Restaurant and retail labeling is rising in priority among point of sale (POS) and retail or restaurant management system features. Key drivers are the shift to digital ordering and changing consumer behaviors. Customers are increasingly taking advantage of convenient options, such as self-service, curbside pickup, and drive-thru, which requires retailers and restaurateurs to establish ways to keep orders organized. For many businesses, this means implementing entirely new systems in which labels play an important role in communicating order details to employees and ensuring accurate fulfillment.
Ian Livesay, product manager, Epson America, Inc., says, “Quick service restaurants (QSRs) led the way. Since then, it’s moved to convenience stores, grocery stores, and other retail environments.”
What Labels Do, With Help from ISVs
Livesay says the challenge for ISVs is building solutions that are not only efficient but also adaptable to the diverse needs of merchants. Labeling solutions must support:
- Fulfillment
Retail and restaurant labels have emerged as a key part of order fulfillment processes. An employee can print a label as soon as the order comes in, and then the label accompanies the order through preparation or picking and packing. Fulfillment can be complex for some businesses, requiring various employees to work together to prepare an order, for example, various food prep stations in a restaurant or ecommerce orders that contain diverse items. In these situations, labels can provide the information that each employee needs but give teams a way to create the final order efficiently and accurately.
- Unique Operations
Merchants’ needs for labeling are as diverse as their operations. Some businesses may use a single printer, while others have dedicated printers for each order intake point. ISVs play a key role in configuring systems that work for each unique scenario. For example, employees may need to print labels from a variety of devices and systems, including stationary POS terminals or mobile devices. ISVs should also give merchants the ability to customize the data on the label, e.g., customer name, order number, number of items in the order, and special instructions, depending on their needs. Some businesses may also want to include where the order originated, whether at a counter, online, in a drive-thru (or multiple drive-thru lanes), or at a self-service kiosk, to help employees direct it to the right location.
Livesay says ISVs should also consider that restaurants often divide orders when they’re meant for more than one diner. An example is when an office orders lunch for its employees. The restaurant may want to enhance customer experiences by labeling each diner’s meal separately.
- Increased Accuracy
Errors in retail and restaurant labeling can lead to waste, higher costs, and reputation risk, in addition to lost customers. ISVs need to help ensure their merchants are labeling correctly so that orders are delivered to the right people at the right time. Ultimately, this is a key factor contributing to customer loyalty and business growth.
The Right Printer for the Job
Livesay points out that ISVs need to remember that businesses create labels for different purposes, even within one operation. A flexible solution allows merchants to use one printer to standardize devices while still meeting all their needs. ISVs should give their clients the ability to choose printers that merchants can use to generate various types of labels and receipts, including:
- Linerless Labels
A growing trend in labeling processes is the shift towards linerless media. These labels exit the printer ready to apply, no peeling required, saving time and streamlining processes. This type of label also reduces waste, creating a more sustainable option. Additionally, linerless options have nearly twice as many labels on a roll. This means merchants can reduce order frequency, shipping costs, and the space necessary to store them.
- Sustainable Packaging-Compatible Labels
Retail and restaurant label solutions now must accommodate different types of packaging, particularly as merchants shift towards more sustainable materials. Labels that easily adhere to traditional packaging may not stick to sustainable alternatives. A printer that can handle multiple media adhesive types is essential for meeting modern packaging requirements.
- A Range of Label Widths
Livesay says he is seeing a trend from 80 mm to 58 mm label paper, giving businesses a way to save money while using less paper. ISVs have the opportunity to integrate with printers that support various paper sizes to allow merchants to switch to a more economical paper format without having to integrate a new printer.
In addition to printing the types of labels merchants need, ISVs also need to integrate with printers that give them flexible connectivity options. Employees printing labels where they receive orders may not be able to use a wired connection or to use any wireless connection option. Printers that support Ethernet, Serial, USB, Wifi, and Bluetooth provide the flexibility needed to deploy printers wherever necessary for the greatest efficiency.
Meeting the New Standard for Retail and Restaurant Label Solutions
Labeling has become the standard for supporting online order processes. ISVs must ensure their solutions integrate with flexible, feature-rich label printers that can keep pace with evolving customer demands.
“If it isn’t correct, it can increase costs and waste, but the loss of return business is even more crucial,” Livesay says. “If a customer can order from home, they can order from a competitor as well. Using labels correctly will help merchants increase accuracy. Getting the right order to the right person at the right time can have a big return in customer retention.”
