Build accurately costed menus, better manage nutrition and allergen
information, and streamline your recipe creation processes with Zonal’s easyto-use online menu management tool. Menu Manager takes the hassle out of
managing complex menu changes, with seamless integration to Zonal’s EPoS
and wider suite of technology meaning any changes made are published in
real-time across your business.

With customers demanding faster service – and in particular a quicker finish
to their meal – payment has become a crucial part of the customer journey.
Zonal’s card payment system (ZCPS) allows you to take payments at the table
and any point-of-sale. It simplifies the payment process, quickly and efficiently
enabling you to turn tables faster, streamline your processes, reduce operating
costs, and maximise your revenue potential.

Acquire is Zonal’s EPoS integrated purchase-to-pay inventory management
solution, providing you and your team with a comprehensive, accurate, and
real-time view of what’s in stock, what’s on order, and when orders are due for
delivery. It helps reduce wastage associated with over-ordering, and helps you
protect your margins by ensuring your stock is being purchased from the best
supplier at the best price.

Tap into an additional revenue stream and allow your customers to engage
with your brand from their own homes. Click & Collect is fully integrated
with, and driven by, Zonal’s EPoS, removing the need for your team to reenter order information or update online menus if products go out of stock –
eliminating the manual headaches that can come with implementing additional
ordering channels

Part of the Zonal family, Toggle is an all-in-one gift card and ecommerce
platform that will help you boost revenue and expand your offering by
selling gift cards, experiences, and retail products through your very own
branded webstore.

Add targeted, effective promotional vouchers to your marketing toolkit.
Zonal’s Voucher Manager is a flexible solution enabling you to increase visit
frequency, boost customer spend, or even re-engage guests you may not
have seen for a while. A streamlined redemption process means minimal
training is required for staff, with automatic prompts at the point-of-sale
guiding staff through the process.

AI has the potential to be a real game-changer for the hospitality sector. Operators can, for example, tap into AI to make real-time decisions that keep things running efficiently. By factoring in things like weather patterns and foot traffic from previous days, AI can predict demand and even suggest actions like adjusting staffing levels during busy times—helping operators stay ahead of the game when it comes to service and potentially cutting wage bills.

Forecasting and Smarter insights

Using AI can also make sales forecasts more precise—right down to individual products. This means operators can keep inventory in check, reduce waste, and make sure they’ve got the right stock on hand when it’s needed most. In addition, by pulling in data from a number of sources, AI can generate helpful insights and daily summaries allowing for quicker, smarter decision-making and smoother day-to-day operations.

Beyond forecasting, AI provides valuable real-time support during trading hours. For instance, if kitchen operations slow down, AI can suggest reallocating staff to maintain service standards. For new hires, AI offers tailored onboarding guidance based on the business’s systems, helping them get up to speed faster.

Unlocking customer insights

AI can also be used to better understand guests. Airship’s AI Flight Assist is such a tool and is currently helping operators to effectively boost sales by making it easier for operators and their teams to query and segment their customer database through an accessible and conversational interface. By providing operators and their teams with a way to effectively identify and extract specific customer behaviours and insights, businesses can easily engage customers with smarter and more personalised marketing strategies that truly add value.

All of this data-driven support results in better resource management, a more efficient team, and an overall operation that is more focused on what really matters — delivering great customer experiences.

AI and the customer experience

AI is playing an increasingly important role in shaping the customer experience from before people even enter a venue. Platforms like TripAdvisor and Google have started to use AI to summarise guest feedback, giving potential customers a quick snapshot of what to expect before they walk through the door. By making data accessible to operators, AI can also help businesses and marketing teams to create personalised offers and experiences for their customers, building loyalty and driving repeat visits.

With online reviews becoming increasingly influential when it comes to helping customers choose where to drink or dine, this makes it crucial for operators to stay on top of their online reputation and engage with feedback proactively.

Once guests are inside the venue, AI helps streamline behind-the-scenes tasks, giving staff more time to focus on interacting with customers. With fewer administrative duties to juggle, staff can provide a more personalised and attentive service, ultimately enhancing guest satisfaction. So, by enhancing both online perceptions and in-venue service, AI enables operators to deliver a seamless, more impactful customer experience.

More AI innovations to come

AI technologies like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Meta AI are rapidly advancing, getting better at understanding human behaviour and enabling more natural, intuitive interactions. As these tools evolve, a big focus will be on making them more transparent.

If AI is to have a truly positive impact on hospitality, operators will need to trust the tech and to educate themselves about how it works. AI providers to the hospitality industry will need to show where the data comes from and how conclusions are made. This transparency will help operators and their teams feel confident that the AI-generated recommendations are built on reliable, accurate information. As these innovations keep developing, operators can look forward to AI offering sharper insights, which will ultimately enhance decision-making and streamline operations across the industry.

Benefits of AI to front- and back-of-house

AI technologies are already in place, supporting busy teams both on the floor and behind the scenes. Providers such as AddSalt for example, provide conversational, yet automated AI phone bookings using voice recognition software. The system eases the pressure on front of house operations by reducing the time spent monitoring and answering phone calls, while also removing the possibility of any calls being missed.

When it comes to back of house operations, AI is equally as beneficial. AI can be used to optimise staff rotas, make sales forecasts, reduce waste, analyse stock levels and product performance, as well as produce daily summaries, enabling operators and their teams to make faster, smarter business decisions.

In hospitality, key dates like Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Mother’s Day, and New Year’s Eve, are goldmines for bookings, but they can also come with risks. No-shows, late cancellations, and inefficient table management can quickly erode potential revenue. For many, the go-to solution has long been taking deposits. But there’s a smarter, more frictionless approach: the Card Guarantee.

Why Card Guarantees matter

While deposits have their place, they can also come with friction: guests must commit funds upfront, and refunding them if plans change adds operational overhead. Card Guarantees, on the other hand, allow you to secure a booking with card details, only charging in case of a no-show or late cancellation. This, in turn:

• Reduces no-shows and last-minute cancellations
• Improves the guest experience by avoiding upfront charges
• Maintains flexibility for guests, encouraging more bookings
• Eases operational pressure by minimising refund processing

We’ve put together five easy-to follow-steps on how you can use Zonal Bookings to add card guarantees to your bookings It is also worth noting, should you have any bespoke booking journeys (i.e., using the API), or if you have any 3rd party integrations, such as Mozrest, IOVOX or PolyAI etc, you may need to consult your Account Manager prior to setting this up.

Setting up a Card Guarantee booking rule

Credit Card Guarantees can be set up within Events Admin > Booking rules

1. Click Add “new booking rule”
2. Give your booking rule a name (this is internal use only)
3. Then set the conditions for the booking rule. This can be:
   1. By cover range (e.g. for 10+ covers)
   2. Menu selection (e.g. for all Afternoon Tea Bookings)
   3. Occasion (e.g. for all Festive Occasion Bookings) (Note: Ensure you select the occasions this rule is relevant to)
   4. A combination of any of the above (e.g any Afternoon Tea menu with bookings of 10+ covers)

4. Next, select “Require Card Guarantee” which will be automatically triggered based on the condition(s) set above in Step 3
   1. Enter the amount that will be charged per person in the description field This is important as the booking widget will not display an amount in the ‘estimated costs’ part of the online booking journey, as it would for a deposit (see customer journey further on in this article)
   2. Enter the amount per person and per child that will be charged
   3. Enter the number of days or hours the Card Guarantee is required by as either ‘due before arrival’ or ‘due after the booking is made’
   4. Enter in any terms and conditions required (this is optional)
   5. Select if you would like to have the Card Guarantee process as part of the API or widget journey or if the guest will need to log into their guest portal to pay
5. Lastly, ensure that the new booking rule is ticked as “enabled”

The customer journey and host process for card guarantees

As mentioned above, the estimated cost will not be displayed for Card Guarantee as it would for a deposit. To ensure transparency, it’s important to enter an amount and a short message in the Card Guarantee Description Box, so the guest is made aware of the potential charge for a no-show.

10-minute booking window

When guests book using a Card Guarantee, they have 10 minutes to enter their card details. During this window:

• A temporary booking is held in Tables to reserve capacity.
• In the Tables interface, a temporary booking will be clearly marked (shown below)
• If card details are not submitted within 10 minutes, the table is released and becomes bookable again.

Adding card details post-booking

If the card guarantee was not set as required during the API or widget journey, then:

• Guests will be prompted to log into their guest portal to add card details before a specified cut-off date.
• This cut-off is set based on the ‘due before arrival’ or ‘due after booking is made’ rules in your booking settings.
• The Card Guarantee description will be visible in the guest portal.

Guests can also amend or remove their card details in the portal up until this cut-off point.

Host view and payment authorisation

Identifying Card Guarantee Bookings

In the Events Host platform, bookings with a Card Guarantee are marked with a green credit card symbol. By clicking into the booking and scrolling to the “Card Guarantee” section, staff can confirm that payment details have been submitted. Note:

• Card details are not visible to staff.
• Cards cannot be charged before the booking time.

Charging the guest after a no-show

After the booking time has passed a ‘charge’ button will appear and can be used for up to 48 hours. You can amend the charge amount and must enter a reason for the charge.

Once charged:

• A note is added to the booking to confirm a charge was made.
• Select “See Guest Audit for Full Details” to view who processed the charge, how much was taken, and the reason.
• This information is visible only in the Host app—not to guests.
• Guests will receive an email notification confirming a payment has been taken.

Importance of testing

Before going live, we always recommend that you test your setup and make a test booking to see the journey firsthand so you and your team can handle any guest queries with confidence.

Benefits of Card Guarantees

Card Guarantees give you the best of both worlds, protection for your business and flexibility for your guests. Especially on dates where demand outstrips supply, this method builds guest commitment without putting up unnecessary booking barriers.

Now’s the time to modernise your booking strategy. Make Card Guarantees a key part of the booking journey, and you’ll be rewarded with higher attendance, and ultimately, better revenue control.