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A Dubai-based start-up has devised a technology which it says can boost restaurant revenue and allow staff to earn between three and five times as much in tips.
Spades found that its payment system has sped up transactions, allowing faster turnover of tables, to the extent that revenue can go up by between 8% and 20%.
Under the Spades system, diners scan a code using their phones, order from a staff member, but then pay by entering details into their phone’s browser rather than summoning the server and waiting for them to bring a point of sale (POS) machine.
Restaurants have an average of one POS machine per 20 tables, but eateries using Spades technology place a small scannable QR code on each table so that customers can pay, split the bill or leave a tip at their convenience, rather than wait for a waiter to bring the bill and POS.
Spades, which has been in operation since 2021, was founded by ex-Emirates Skywards executive Sameer Poonja with Adnan Haque and Mehdi Chabri, and is now present in 250 restaurants in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Singapore.
Those already using the technology include Daikan, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), as well as other well-known outlets, including Common Grounds and Tom and Serg. The company is working with hotels, including Radisson Red in Dubai Silicon Oasis and Radisson Blu in Damac Hills.
The data on the revenue boost was produced with Irish-American payments company Stripe, whose technology Spades deploys.
(Reporting by Imogen Lillywhite; editing by Cleofe Maceda)
