NCCO International Around this time of year I inevitably find myself in the NCCO booth at any number of distributor food shows. These shows are a great way for NCCO to interact with end users to learn more about the challenges they’re facing.
With the introduction of the DateCodeGenie, the NCCO booth at these shows is full of more excitement than ever. Surprisingly not many people go to a “food” show to look at GuestChecks and Register Rolls.
But even though few people arrive with the intention of discussing GuestChecks, I’m always delighted when person after person walks up and grabs a pad of checks. Almost always these customers are looking for “their” check – the one they currently use. When I ask, most of the time they smile and say “yep, this is ours”.
But sometimes customers find their guest check pads and inquire about something different – be it wider lines, different colors or pivot points – because the Guest Check they have isn’t exactly what they need anymore.
We are the “Guest Check Guys”, so we’ve got a check that accommodates what they’re looking for, but I thought it may be beneficial to provide a basic run down of some of the variable components of a Guest Check.
All guest checks regardless of size and number of parts have common components and variable features that provide reminders and important information for servers so they are able to keep information together about each order.
You may have noticed that each GuestCheck has a row of boxes at the top of each check. These boxes are referred to as the order data boxes and offer a reminder to the server to record important data that will be used throughout the customer’s order. Some of the boxes are easier to understand than others.
Date Box
For the server to record, you guessed it, the date.
Table Box
To record the number the restaurant has assigned to that table so the kitchen and the server know where the order is going.
Guests Box
To record the number of guests at the table. This is helpful for servers in situations where there are multiple guests. It can be used along with the pivot points on some checks to offer a simple reference for servers and food expeditors to distribute food and beverages easily to the correct guests.
Server Box
To record the servers name or initials. In a restaurant where the kitchen gets many orders at a time, this helps them keep track of which server is responsible for each order.
Unique Numbering Box
The last box with the red number in it is used to record the unique numbering that helps servers and managers organize the orders. It has been used as a tracking system for managers to make sure the orders taken match with what was charged to each customer.
Menu Prompt
Under the order data boxes is a section of the check called the menu prompt. It is an essential tool for servers to use to sell the entire menu, especially high profit items and add-on items like appetizers and desserts. (For those who’ve always wondered, “Veg/Pot” is our way of referring to the Vegetable and/or Potato sides. Not very elegant, but effective!)
These features along with the horizontal lines for writing detailed descriptions of each customer’s order are the common components that make up our GuestChecks. If the GuestCheck you use isn’t exactly what you need anymore, take the time to explore your options on our website at www.ncco.com.