me&u 2.0 has always provided the ability to hold orders and print them together in batches to help control in your kitchen. Now, you can increase customer satisfaction, have a superior workflow for both the kitchen & FOH and retain total control with me&u’s Advanced Batching functionality. If you're looking for instructions to set up Advanced Batching, head to this article.

WHAT IS BATCHING?

Order batching collates orders from the same table within a set time so they print on the same docket. For instance, setting a batching time of three minutes means all orders placed within that three-minute window from the same table will be collated onto the one docket.

Venues can adjust this time frame to suit their particular needs.

me&u was the first provider to introduce this “grouped order printing” functionality.

WHY IS IT USEFUL?

Order batching means every order from the same table doesn’t print out as a separate docket in the kitchen and/or bar, which makes for efficient docket management during service.

Importantly, it means orders for the same table will more likely be served at the same, making for a superior customer experience.

WHAT IS ADVANCED BATCHING, THEN?

Rather than being able to set just one batching time, advanced batching allows venues to set multiple batching groups, each with a different batching time. For instance, a longer batching time for food orders, say five minutes, and a shorter time for drinks, say 30 seconds.

This means drinks could be prepared and served before a food docket has been sent to the kitchen. 

WHY IS IT AMAZING?

Venues can delve as deep into modifying batching times and menu segments as they like. They can, for instance, set different batching times for cocktails and another time for beers, or for different sections of the kitchen, such as different batching times for steaks and pizza and dessert.

Venues can customise batching taking into consideration busy and quieter times of day and peak days of the week. 

Oh, and the back-end technology that makes this all possible is pretty incredible and truly world-class.

WHY WILL CUSTOMERS LOVE IT?

Customers are unlikely to notice a few extra minutes on a food order that might take 15 or more minutes to prepare, but will notice if their first drink has taken ages to get to them.  

It’s all behind-the-scenes stuff, but setting shorter batching times for drinks means orders get to the bar quickly, which helps to increase sales and customer headspend. By setting a batching time of zero, drink orders are immediately sent to the bar to be made and delivered to the table. And a customer with a drink quickly in hand is a happy one!

WHY WILL STAFF LOVE IT?

Simplifying the number of dockets the kitchen and bar receives during busy periods creates service efficiencies, allowing staff to focus on delivering top-quality food and drinks to customers. Customised batching times for different food and drink items helps with section workflows and changing batching times during peak periods makes for a better service - plus, with quicker drinks arriving at tables, customer satisfaction goes up and service complaints go down. 

Advanced batching is a win for the venue and customer alike.

HOW DO I SET IT UP? Head to this page for instructions.