A Letter to the Governor of California from Presto

Dear Governor Newsom,

Thank you for your leadership in keeping California safe during these challenging times.

As you are aware, an unfortunate collateral impact of these steps is that our restaurant industry is currently facing an unprecedented economic disaster. We know this because Presto is a national market, technology, and thought leader in the restaurant industry with over 11 years of deploying order-and-pay solutions for restaurant dining rooms. Based in Redwood City, CA, we currently have 100 million monthly active users and over 300,000 devices shipped across the nation. We are trusted by most of the top 10 restaurant chains and offer the highest levels of PCI and data security certifications. During this time of need, we have made all our products available completely free to restaurants of all sizes.

As our state looks towards reopening for business, it will be important for restaurants to operate in an environment that can reassure customers about their personal safety. Restaurant dining-room traffic is expected to increase as restrictions are eased, but the new normal will be very different from what both restaurants and guests were used to before March 1. We believe that technology can play a very critical role in enabling this new normal.

To help struggling California restaurants, Presto is making our Contactless Dining Kit available completely free. This kit leverages our order and pay technologies already in use by most of the top 10 national restaurant chains. The kit is especially designed to help restaurants get started in this new normal. It can be deployed in less than an hour and enables restaurants of all sizes to provide an end-to-end contactless dining experience to guests. Guests can view the complete menu, place orders, and pay with their phone at the table—without the need for any human contact.

Here are a few safe but innovative technologies available in this kit.

• Contactless Menu – After being seated, guests can access the menu by scanning a QR code sticker or tent card on their table. They can view the full menu, add items to their order, and view the prices using their phone. They also have access to their loyalty rewards and prior customizations. Optionally, for guests not interested in using their own device, the menu can be displayed on digital tablets placed on the table. These tablets are safer, easier to clean, and more environment-friendly compared to laminated or paper menus.
• Contactless Ordering – Once an order is placed, it is displayed on a Staff Tablet kept next to the POS system. The system allows additional items to be added to the order at any time. Optionally, orders can be directly pushed into the POS systems through seamless data integration.
• Contactless Payment – When guests are ready to leave, the server can post their check via the Staff Tablet. The guest can then pay the check securely using their own phone and the QR code. The payment is enabled using secure technologies such as mobile wallet or near-field communication (NFC), offering convenience and additional peace of mind to guests.

The COVID-19 crisis is likely to bring some tectonic shifts to the restaurant industry and accelerate others. Dine-in will be transformed in a substantial way and the takeout / delivery model is here to stay across all segments. We are likely to see more technology in the front of house and greater pressure on achieving operational efficiency in the back of house. A judicious utilization of technology, people, and processes is going to be critical in this new normal.

As a former restaurant operator, you can appreciate the challenges restaurants currently face. We look forward to working with you in the weeks ahead as we attempt to help the California restaurant industry survive and thrive through the use of innovative technology. Getting restaurants open, workers employed, and tax receipts flowing will be a critical first step in the state’s recovery.Complete this form to get more information on the Presto Contactless Dining Kit and reserve your spot. This is a popular kit and the offer is valid only while supplies last.