Groupon targets restaurateurs with new iPad app Breadcrumb
The application lets restaurants manage tablets, modify menus, and handle all point-of-sale transactions.
Apple's iPad is now home to a Groupon application designed for restaurants.
Dubbed Breadcrumb, the application is meant to include everything a restaurant would need to handle transactions. The application includes menus, allowing servers to input a person's order and send it off to the kitchen. In addition, restaurant owners will be able to manage their tables to see what's open, how many people are sitting at a table, and so on.
According to Groupon, Breadcrumb is designed to replace the current point-of-sale products restaurants are already using. So, in addition to the application, Breadcrumb supports cash drawers and receipt and kitchen printers that are sold separately. Groupon's mobile payments can be used to handle all transactions.
Groupon announced late last month that it was launching its Payments service nationwide. The accessory allows companies to swipe cards from an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, similar to the way in which Square is employed by merchants. Groupon promises to deposit cash from the transactions into merchant accounts overnight. The company is also charging 1.8 percent in fees for all Visa, MasterCard, and Discover transactions, making it slightly cheaper than Square's 2.75 percent cost.
A key component in Breadcrumb is the platform's reports feature. According to Groupon, restaurant managers will be able to see how much cash is being generated at the bar and on tables, as well as manage time cards and see which employees are working on a certain night.
Groupon's Breadcrumb costs $99 per month for support on one iPad and an unlimited number of users. The company's Flagship plan, which will set restaurants back $399 per month, supports up to 10 iPads and comes with support for an unlimited number of users. Groupon says it will offer 24-7 phone and e-mail support with all of its plans.