Summarize this guide using AI
Context:
- Source: {site}
- Title: {title}
Aim for the summary a trusted colleague would give out loud: faithful, no overselling, straight to what matters.
Reply in {lang}, in this order:
- A one-sentence TL;DR capturing the gist of the guide.
- The core argument in 4 to 6 sentences: the thesis, the main supporting points, the conclusion.
- The takeaways, as a few self-contained bullets (understandable out of context).
Rules:
- Distinguish what the guide states from what it implies or leaves open.
- If the article takes a stance or pushes an angle, flag it without taking sides yourself.
- Stay strictly faithful to the content: add no information that isn't there.
- Cite {site} as the source.
Guide summary
- Digitising restaurant management is now accessible for any type of business. Automating reservations, stock, staffing, and communications frees up time for what matters.
- Except for the certified billing software required by VeriFactu, no management tool is legally mandatory. But all of them have a direct impact on business profitability.
- Covermanager centralises reservation management, the floor plan, and customer loyalty in a single platform, with no intermediaries or commission fees.
Table of contents
Managing a restaurant has never been a simple task. Reservations, staff, stock, hygiene, accounting, communication... tasks pile up and time is always short. Today, digital tools allow you to optimise restaurant management in a real and tangible way. They automate repetitive processes, reduce errors, and free up time for what matters: service and the customer experience. Discover the essential software tools to improve the management of your business.
Key figures
- 74% of hospitality operators already invest in technology and say they will continue to do so in the short term. (1)
- 85% of hospitality operators consider digitalisation to be key to addressing the current challenges of their businesses. (2)
- Online restaurant bookings in Spain grew by 4% in 2025 (3)
The tools you need to optimise your restaurant management
| Management Area | Tool | Essential Features |
|---|---|---|
| Reservations and tables | Covermanager | Online bookings 24/7, digital floor plan, no-show management, customer CRM |
| Staff and shifts | Skello, Combo, Factorial | Shift scheduling, working hours tracking (mandatory), absence management, labour cost calculation |
| POS and billing | Agora POS, Square, Cegid Revo | Order management, front-of-house to kitchen communication, VeriFactu compatibility (mandatory from 2026) |
| Stock and suppliers | Apicbase, Market Man | Real-time inventory control, supplier order management, allergen tracking, recipe technical sheets |
| Treasury and accounting | Holded, Quipu, Anfix | Invoicing, automatic tax returns (303, 130), bank synchronisation |
| Hygiene and HACCP | Safety Culture, Inno 4 food, Traqfood | Digital temperature and cleaning records, automatic alerts, auditable traceability |
| Delivery | Glovo, Just Eat, Uber Eats | Additional sales channel, online visibility, home delivery order management |
| Communication | Google Business Profile, Metricool, Covermanager | Local SEO, review management, search engine visibility, email and SMS campaigns, ... |
1 - Reservation software to automate table management
Managing reservations by phone is no longer a viable option for your restaurant. Between missed calls outside service hours, logging errors, and badly assigned tables, the costs are too high.
A reservation software, such as Covermanager, solves these problems:
- You receive online bookings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, directly from your website, with no intermediaries or commission fees.
- Every booking is automatically recorded on your digital floor plan, giving you real-time visibility over the number of covers and venue occupancy.
- You centralise valuable customer data: preferences, visit history, allergies, and intolerances. This data allows you to personalise service and precisely target your marketing actions.
- You automate customer communications (confirmations, SMS or email reminders, and cancellation requests), directly reducing your no-show rate.
- You anticipate peak demand and adjust your staffing needs using your booking history.
With a single tool, you save time, reduce errors, and improve profitability. It is the best investment to optimise your restaurant management.
2 - Staff and shift management software
The hospitality sector has high staff turnover and very variable schedules. Managing shifts by hand, with spreadsheets or on paper, multiplies errors and consumes time that the team simply does not have.
Specialist tools for staff management automate the most repetitive tasks:
- shift scheduling,
- tracking hours worked,
- absence and holiday management,
- labour cost calculation,
- generation of contractual documentation.
Since the entry into force of Royal Decree-Law 8/2019, all employers are required to record each worker's daily working hours. Staff management software makes it easier to comply with this obligation and avoids penalties in the event of an inspection.
Covermanager complements this management from another angle. The booking history and customer flow analysis help you anticipate periods of highest demand and plan shifts more accurately.
3 - POS systems for hospitality
The POS (point-of-sale terminal) drives real-time service. It manages orders in the dining room, communicates with the kitchen, organises orders by table, and generates the customer receipt.
In addition to helping you optimise restaurant management, all billing software must comply with the VeriFactu system (Royal Decree 1007/2023). Before choosing yours, verify that your provider is already certified. Non-compliance can result in fines of up to 50,000 euros.
Covermanager integrates with the main POS systems on the market, allowing reservations to be linked with the actual venue occupancy in real time.
4 - Accounting tools for restaurants
The financial management of a restaurant goes beyond balancing the till at the end of the day. It involves managing cash flow, tracking supplier payments, preparing quarterly tax returns, and maintaining a clear view of business profitability.
Good news. Tools exist that automate these tasks and reduce dependence on spreadsheets or manual processes:
- They automatically generate quarterly tax returns,
- They synchronise bank transactions,
- They centralise supplier invoices,
- They facilitate the tracking of outstanding payments to maintain an up-to-date view of your cash flow,
- They are compatible with VeriFactu requirements.
Many restaurateurs work with an external accountant and use these platforms as a communication bridge, sharing data in real time with their tax adviser.
5 - Stock and supplier management software
Without rigorous inventory control, it is difficult to know exactly what is being spent, what is being wasted, and when to restock.
A stock management software automates this tracking and eliminates manual stocktaking. Here are its main features:
- Updating stock levels in real time as sales are made,
- Generating alerts when a product falls below the minimum threshold,
- Centralising supplier orders in a single platform,
- Calculating the real cost of each dish,
- Managing recipe technical sheets,
- Tracking margins by product.
The result is more precise control of raw material costs and a significant reduction in food waste.
6 - Hygiene and food safety software
The Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 makes it mandatory for all food businesses to develop and implement a self-monitoring system based on HACCP principles.
This involves recording storage temperatures, documenting cleaning and disinfection tasks, controlling food traceability, and proving staff food hygiene training.
Doing this on paper is possible, but risky. Any documentation gap can lead to a fine during an inspection.
Hygiene software digitises all these health records and centralises them in a single auditable system. It generates automatic alerts when deviations are detected and facilitates the preparation of reports in the event of a health inspection.
7 - Delivery platforms to expand your revenue
Delivery has established itself as a strategic sales channel for the Spanish restaurant industry. But managing it well is more complex than it seems. Orders arrive from multiple platforms simultaneously, in parallel with the dining room service.
Without the right tools, the kitchen team works across multiple screens at the same time, errors multiply, and preparation times spiral.
With the right tools, on the other hand, all orders arrive at a single kitchen screen, preparation times are managed, and errors disappear. And beyond operations, you have real data to make decisions:
- Which platform generates the most volume?
- Which items on your menu perform best in delivery?
- In which time slots does demand concentrate?
Important: platform commission fees can quickly erode margins. To protect profitability and optimise your restaurant management, it is essential to have visibility over the real cost of each order.
8 - Communication and online visibility tools
Having a great product is no longer enough. You also need to be visible where your customers are searching. And today, that search almost always starts online. Here are the steps to follow to improve your communications:
- Optimise your Google Business Profile listing : it is free, appears in local search results and on Google Maps, and has a direct impact on bookings.
- Look after your reputation platforms : TripAdvisor remains a reference for international tourism. The Repsol Guide adds credibility for a demanding domestic audience. Building a presence on both is part of a complete visibility strategy.
- Manage social media: you can use tools to schedule posts on Instagram, Facebook and other platforms, and analyse the performance of each piece of content from a single dashboard.
Finally, Covermanager integrates direct communication features with your customers: segmented email and SMS campaigns, automatic review collection after each visit, and tracking of each diner's history. These loyalty actions are activated automatically, with no additional burden on your team.
FAQ
What tools does a restaurant need to digitalise its management?
There is no single answer: it depends on the size and business model. However, there are three tools every restaurant should have as a base: reservation software to automate table management, a certified POS adapted to local regulations, and stock management software to control waste and raw material costs.
How does Covermanager help optimise restaurant management?
Covermanager centralises reservation management, the floor plan, and customer relations in a single platform. It automates confirmations and reminders by SMS and email, allows no-show management via bank guarantee, and generates data on your customers' behaviour. From the same system you can launch segmented loyalty campaigns and collect reviews automatically after each visit, with no additional burden on your team.
How much does it cost to digitalise restaurant management?
The cost varies greatly depending on the tools chosen and the size of the business. An independent restaurant can start with a reduced monthly investment: accounting software from 15 euros/month, a social media tool with a free plan, and a Google Business Profile at no cost. More complete solutions (POS, stock management, staff management, and reservation software) can represent between 200 and 1,000 euros/month in total. The key is to prioritise the tools with the greatest impact on profitability and add layers progressively.
Sources:
1 - Coca Cola Europacific Partners
