iPhone and Android
Provides: Ability to set up employee schedules that can be accessed or viewed by employees and managers
Promises to: Save an average of 8 hours/week on employee scheduling and attendance, reduce employee no-shows and improve accountability by 25 percent
Best for: Any restaurant or hospitality company with multiple employees
Zuppler
What it is: Order fulfillment platform
Provides: Online ordering to your existing website with menu images, upsales and social media integration
Promises to: Match your existing brand’s appearance; provide client demographics, top customers and delivery heat-map
Best for: Any restaurant looking to add online ordering
