• How Do Mounted Tablets Enhance Quick-Service Restaurant Order Accuracy?
• What Is a Quick-Service Restaurant?
• How Do Tablets Improve Order Accuracy in Quick-Service Restaurants?
• Customer-Facing vs. Staff-Facing Tablets in Quick-Service Restaurants
• What Are the Key Benefits of Quick-Service Tablet Mounts?
• Types of Tablet Mounting for Fast-Food Restaurants
• Modular Tablet Mounts for Quick-Service Restaurants
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Improving QSR Order Accuracy With Mounted Tablets

How Do Mounted Tablets Enhance Quick-Service Restaurant Order Accuracy?

Mounted tablets can enhance quick-service restaurant order accuracy by providing a stable platform for entering, reviewing, and confirming orders. By securely positioning a tablet and making it accessible to staff and customers, quick-service restaurants and fast-food establishments can standardize the ordering process, reduce mistakes, and speed turnaround.

A quick-service restaurant tablet can help staff and customers select menu items, customize orders, and review details before submitting an order to the kitchen. This can help prevent incorrect item selections, missed customisations, and miscommunication that often happens between customers and restaurant staff. If the ordering system connects to the in-house POS system, it can create a more fluid workflow as information moves directly from order to kitchen, reducing the need for manual re-entry.

Whether used by customers or restaurant staff, a mounted tablet adds another layer of consistency to the restaurant's ordering process. A fixed mount keeps the screen visible and stable, while helping protect the device in a busy restaurant. It also makes the ordering area more organized, giving staff and customers a clear focal point throughout the ordering process.

What Is a Quick-Service Restaurant?

A quick-service restaurant (QSR), commonly known as a fast-food restaurant, is a commercial dining establishment that offers low-cost, quality food with little or no table service. In fast-food chains, orders are often designed to be processed quickly and delivered to customers within minutes. 

It usually has no table service, may or may not have in-house seating, and may also offer a drive-thru. Customers typically order at a front counter, a self-service touchscreen kiosk, or a drive-thru window. It's the opposite of being seated by a host and waited on by a server.

Menu items are usually standardized across chains and streamlined, typically consisting of burgers, fries, fried chicken, and other items that are fast to cook and easy to prepare while maintaining product quality and consistency. Price points are also kept low compared to fine-dining or casual restaurants that offer table service.

Packaging is designed for convenience, allowing customers to take food away in smartly designed, easy-to-carry containers suited to eating on the go.

Key Characteristics of QSRs

• Fast service: Customers take orders or enter them, and staff prepare and serve them within a short timeframe.
• Chain restaurants: Chain restaurants with standardized menus across all locations.
• Limited or no table service: Customers typically order at a counter, kiosk, or drive-thru, with limited table service available.
• Affordable menu: Food is generally lower-priced than full-service dining with a sit-down meal and servers.
• Streamlined menu: Menu items are designed for efficient and quick preparation and consistent quality.
• Multiple ordering options: Customers may order in person, through self-service kiosks, apps, or drive-thru lanes.
• Touchscreen ordering: Customers and staff use tablets or touchscreens to place orders.
• Convenient packaging: Food is typically packaged for takeaway and on-the-go eating.

Why Does Order Accuracy Matter in QSRs?

Accuracy is key in QSRs. Even small error rates can create many incorrect orders, leading to remakes or refunds and costing the restaurant not only revenue but food waste as well. As a knock-on effect, incorrect orders can also lead to longer queues and customer dissatisfaction.

Dependable accuracy across orders helps restaurants maintain a smooth and efficent workflow. When orders are correctly entered the first time, staff spend less time correcting mistakes and more time serving customers.

On the flip side, customers having a satisfactory or even better-than-satisfactory order experience builds confidence in the restaurant, and are likely to return time and time.

How Do Tablets Improve Order Accuracy in Quick-Service Restaurants?

Introducing tablets and other touchscreens in quick-service restaurants creates a uniform system everyone can use easily. Whether staff enter orders on a tablet behind the counter or customers place orders, the tablet has become the go-to device for in-house ordering in fast-food restaurants.

• Clear Digital Order Entry: Digital menus make the selection process more structured, with standardized menu options improving clarity for both customers and staff.
• Easier Customization: Mounted tablets make it easier to customize your order. Removing or adding toppings or ingredients, changing sizes, and selecting meal deals are easier and clearer.
• Order Review and Confirmation: Before the order is submitted to the kitchen, staff can review and rework it as needed. Digital screens with clear information make this much more straightforward.

Customer-Facing vs Staff-Facing Tablets in Quick-Service Restaurants

Quick-service restaurants can use tablets for both customer and staff ordering and interactions; however, their positioning and the types of tablet mounts can vary depending on how the device is used.

Customer-Facing Restaurant Tablets

Customer-facing tablets let customers browse menus, customize orders, place orders, and pay for their food. They're usually positioned as designated order stations and can be wall-mounted, in kiosks, on countertops, or even in dining areas.

They need to be easy to use and accessible, while the mounting systems must be stable and secure so customers can place an order. Because some fast-food places experience high foot traffic, tablets can be locked in place with locking tablet holders to prevent theft or damage.

Staff-Facing Restaurant Tablets

Like the customer-facing tablet, the staff-facing tablet is used similarly for ordering and customizing the customer's meal. It's more like a POS system and will include more backend features, such as order management, payment systems, kitchen updates, and other useful software not needed on the customer-facing tablet. 

Although the mounting systems need to be stable, they don't need the higher level of security that customer-facing tablets require. They could be located behind the counter on easily movable weighted bases in smaller fast-food places or bolted to the countertops with drill bases in busier, chain QSRs, reducing clutter,

What Do Customer and Staff Tablets Have in Common?

Both customer-facing and staff tablets share features that can improve the ordering process, such as clear screen visibility and easy access to menus and ordering systems. Both need to work with the restaurant’s existing apps and technology and use secure, stable tablet mounting systems.

Whether a staff member or a customer is using the tablet, its position can make viewing and interacting with the screen more straightforward. Secure tablet mounting helps keep the tablet in place in busy QSRs, whether that's behind the countertop or in front of it, keeping things more organized.

What Are the Key Benefits of Quick-Service Tablet Mounts?

Using a reliable tablet mounting system in your restaurant offers several key benefits. These are:

• Consistent Tablet Positioning: The tablet remains in a predictable location, whether behind the counter for restaurant staff or in a dedicated customer ordering area such as a wall, kiosk, or table.
• Improved Accessibility: For customers, the tablet needs to be placed for easy interaction, such as eye level on a wall for the customer or angled up for the staff. In some cases, where the tablet is also used for taking card payments, it may need to swivel toward the customer. Adjustable tablet mounts let staff position tablets for easy use.
• Reduced Clutter at the Counter: Mounting tablets in key locations behind the countertop reduces clutter that can accumulate in a busy restaurant, leaving space to hand food orders to customers.
• Greater Device Stability: Fixed wall and table mounts for customers, or worktop drill-base mounts for staff, support the tablet and keep it stable during busy periods. Secure tablet mounting systems reduce the likelihood of knocks and damage.
• Better Workflow for Staff: A stable tablet mount on the restaurant's staff side creates a stable platform for better workflow, making the order-payment-confirmation-fulfilment process much more straightforward.

Types of Tablet Mounting for Fast-Food Restaurants

Countertop Tablet Mounts

Used by both customers and restaurant staff, countertop tablet mounts can be fixed to the counter using a drill-base system for stability during busy periods. They can face customers for self-ordering or face staff to tap in an order, then swivel to the customer for payment.

They can also be mounted in customer kiosks, fixed onto the top with a drill-base system. Spring-loaded tablet holders fit many tablet sizes and make it easier to remove the tablet at the end of service. In busy restaurants, these are not advised for customer-facing tablets.

Wall-Mounted Tablets

Wall-mounted tablets are especially useful for customer-facing tablets. You can position them at eye level and secure them with locking tablet holders, like the LockVise™ series from ARKON Mounts.

For heavier-duty use, metal tablet holders are durable and built to last. Drill-base mounts fix the tablet to the wall. For staff use, they remove the tablet from the counter, reducing clutter, and are especially useful in smaller businesses with limited space.

C-Clamp Mounted Tablets

Clamping systems can be easily fixed to the worktop of the quick-service restaurant. This keeps them stable during service, but you can also move, reposition, or remove them at the end of the shift. Not recommended for customer-facing tablets as they can be easily unclamped and removed.

Adjustable Tablet Mounts

Adjustable tablet mounts can be positioned for different purposes. Using multi-angle arms or a ball-and-shaft system, they can be positioned for each restaurant server to create a more ergonomic, comfortable operating position. For customers, they can be fixed to tables and swivelled into different viewing angles, making it easy for each customer to order.

Locking Tablet Mounts

For high-traffic, fast-turnaround fast-food restaurants, locking tablet holders can secure the tablet in place. Whether wall- or countertop-mounted with a drill base, the locking tablet holder uses a key lock system to secure the tablet. This can help prevent theft and damage, especially during busy shifts when staff can't always keep an eye on everything on the restaurant floor.

Modular Tablet Mounts for Quick-Service Restaurants

As restaurants grow, change location, or offer different ordering services, replacing all tablet mounting systems can be costly, especially if you've rolled them out across several quick-service restaurants. Modular ecosystems, like those from ARKON Mounts, let you replace or upgrade components without replacing the entire device mount. 

For example, you can upgrade spring-loaded tablet holders on wall-mounted systems to locking tablet holders without changing the entire mounting system. Or you can easily swap a C-clamp base for a drill base to attach permanently to a countertop or wall.

Modular systems let you scale quickly across your restaurant chain without investing heavily in new mounting systems.

Custom Mounts for Fast-Food Restaurants

If you can't find exactly what you're looking for, ARKON Mounts offers customized mounting solutions beyond off-the-shelf systems, tailored to your business model and design. These solutions also scale through a modular ecosystem, so you can upgrade your quick-service restaurant mounting systems as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do mounted tablets improve restaurant order accuracy?

Mounted tablets improve restaurant order accuracy by providing a stable, consistent interface for customers or restaurant workers to select, personalize, and review orders.

Clear digital menus and confirmation screens can help minimize incorrect selections and missed customizations, while POS integration can reduce manual order entry.

What is a QSR tablet?

A QSR (quick-service restaurant) tablet is a mounted device that both customers and restaurant staff can use to browse menus, input orders, review orders, and make payments. When mounted, the tablet provides a stable, accessible interface for ordering and restaurant operations.

Staff tablets may also run POS software and other apps that fast-food restaurants use to manage orders, process payments, check order information, and support day-to-day operations.

Where should a restaurant tablet be mounted?

A restaurant tablet can be mounted on a wall, countertop, kiosk, or dining table, depending on the restaurant’s layout and how staff will use the device.

Customer-facing tablets are typically positioned where they are easy to see and interact with, such as on walls at eye level. In contrast, staff-facing tablets may be mounted at POS stations, counters, or other work areas for quick access.

Improving QSR Order Accuracy With Mounted Tablets

In a busy quick-service restaurant, even small ordering mistakes can affect the customer experience and create additional work for staff. Digital ordering, whether by servers or customers, can create a more structured, smoother workflow.

Stable tablet positioning makes tablets easier to use. A well-positioned tablet makes menu searching, ingredient customization, ordering, and payment easier. Secure tablet mounts keep devices where staff and customers expect them, while keeping them secure and protected.

ARKON Mounts offers a range of tablet mounting systems designed for quick-service restaurant tablets. From customer-facing ordering stations to staff POS systems, find a mounting solution that fits your restaurant’s layout and workflow and makes busy restaurant life a little easier.