The QR code comeback and more 2021 hospitality trends according to Arryved

As the year comes to an end, Arryved, the leading point-of-service (POS) provider for craft beverage and food establishments, sent over its most significant learnings of 2021. From the underdog story of QR codes to the effects of the Great Resignation, here’s what craft beverage producers, restaurants, and entertainment venues can take away.

QR Codes: A comeback story

Lessening COVID-related regulations brought people back into tasting rooms and public spaces, but with new concern for social distancing and safety measures. QR codes started trending again this year as they became a vehicle for accessing digital menus to help reduce touchpoints in restaurants and tasting rooms. Arryved’s OpenTab feature also launched this year, giving guests the ability to open and access a cloud-based tab and order and pay digitally through strategically placed QR codes. 

According to Red Bear Brewing Company Founder and Director of Operations Cameron Raspet, 35-45 percent of customers use Arryved’s OpenTab feature and corresponding QR codes to place orders in the taproom. Arryved’s cumulative data shows that QR codes correlate to larger tab and tip sizes, a win-win for the establishment and for staff.

“Arryved’s OpenTab works by providing QR codes on each table in the taproom for guests to order from their phones, and it gives customers the ability to peruse the menu on their own time. There’s no waiting in line at the bar for a drink,” says Raspet. “Those who do want to order from the bar can, and they get more service time with bartenders because a large portion of orders come from OpenTab.” 

Labor Shortage

The hospitality and restaurant industry is among those hit hardest by the labor shortage. Tales of truncated hours, fewer tables, and slower service fill our news feeds. To combat the effects of the great resignation, business owners nationwide spent time this year re-thinking their compensation models, supporting staff, and investing in technology. Technology is being implemented in hospitality establishments to increase the effectiveness of staff and help streamline transactional processes, allowing the focus of interactions between guests and staff to be more human in nature, increasing the connections between people and making community building possible.  

“Bringing on Arryved has had a pretty significant impact on our customer satisfaction,” says Michael Calhoun, owner of Red River Brewing Company and Distillery. ”We’re better equipped to make every customer feel recognized. That’s been a real challenge for us in an environment where we’re short staffed. Arryved has really answered that problem for us.” 

New Revenue Streams

We saw ecommerce go from a survival tool in 2020 to a legitimate revenue stream for craft producers in 2021. Online storefronts are here to stay, and producers who hadn’t considered digital orders before are leaning into their digital presence as a new way to sell their products and merchandise, as well as accept digital orders for pickup or delivery. Arryved’s partnership with Craftpeak this year streamlines inventory management across digital and physical sales channels and allows producers to sell and ship their goods in new markets. 

Giving Back

Although the hospitality industry was hit the hardest by the pandemic, it’s also been an important leader this year, encouraging communities to rally around those in need. Arryved, which launched a donation feature for establishments using its POS to collect donations for charitable causes during checkout, has seen its customers raise nearly $20k by 60 sites since launching in October 2021! We’ll see the industry continue to focus on helping people and building community in 2022. 

Arryved gives time back to restaurant staff so they can be where it really matters: interacting with guests, putting the human in human experience, and building strong communities. The guest experience is the thread connecting all of this year’s service and hospitality trends. Consumers are expecting higher-quality interactions than pre-pandemic as well as safer in-person transactions and easily accessible digital ordering and payment options. 

“Arryved has helped Avery elevate our hospitality during a time that has been challenging to do so,” says Jocelyn Scheidenhelm, taproom general manager of Avery Brewing Company.