The Lion, Luddesdown
“I’m in awe of the support I’ve had. I send a message on Telegram and usually the answer comes back within a minute." Nicki Tilsed, Manager.
A freehouse country pub in the Kent village of Luddesdown, the Lion offers a warm welcome and cosy open fires in winter and comes into its own in the summer when its large garden, including a play area, attracts families and groups of friends, as well as walkers seeking refreshment after enjoying the countryside.
The Lion has been using Tabology’s pub EPOS system for more than two years. Manager Nicki Tilsed, who runs the pub with her husband Graham, says: “We were looking for an easy-to-use system to replace one that was over-complicated.”
The pub offers a menu of pub food classics, along with a very popular Sunday lunch, as well as drinks including regularly changing cask ales. “We’re making changes to products all the time, as well as price changes when needed, and it’s very straightforward. We can do it remotely, and even Graham can do it without any problems - which is amazing,” says Nicki.
Customers can order at the bar, with food orders sent via the EPOS to a printer in the kitchen, or staff take orders at the tables. “Staff pick up the system very quickly, and sometimes they even show me features I didn’t know about. For example, when you accidentally enter the wrong item on an order, I’ve always cleared the whole screen, but you can just swipe away the incorrect item. I didn’t know that until yesterday.”
The pub has a busy lunchtime trade right through the week, as well as weekends, and a regular group of local tradesmen and builders who meet after work for a pint or two.
The Tabology Membership feature helps to ensure that these regulars keep their bar tabs in order. “If one of them forgets to pay their bar bill one day, we’ll be able to remind them next they’re in, They’re customers that we see all the time, so it works very well.”
The Lion also serves a broader customer base through a number of car clubs that meet regularly in the car park, hosting local groups such as the Women’s Institute, and providing respite for the many walkers who visit the area.
At busy times, especially when good weather creates demand for the garden, the pub cannot always accommodate walk-in customers, and so booking is encouraged. Bookings by telephone are input straight into Tabology system, with the table plan function showing both current and future availability.
The system’s tab splitting function proves very useful for larger groups. “Walkers, in particular, often just want to pay their part of the bill and get going,” says Nicki. “It’s the easiest system I’ve ever come across for splitting payments.”
Tabology’s overall support is second-to-none, she adds. “I’m in awe of the support I’ve had. I send a message on Telegram and usually the answer comes back within a minute.”
Specific support is also very quick. “For example, one of our chefs is a little short-sighted, and we sent a message asking about changing the font size on the kitchen printer. It was sorted in a few minutes.”
To find out more about our pub EPOS and how it could work in your venue, get in touch with our team of hospitality experts, to arrange a demo or free trial.
