Feature Spotlight: Real-Time Ordering

FoodStorm was originally built on the traditional definition of “catering,” meaning the software was tailored to support food production with a minimum lead time of 1 day. Understanding that catering is only one part of a comprehensive meals business, the FoodStorm team have developed new features to manage made-to-order meals. These new real-time ordering features are powered by our Department Orders functionality, providing the missing piece in the meal type spectrum. Now retailers can use just one order management system, FoodStorm, no matter what the lead time of their prepared food items may be.

What is Real-Time Ordering?

Real-Time Ordering is a collection of new features in FoodStorm that allows businesses to bring their made-to-order and same day meal service lines into their FoodStorm system. This serves retailers with sandwich bars, pizza counters, really any type of made-to-order meal line. This functionality further streamlines their operations, production processes, reporting and administrative work. Some of the key features include:

• Department Orders, which acts as a kitchen display system (KDS) for kitchen staff in each specific department
• Intuitive, visually appealing virtual docket design for ease of production and order management
• Docket printing integration set up to work with a range of Epson printers

How can Real-Time Ordering help my grocery catering business?

Historically, real-time ordering needed to be supported by a separate platform, adding more systems to train staff on, more integrations to worry about and more process management added to the retailer’s plate. For example, a retailer who offers traditional catering, such as Thanksgiving family dinners and event menus, would use FoodStorm for these items, but if they also have a sandwich and pizza bar in their store, they would need to use another platform for those items that people are ordering for same day, if not immediately. But now with the Real-Time Ordering features, FoodStorm can be a retailer’s central platform for any meal type they want to offer customers. This can benefit your grocery business by:

• Condensing your processes and systems to reduce error, staff training and repetitive tasks across multiple platforms
• Removing manual steps within your in-store operations by having all your meals orders managed in FoodStorm
• Better competing with restaurants and other prepared meals businesses by offering made-to-order food through FoodStorm

Technology to support your entire meals business

As your business evolves and grows, FoodStorm can be your partner in success now and into the future. Our software is developed based on continued research and development with our customers and within current market conditions, ensuring our features add real value and solve real problems for retailers like you. 

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your catering and real-time food ordering business.