Diners being generous with tips despite record inflation

Even amid record levels of inflation and resultant rising menu prices, diners are being more generous with their tips. That’s according to new data from Lightspeed Commerce cited by Restaurant Dive collected from 6,000 U.S. bars and fast-casual, casual and upscale restaurants between May 2021 and May 2022. The data recorded that the median average […]

The state of play for Canadian foodservice at the end of 2021

As we close out 2021 and approach another new year for Canadian foodservice, Lightspeed’s State of the Hospitality Industry report has shone some light on the current sentiments from restaurant operators and guests. Chief among the conclusions of the report, based on a wide survey of operators and customers in Canada and beyond, was that […]

New Lightspeed Restaurant platform launches in North America

Lightspeed Restaurant, a unified hospitality commerce and point-of-sale (POS) platform, has launched in Canada and the United States as a new solution for foodservice operations. Recognizing that indoor dining traffic is resurgent amid fundamentally altered conditions and business needs, Montreal-founded Lightspeed has collaborated with the likes of Upserve, Gastrofix, Kounta, and iKentoo to offer a […]

Comparing merchant services and POS systems

The COVID-19 pandemic has had many far-reaching impacts on foodservice and hospitality. One of them is the proliferation of POS systems. The industry was already trending towards technological innovation in both front and back of house before the last 18 months, but revamping POS systems has become an increased focus for many operators since the […]

What Canadian hospitality can learn from Australia

By Peter Dougherty This time last year, the future of the Canadian hospitality business — and hospitality in general — seemed unsure. Fortunately, things have changed. The hospitality industry is re-emerging to serve Canadians who are excited to be back at their favourite restaurants, coffee shops, and bars. But we’re not out of the woods […]

The hospitality industry isn’t caving to COVID-19 — it’s relocating

By Sheryl Hoskins According to a report from Statistics Canada, 50,375 people left Toronto during COVID-19, while Montreal lost 24,880 people to rural areas in Quebec. Meanwhile, the suburbs of Oshawa saw its population grow by 2.1 per cent — the fastest growth in the entire country. As urban commuters have abandoned their after-work drinks, […]

Bringing foodservice operations into the 2020s

Integrated POS solutions like Lightspeed offer success for operators in the current climate, but the ability to pivot is also vital.

Lightspeed further innovates contactless experience with launch of Order Ahead in North America

Lightspeed has announced the availability of Order Ahead, a cost-efficient online ordering management system designed to facilitate takeout, enabling North American restaurants to provide customers with a completely contactless experience.

Lightspeed adds new features to its inventory management software

Press Release Lightspeed, a leading provider of omnichannel point-of-sale software, solutions and support systems for independent retailers and restaurants, with over 49,000 customer locations, today announced the addition of new inventory-focused features to Lightspeed Retail’s extensive suite of tools. As a leader in the industry, these features will help Lightspeed deliver unparalleled inventory management control, […]

Different Tech, Different Takes: The future according to two foodservice suppliers

How has technology imposed itself on your restaurant? Do you rely on online reservations to fill your dining room? Do you run a seatless, delivery app-dependent ghost kitchen? Does your ambience depend on a music streaming service? It’s a truism at this point, but the march of technology is inescapable, and foodservice isn’t an exception […]