How Technology Helped Pittsburgh’s Dive Bar & Grille Address COVID-19 Challenges

expanded their outdoor seating areas, where possible, to not only increase overall capacity but also ensure they could set up tables in as safe a manner as possible. At the Indiana Township location, sand volleyball courts outside the restaurant were transformed into a large, welcoming seating area with brightly colored picnic tables.

In addition to making physical changes to the space to accommodate safety requirements, the restaurants made the ordering process touchless. QR codes at the host stand and at every table allow patrons to instantly pull up the menu on their phone. Kuskie says he expects digital menus to remain in place after the pandemic, too–physical menus come at a cost, and going fully digital allows the team to change menus on the fly, keeping offerings fresh.

Extending Connectivity to Create Ambiance and Enable Staff

Kuskie says that fast and reliable internet from Comcast Business is incredibly important to everyday operations. They use a streaming music service that runs over WiFi and allows managers to set the music to match the atmosphere throughout the day, improving guest experience. Staff members also use tablets to conduct inventory and replace supplies when needed.

With the expanded outdoor seating, Dive Bar & Grille extended its wired Internet connection to the outdoor service area so they could bring music to patrons eating outdoors, send tickets to the kitchen from an outside POS station, and process credit card transactions. In the future, Kuskie hopes to expand WiFi outside to allow guests to access the network anywhere on the property, and outfit servers with tablets to directly enter orders tableside.

While Dive Bar & Grille isn’t a sports bar by definition, Kuskie says they use their Comcast Business TV service to show games, and he hopes to continue the practice as sports get going again. The volleyball courts at the Indiana Township location would be a perfect spot for a large projector, so Kuskie says they’re exploring options to broadcast Steelers games when they’re back on, giving fans a safe and spread-out place to catch the game and grab a bite.

Forging a Path Forward

By leaning on technology and adapting processes, Kuskie says, the five restaurants have so far been able to keep running despite the unprecedented COVID-19 challenges facing small businesses. By ensuring that customers and staff are safe and that the ordering process is digitally driven and smooth, Dive Bar & Grille is able to focus on what matters most: good food and satisfied customers.

Comcast Business is dedicated to enabling businesses of all sizes to adapt to changing circumstances through fast, reliable, and secure technology. Click here to learn more.

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