It was most definitely a year like no other. As we being a New Year, we take a look back at the top five most loved and read FoodTec articles of 2020.

Cash is still King: Why US Restaurants Can’t Go Cashless In 2020: This one is a little ironic! This piece was published before we knew what the year was going to bring. No one could have foretold a pandemic was on the way and how the way in which we lived our lives and conducted business were going to suddenly and drastically change. In this article we discussed that while cashless payment was becoming more common due to convenience and security, there was still an appetite for cash payment – so much so some states like New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, as well as the cities of Philadelphia and San Francisco banned completely cashless restaurants and stores. Stores who did not accept cash would also face possible financial penalties. If only we knew then how much we would quickly accept and come to expect contactless technology as our preferred method of payment! Read the full blog here.

FoodTec’s Daniel Flaherty on Restaurant Scams That Will Cost Your Business: While you would hope that during challenging times like this we would be more focused on the importance of social solidarity and working together for the common good. But regardless of what is going on in the world there are always opportunists who are looking to exploit whenever they get the chance. In this blog piece we sat down with FoodTec’s Daniel Flaherty to discuss some restaurant scams that can cost your business – from delivery drivers who pocket cash, to bogus loyalty points, and credit card scams. When it comes to fraud, pandemic or not, businesses need to be vigilant and ensure they have robust policies in place that all employees are aware of and adhere to. Read the full blog here.

Surviving COVID-19 with Curbside Pickup: In this piece we looked at how the onslaught of Covid 19 brought about an abrupt lack of consumer demand for restaurant dine-in establishments hastening adoption of curbside pickup services. Pre COVID, curbside and/or delivery capabilities were not a necessity for many operators. However, in this blog we found that even after the pandemic subsides, Americans say that will be uneasy about returning to establishments. Various studies reporting that up to 78% of customer will avoid returning to restaurants or be uncomfortable or nervous if they decide to do so. As a result, curbside pickup services are most definitely a worthwhile distribution channel to explore. Read the full blog here.

3rd Party Commission Free Pickup – What’s the catch? It’s not surprising that this one made it into one of the most read articles of year. In the pandemic economy takeout has become survival. What was once a useful supplemental service to expand reach to more consumers before the coronavirus outbreak has since proved to be a vital life raft. But one of the biggest gripes restaurants have with these services is the commission fees charged by third parties can be extreme. Regardless of the pandemic and the significant upheaval experienced in the restaurant industry, commissions remained unchanged and if anything, it looked like third parties were set to clean up from the current crisis. But, what happened next no one could have predicted. Several of the major delivery services “voluntarily” cut their commissions – but with limitations. Read the full blog here.

QR codes are having a renaissance as a result of COVID-19: Who would have thought it? Similar to our “cash is still king” blog piece, I don’t think anyone at the beginning of 2020 would have predicted that this would be the year that QR Codes were going to have their come back! In this blog we go on a bit of a nostalgic journey revisiting the humble beginnings of the QR code, how it was deemed a passing fad that had mostly fizzled out by the mid 2010’s to its resurgence in our no new touch reality of 2020! QR codes are back and perhaps here to stay as they offer your customers an easy touchless dining option amid the coronavirus. Read the full blog here.

2020 was definitely one crazy year – and 2021 hasn’t perhaps started in the usual manner we would like but in the face of adversity and the many challenges experienced over past year, we have adapted over overcome. With the New Year and a vaccination roll out program in place with look ahead with renewed optimism and a sense that brighter days are ahead.