The Old Guinea provides a completely unique dining experience, combining genuine Italian cuisine with breathtaking views of rural Hertfordshire. The Old Guinea dates back to 1826 and is located in Ridge, between Shenley and Potters Bar and is a blend of tradition and modernity.
With excellent views of the Hertfordshire countryside and a loyal customer base, The Old Guinea wanted a modern, reliable, and fully integrated EPOS solution that matched the pace and quality of its service.
Business Challenges
Before updating their Epos system with Gardiff, The Old Guinea team faced several issues that affected both pace of service and guest experience:
- Ordering and service delays, caused by reliance on fixed Epos terminals rather than mobile ordering devices.
- Kitchen coordination difficulties, due to multiple preparation stations needing to work in harmony.
- Manual guest management, limiting staff’s ability to recognise returning guests or personalise service.
- Inconsistent communication between front-of-house and kitchen, especially during busy times and for product modifications.
The business wanted to modernise, speed up service, and create a more joined-up experience for both the team and the guest.
The Solution
Gardiff EPOS implemented a modern, integrated system designed specifically to improve order management, kitchen visibility, payment speed, and guest experience.
iPad Table Ordering
Staff now use iPads to take orders directly at the table, with every item sent instantly to the kitchen or bar. This provides:
- Faster ordering and reduced waiting time
- Improved accuracy
- Less staff movement across the floor
- Immediate routing of dishes to the correct kitchen stations
Integrated Card Payment Terminals
Payment is now handled directly at the table using terminals connected to the iPads. The system supports:
- Paying the bill at the table
- Splitting bills by item or by equal share
- Faster close-out during busy times
This upgrade has increased table turnaround and improved convenience for guests.
Kitchen Display System (KDS) Across Multiple Stations
A multi-screen KDS was installed throughout the kitchen to support the restaurant’s diverse production areas. This includes:
- A master display at the pass
- Dedicated screens for pizza, pasta, salad, and dessert stations
The system performs critical roles such as:
- Automatically organising items by station
- Assigning product and course timers to synchronise dishes
- Helping chefs ensure all plates reach the pass together, and perfectly cooked
Digital Course Management & Kitchen Messaging
The new EPOS dramatically improved the ability to manage and pace courses by:
- Automatically sorting dishes by course, ensuring starters, mains, desserts and sides are routed correctly
- Allowing staff to instantly adjust the course of any dish, ideal if customers change pace
- Enabling custom digital messages to the kitchen, such as special cooking notes, timing requests, or allergy alerts
This removes handwritten notes, manual conversations, or missed communication, and ensures that service is clean, unified, and fully traceable.
Front-of-House Pickup Screens
Pickup screens accessible via iPads or a dedicated display at the pass show staff exactly when dishes are ready. This means:
- Each table is served in full and on time
- No plate is left waiting
- Guests enjoy a smooth, coordinated experience
Integration with SevenRooms (Optional Feature)
The new Gardiff system includes seamless integration with SevenRooms, a leading hospitality CRM and reservation platform. When enabled it allows:
- Deposits to flow directly into the EPOS, removing manual admin
- Guest dining history and preferences to feed back into SevenRooms, supporting loyalty and repeat business
- Staff to instantly see return visitors and add a personal touch, such as acknowledging previous orders or remembering special occasions
This creates a joined-up journey from booking to dining and beyond.
The Results
Impact & Results
Since installing the new EPOS system, The Old Guinea has achieved measurable improvements:
Faster Service & Higher Table Turnover
Ordering and payment are now handled at the table, significantly reducing service bottlenecks and allowing staff to move between tables more efficiently.
Smoother Kitchen Workflow
Dedicated KDS screens provide clarity, reduce confusion, and help each station focus only on the dishes relevant to them.
Courses Delivered in Perfect Sync
Timers and automatic course handling ensure dishes across multiple kitchen stations arrive together — enhancing both food quality and customer experience.
Better Staff Efficiency
Front-of-house and kitchen teams spend less time on communication and admin, and more time serving guests and preparing high-quality food.
Improved Guest Relationship Management
With SevenRooms integration, The Old Guinea can identify returning guests and deliver a more tailored dining experience — supporting long-term customer loyalty.
Reduced Errors & Increased Accuracy
Digital messaging and iPad ordering have minimised miscommunication, ensuring orders are taken and delivered exactly as intended.
Why Gardiff EPOS Was the Right Partner
- Hospitality-focused system built for busy service environments
- Fully integrated ordering, payments, and kitchen workflow
- Support for CRM platforms like SevenRooms
- Scalable solution for multi-station kitchens
- Ongoing training and support for the team
Interested in upgrading your Restaurant EPOS System?
Contact us today at hello@gardiff.com or 0203 846 5564 for more information on our tailored Restaurant EPOS solutions
