Your business relies on WiFi – a mysterious, aroma that spreads throughout your establishment, connecting with customer’s smartphones, tablets and/or laptops, like a nose honing in on a particular fragrance – more powerful than the smell of roasted coffee, garlic or fried chicken.
But unlike aromas, WiFi is complex, frustrating and deterministic. It follows a very specific algorithm that was developed by the unlikeliest of technology inventors – Hedy Lamarr – an Austrian actress and Hollywood legend. Now the story behind why Hedy was motivated to patent this concept is another dish for another day. But it works. The algorithm is called Frequency Hopping, or nowadays Spread Spectrum. Think Whac-a-mole. When one particular frequency or channel is noisy, another channel is chosen. The goal of the algorithm is to maintain the highest level of Wireless Fidelity – or WiFi.
A WiFi radio transmits a piece of data – like a waiter calling out a food order to the chef in a noisy kitchen. When the waiter is close to the chef, the chef distinctly hears “one ribeye steak medium rare” but when the waiter is far away from the chef some of the data from the order disappears. Maybe its “One rib….rare” or “one eye…medium well”. Either way, it might not be tasty to the customer.
Restaurant and other retail locations introduce a variety of issues that tend to cause havoc with Hedy’s invention. These issues are Distance, Interference and Density or the DID Dilemma.
Distance, Distance, Distance
Wifi signals, like aromas – only travel so far before they are non detectable. A WiFi signal typically travels 200-400 feet from the access point before the signal weakens and melts away. At this point, the data packets resting on these radio waves drop off or disappear. Determining the outer edges of your Wifi is difficult. But knowing where it is, is vitally important because it will affect not only customers using the WiFi, but handheld POS devices collecting money and submitting orders.
There are ways to determine where your WiFi signal is strong and where it is not strong. You can hire a professional and have them do a Site Survey. Or you can download an app onto your Smartphone and do it yourself. We recommend NetSpot. By walking around your store location, NetSpot will create a Heat map of your WiFi signal strength overlaying your store footprint. A Heatmap is a great way to your WiFi coverage.
There are a few ways to solve the Distance issue. Either 1) place the WiFi access Point in the most central location in your store location, 2) use multiple wifi devices, or 3) use a concept called Mesh Repeating. Mesh Repeating uses additional WiFi units to extend the WiFi signal. These devices only power, they don’t have to be connected via an ethernet cable back to your switch or router. This makes it easier to place the Mesh units.
Too Many Radios in the Kitchen
Many devices in a typical restaurant emit radio waves. Your microwave for one, your Sonos system, your wireless phone system, even your dishwasher. In fact your restaurant is pretty much a spaghetti bowl of radio waves. When these waves hit each other, they typically cancel each other out. The radio waves will certainly lose power and your back to serving “Rare Ribs” or “Medium Eyes”
Now Hedy’s frequency hopping algorithm partially solves this issue by hopping to less noisy channels, but to minimize these issues, you should position your access point 10-15 feet away from these other radio transmitting devices.
Heat is also an issue. Like a delicate soufflé, your WiFi access point performs poorly in excessive heat. Keep it away from kitchen heat sources, heating vents, other equipment and direct sunlight.
You are my Density
Your WiFi serves up two distinct radio offerings – Private Dining (5 Ghz) and Main Dining (2.4 Ghz) . It’s not unlike a radio station that broadcasts on AM and FM band. The differences are the size of the waves.
AM radio waves are like ocean swells (100 meters between crests), FM radio waves resemble ripples in a lake (5 meters between crests), while WiFi’s GHz frequencies are the delicate ripples in a coffee cup (just 5-10 centimeters between peaks). This difference in size explains why WiFi signals can’t travel as far as radio broadcasts and why they’re more easily disrupted.
The 2.4 GHz service reaches throughout your entire restaurant including the patio and can push through some walls, but since it’s the most commonly used frequency (also used by microwaves, Bluetooth devices, and cordless phones), it will become crowded and slower during busy times.
The 5 GHz service is significantly faster with less congestion, but limited to guests seated closer to the the access point. It struggles with walls and distance, meaning your outdoor diners might see your restaurant’s WiFi name but they are only connected to the slower 2.4 GHz service.
This dual-service approach means dense obstacles affect each frequency differently. Metal and concrete walls effectively block both signals. Drywall and wood are more forgiving, allowing signals to pass through microscopic gaps, though they’ll emerge noticeably weaker – similar to how sound travels differently through various materials.
Turning the Daily Special into your Rockstar Offering
Just as a great restaurant balances quality ingredients, skilled preparation, and attentive service, a reliable WiFi setup requires strategic placement, interference management, and density considerations. Following the Rule of DID is like mastering your signature dish – it takes knowledge, practice, and occasional adjustments.
Remember, your WiFi isn’t just a technical amenity; it’s part of your restaurant’s ambiance. When customers post mouth-watering photos of your culinary masterpieces, tag your restaurant, and leave glowing reviews – all while connected to your seamless WiFi – they’re not just eating your food; they’re becoming your digital marketing team.
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