TD Bank Group (TD) is pleased to announce a collaboration with independent software vendor, TouchBistro, enabling Canadian restaurant and food service entrepreneurs to consolidate all management and payment services into one, easy to use POS and restaurant management system. Available to all TD customers, TouchBistro provides restaurateurs with everything they need to drive sales and streamline operations through their comprehensive suite of front of house, back of house, and guest engagement technology.“Collaborating with TouchBistro gives our merchants the ability to integrate their TD payment devices and benefit from the restaurant POS functionality and features that TouchBistro has to offer,” says Alec Morley, Senior Vice President, Canadian Small Business Banking at TD. “In turn, Merchants have the peace of mind being supported by a bank and software vendor that they know and trust, helping entrepreneurs feel at ease while managing their restaurant business.”When it comes to paying for meals, TouchBistro’s 2024 Canadian Diner Trends Report found that 84 percent of Canadian diners prefer to settle up by using either a credit or debit card, and 76 percent of patrons prefer using a handheld payment terminal that is brought to the table.“Offering merchants the ability to integrate their TD payment device directly with a restaurant management tool allows them to deliver what Canadian diners are looking for – ease of payment combined with enhanced customer service,” says Morley. “When things like reservations, managing orders and floor plans, plus the ability to reconcile bills are offered in one platform, restaurant staff can focus their attention on diners and delivering the quality customer service that we know Canadians are looking for.”“TouchBistro is constantly evolving to offer best-in-class solutions to operators, and we are excited to work with TD as one of our integrated payments providers,” said Samir Zabaneh, Chairman and CEO of TouchBistro. “As we continue to be the most comprehensive all-in-one POS and restaurant management system, this collaboration is a natural fit as we expand our portfolio to offer diverse solutions that cater to Canadian operators’ unique needs.”Offering an integrated payment solution allows merchants to improve efficiencies, generate insights about their business, ensure that payment data is secure and provide a pleasant customer experience

Building any type of business is hard. But keeping a restaurant afloat can be particularly grueling.20 percent of restaurants close within a year and 60 percent shutter within five years, according to the U Bureau of Labor Statistics. On top of that, the average full-service restaurant carried $51,863 in debt at the end of last year.The culprits? Labor, overhead…and importantly, the rising cost of food. Restaurant operators are spending up to 13 percent more on food costs alone since the start of last year.“Labor and overhead are largely dictated by the market and regulation, but restaurants can do something about their food spend,” says Florida-based entrepreneur Michael Otis.Otis is working on this food pricing problem with FareFood, a newly-launched app-based startup that allows restaurants to order from multiple food distributors in one place. This helps streamline how suppliers and restaurants connect, making the ordering process easier and more affordable.Know FareFood Fights Food CostsEvery restaurant is different, Otis explained. But each restaurant owner can work with a handful or more of different suppliers which each have their own sales reps, invoicing systems, and processes

TouchBistro announced the launch of its Inventory Management and Labor Management solutions for restaurant operators, following its acquisition of restaurant management software, Peachworks.