Category: Product Updates

Developing software is difficult without the right support. Star Micronics has created an official GitHub account to make our software partners’ lives easier. We have added our most popular and most useful SDKs to the account with more to come. Star’s Integration Team is here for you during the development process and we want to hear your feedback. Star looks forward to creating a dialogue between our global software teams and our community of software developers so we can continually improve our tools.

Why GitHub?

If you don’t already know what GitHub is, you can imagine it as social media platform for developers. It has quickly become a leading place for developers to share and collaborate on code. Users can also create their own repositories, contribute to other repositories, and suggest edits to existing repositories via an issue log.Star Micronics created a global account to make integrating Star products easy for our softwarepartners. Our goal is to make development as simple as possible for our partners when they are looking for SDKs or integration support for our products.

When navigatingStar’s GitHub page, you will find a growing number of our SDKs and other helpful code. Some of the development tools currently available are listed below with more to come in the future.

1. StarPRNT SDK iOS (Swift)
2. StarPRNT SDK Android (Java)
3. CloudPRNT SDK
4. Android USB Cash Drawer SDK
5. SteadyLAN Setting SDK (iOS, Android, Windows)
6. React Native SDK

Working with the Integrations Team

The typical expectations when working with an Integrations team is simple — work collaboratively during the coding process until your software is integrated. What you get when working with Star is not the typical software/hardware partnership; integration is just the beginning. We treat our partnerships like the backbone of our company, and we cannot be successful without them. Once we help to integrate the hardware, our next focus becomes aligning our goals with yours. This leads us to growth on both sides of the partnership. Star can offer our partners a unified marketing strategy that will meet both our objectives while growing business. For more information on what a software partnership provides read more here.

Through this new GitHub account we are implementing an initiative to publicly share more beta development tools to quickly gather feedback from our ISV partners to ensure the official releases are meeting the needs of our partners. The first in this initiative is our React Native SDK now available on GitHub. Our team is currently asking for any feedback you can give us. There is no payment necessary for a GitHub account so please feel free to navigate around our page, we are looking forward to hearing from you. 

Visit Star on GitHub

Any restauranteur paying attention to the state of the industry today understands that online and mobile ordering are the way of the future. It’s critical that you have these solutions in place to keep your business afloat and keep your customers satisfied.

You may have considered implementing online ordering before, but were overwhelmed with options and the complexities involved in implementing new technology. Online and mobile ordering is easy to implement, especially with the help of CloudPRNT from Star Micronics.

Ebook: Is Your Restaurant Ready for the Growing Online Ordering Trend? 

Eliminate the game of telephone

Ordering via telephone is on its way out. It is slow, inefficient, and can lead to errors. Online ordering however, takes no time away from staff since it is conducted entirely on the customer’s end.

On top of that, the increased order accuracy alone is reason enough to invest in a kitchen printer and online/mobile ordering system. You can entirely eliminate hand-written tickets, which are altogether inefficient and difficult to read. Not only do you benefit from the time saved from duplicate efforts, but you also achieve less waste.

Seamlessly integrate online ordering into your restaurant operations

When you are able to integrate your systems, you can share data and eliminate manual order re-entry—leading to major reductions in the number of dropped or wrong orders. Improved order accuracy will boost customer satisfaction, increase customer retention, and result in more positive reviews. Rather than investing in pricey kitchen display systems, you can install a simple, compact printing system, while still gaining all the value of online ordering.

Online ordering will offer you an opportunity to expand your service area and reach new customers that are looking for the convenience of ordering anytime, anywhere through their laptops or mobile devices. This is especially helpful if you are looking to utilize third-party online ordering services. These often have native users that can be introduced to your restaurant when they use the app. Third-party services can help you reach new customers and market to them. By meeting this demand, you can grow your customer base, build customer loyalty, and keep them coming back for more.

Boost your restaurant’s online ordering efficiency

Receiving orders from third-party sites and sending them to the kitchen can still be a pain point for some restaurants—especially if you work with more than one-third party service. Disorganization can disrupt your operation in severe ways. If you’re relying on outdated services like email to receive orders from several different applications, you are asking for problems.

Sometimes customers can enter in multiple orders, or one or more employees may be assigned to communicate orders to the kitchen by entering them into the POS system. Processes like these require time and effort, and errors can still occur when orders are transferred between front- and back-of-house staff.

Installing CloudPRNT streamlines the process by sending all of your online orders directly to the kitchen printer. Once there, staff can receive the orders, along with any instructions and modifiers, and begin preparation immediately. CloudPRNT (especially when paired with peripherals like the mC-Sound buzzer) streamlines the ordering process, speeding up service and satisfying customers.

What is CloudPRNT:

CloudPRNT is an innovative technology that enables users to print to Star printers directly through a cloud service. CloudPRNT works with the online ordering service to store and create print jobs, and to communicate the status with the printer. CloudPRNT is compatible with third party online ordering and delivery providers, such as DoorDash, UberEats, Postmates, Seamless, and GrubHub. Once an order is received, it will be sent directly to the Star printer and your kitchen staff, expediting order prep. Additionally, with CloudPRNT, restaurants can eliminate the need for an extra tablet just to send the incoming online order to the printer.

CloudPRNT is offered by Star Micronics, a leading supplier of high-quality, feature-rich technology hardware solutions and services. Star Micronics America is committed to offering truly innovative products that address the needs of restaurant owners. Our experts have a deep understanding of the hospitality industry and can assist business owners with identifying the right solutions for their business.

Contact us for more information on how you can boost your bottom line and increase loyalty with CloudPRNT from Star Micronics.

Contact Star Integration Now

Sneeze guards have been staples in restaurants long before the pandemic first hit. What originally started out as a solution to improve the health and safety of buffet-style dining quickly became a federally-mandated requirement.

Back in 1958, a restaurateur and self-proclaimed germaphobe named Johnny Garneu started looking for a solution that would block viruses and bacteria from contaminating food at the buffet tables while customers leaned over them. Having no luck, he decided to strike out and invent his own, patenting the product that year.

The sneeze guard was so effective and popular that the FDA later mandated that sneeze guards must be present in all self-service dining establishments. While they are still popular with self-service operations, COVID-19 has transformed them into something else entirely.

It is now critical that restaurants implement sneeze guard solutions within their establishments in order to increase safety, but it’s equally important to make sure that the correct solution is installed and meets the right requirement.

Height and Angle

When searching for the right sneeze guard solution to install, it’s important to consider the placement and positioning of the guard – namely the height and angle. To account for this, consider the height of your typical customer. Usually the average customer is somewhere between 5 and 6 feet tall. Also account for the height of the structure holding the guard.

As for the angle, it’s important to consider whether customers are serving themselves, or are being served by others. In a cafeteria-like environment where employees are preparing food, a full-service sneeze guard will be ideal. For buffet and salad bards, a self-service sneeze guard would be the optimal choice.

Download our Restaurant Disaster Relief Checklist for full details on keeping your restaurant safe.

Regulations and Guidelines

Both full-service and self-service sneeze guards have guidelines and regulations for how they must be used. Some of these are federal guidelines, but most depend on specific region and locality. Check with local governing authorities for specific regulatory requirements for sneeze guards in your area.

Sometimes, you will find mandates for things like barrier thickness, materials, height requirements, and construction. You may also find instructions on how sneeze guards should be properly used and how often they must be replaced. In general, replace sneeze guards when they become cracked, scratched, or show other signs of wear and tear. For most restaurants, it’s a good idea to go for an NSF-2 sneeze guard, which is the industry-accepted standard.

Visibility

It is a requirement that all food and staff behind the sneeze guard must be clearly visible to the customers. Damaged, scratched, or dirty sneeze guards can block the customer’s view and can lead to complaints or confusion. Avoid negative impressions and prevent poor customer experiences by cleaning your sneeze guard regularly and ensuring any damaged components are fixed or replaced as soon as possible.

Choose the right sneeze guard solution for you restaurant

Beyond federal and local regulations and requirements for sneeze guards, there are many other factors to consider when choosing a solution to install:

Easy installation and relocation

Some solutions must be permanently mounted on countertops, requiring drilling into the countertop to fasten the sneeze guard to the surface. If you aren’t looking to permanently install a sneeze guard, or have little downtime for drilling, sneeze guard solutions exist that come with easy-to-mount stands that make them portable and reusable. Adjustable mounting poles make it easier to accommodate height requirements.

Adaptability

A sneeze guard at a checkout counter will require a wide enough gap to enable the safe passing and scanning of products between customer and employee. An adjustable mounting pole can make it easier to accommodate different environments, and can be adjusted accordingly to fit the cashier’s needs.

Make sure to consider where peripherals like pin pad terminals will be placed. Choose a solution that accommodates these peripheral hardware solutions without overcrowding the counter.

Durability

One of the most important considerations for selecting the right sneeze guard for your restaurant is durability. It’s critical that your sneeze guard can withstand the tough environments commonly found in restaurants. A steel frame is a must if you want your sneeze guard to last. Be sure to choose a plexiglass display as well. These are easy to clean and are both flexible and strong.

Compatibility with Mobility Solutions (Make it a Bundle!)

The final consideration is whether or not your sneeze guard pairs well with your existing POS or mobile POS terminals. Consider how much space you have available on your countertop, and whether or not the design is compact enough to fit your space.

If you need more than just a sneeze guard, make it a bundle with the Star Micronics POSShield. This sleek stand offers a small footprint and pairs well with the mC-Print receipt printers and mC-Sound kitchen buzzer. It also includes supplies to mount the PIN pad to the stand itself for extra space savings.

If you are interested in learning more about the Star Micronics POSShield, and how it can help keep your restaurant environment safe, contact the experts at Star Micronics today.

Learn about Star’s POSShield