Why choose a WordPress Website?

WordPress is widely regarded as one of the best content management systems (CMS) in today’s market. Many popular and large-scale websites use this platform and most web hosting companies offer specialized plans for WordPress, like Pressable, which we will talk about later.

Thanks to the flexibility of WordPress, there are many ways to speed up a WordPress website and deliver great customer service using performance plugins, or plugins focused on eCommerce, such as WooCommerce.

How does it integrate with NorthStar Services?

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Diagram of website components interaction.

In general, WordPress websites are hosted in Pressable and use several WooCommerce plugins to establish the connection to the Web Ordering API (WOAPI) in order to get products, payment settings, etc.

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Diagram of the whole Online Ordering environment.

Apart from the WOAPI, the "Online Ordering" environment has more components and technologies that can be seen in the previous diagram. Reference: https://cbsnorthstar.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/DEVKB/pages/1534722051

Plugins

But what really NorthStar develops, are the different plugins that are capable of doing ordering and payment operations, and of course, provide a good user experience via responsive and custom frontends.

So for this, it is important to know the main plugins that are under constant development.

Theme Plugins

For the front end, these are the main developed plugins.

Online Ordering (OLO)

This is the main plugin, that provides a structure from the parent plugin that is “My Restaurant“, Using this theme allows you to provide an experience and workflow focused on Online Ordering and QR Ordering (both explained later in the content).

Kiosk Ordering

This completely original plugin provides a front capable of delivering kiosk ordering operations (explained later in the content).

Payment Plugins

Each payment plugin is customed to interact efficiently according to the NorthStar services.

Beyond Pay

Beyond Pay for WooCommerce supports recurring payments for the official WooCommerce subscription extension. Reference: https://www.getbeyond.com/payment-gateway/

Authorize.NET

Provides one of the most advanced integrations for WooCommerce while providing the security and reliability that come with using Authorize.NET for payment processing. Reference: Payment processing: Accept payments anywhere | Authorize.net

Clover Payment

Allows a merchant using a WooCommerce site to securely collect card information from buyers and process the payment using their Clover merchant account. Reference: POS System & Credit Card Readers | Clover

Ordering Plugins

NorthStar Online Ordering

The plugin automatically adds the required pages to the website and allows pulling products and executing ordering operations from the NorthStar services using the WOAPI.

How do these plugins interact?

What do end products does NorthStar deliver?

Online Ordering

This type of WooCommerce website makes the ordering process easier for customers and streamline restaurant operations. Having an online ordering system can make day-to-day operations more efficient for a restaurant.

On the other hand, when a customer places an order online, they take their time to browse the menu and get familiar with add-on deals and offers that your restaurant must be offering. These websites are focused on Deliver or Pick-Up orders.

Kiosk

This type of WooCommerce website is proven to reduce wait times because it puts guests in control of their dining experience and frees up staff to handle other duties. These websites are focused on on-site ordering.

These are the principal features that come with integrating a kiosk environment.

• Convenient & Contactless. Guests can place orders independently and customize their meals to their heart's content.

• Fully-Integrated. Orders are sent directly from self-service kiosks to the line.

• Efficient. Reduce wait times, improve staff productivity, and increase check sizes.

QR Ordering

This type of WooCommerce website is similar to “Online Ordering (OLO)“, but in this case, it integrates a QR menu/location as part of the principal workflow, because QR codes for restaurants have become increasingly popular. Customers can quickly see the menu by scanning the 2D barcode with their cameras.

Glossary