Aid Olivares Vicencio is a professional chef, holds a degree in Gastronomy, and a master’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. After a distinguished international career in Mexico, Miami, Monaco, Ireland, and Barcelona, he decided to start his own business in Mérida, Yucatán, with his restaurant Teenek Cocina Mexicana. His culinary concept combines traditional Huasteca cuisine with Mayan influences, preserving flavors and techniques from his Veracruz roots.

How long have you been using Loyverse? Was there any period when you recorded sales without using any system?

Yes. In fact, we had about a week and a half of testing while our internet service was being installed and while we were getting the equipment needed to register purchases and other transactions. We tried other terminals and point-of-sale systems, but they were somewhat complicated. Honestly, using Loyverse has been much easier for me because it is simple and easy for the work team to use. Most importantly, it contains everything necessary for the accounting team that handles my administrative process to have the information required to complete all the records. 

The reporting and sales registration functions were the main reasons I chose Loyverse from the beginning. It is very easy to download what my accountant needs to maintain administrative control and submit reports to the institutions that require this information.

When you started using the free version, was there a moment when you only used that version, or did you know from the beginning that you would need the trial period and the ability to export reports?

At first, I used the free version, but as my accountant began requesting all those records, I took advantage of the trial period they offer, found it very useful, and I have continued paying for the paid version ever since.

Was there any specific need that led you to implement a new system?

We implemented Loyverse because it was simple, and it was also recommended to us. My sister-in-law owns a restaurant and recommended Loyverse because she has been using it for three years and it has worked very well for her. The first point-of-sale option we considered required very specific software and specific equipment. In contrast, Loyverse is much more versatile: you can use a mobile phone, any type of tablet, or a laptop. Loyverse gave us greater ease and freedom to use different devices.

Was there any feature that particularly surprised you?

Yes, the charts and the accuracy of the system for tracking business performance. It breaks down the information by day, week, month, and year, which allows us to maintain control, identify the break-even point, see the months with lower sales, and identify the months with better sales. I found that feature very functional.

Was there any feature that was especially easy or useful from the beginning?

Yes, the order ticket section: entering buttons and sub-buttons. For example, selecting “enchiladas” and then adding options such as “with cecina,” “without cecina,” “with cheese,” or “without cheese.” The modifiers are very easy to add and are extremely useful when preparing an order ticket.

In the daily use of the system, which features do you use most frequently?

I use the daily sales section and the charts that help me estimate sales based on previous weeks. I also frequently review the best-selling products, identify which dishes have generated the highest sales, determine which dishes are our signature dishes, and identify which dishes may need adjustments to improve the service.

If you had to show Loyverse to another entrepreneur in your industry, which feature would you demonstrate first?

I would start with the features for identifying signature dishes, the sales charts, and the sales reports. I would also show the order-taking process, which is very simple, and the option of using a kitchen display screen to avoid working with paper tickets.

Which information do you review most frequently in the reports to make business decisions? 

I frequently use the sales-by-item report and the sales summary report. 

Can you remember an important decision you made thanks to Loyverse data or reports?

Yes, recently, at the beginning of this month, we made an important decision. We used to operate from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., but after reviewing the statistics in Back Office, we realized that evening sales represented only 10% of our total sales. Breakfast and lunch were the services that truly sustained the business and covered the salaries of the evening staff. Therefore, we decided to stop offering dinner service because it was not profitable to maintain payroll and fixed costs for such a low volume of evening sales.

Since making that change, our business has improved significantly because we eliminated that expense and focused on the hours with the strongest sales. We made that decision thanks to the sales statistics we were able to obtain from Back Office.

Regarding the growth of the business, can you identify something that Loyverse allows you to do today that was previously difficult or impossible?

Now I can leave the business and still keep track of everything. That is very helpful because, if I am at home or visiting family, I can simply check Back Office or use Dashboard to see the day’s sales and monitor how the business is performing. We also have better overall administration, and the order ticket process is much faster and clearer when preparing orders.

Is there any feature that you value the most or consider the most important within the system?

Definitely the entire Back Office section. All that data and the ability to break down or extract information, whether it is a ticket report, the best-selling dishes, or the ingredients you use, are extremely helpful for maintaining good administration and continuously improving the business.

Would you give any advice to another entrepreneur who still manages sales or inventory manually?

My advice is to try Loyverse, because if they truly want to continue building their business, grow, and make progress, it is a very useful tool that can improve both their professional and personal life by simplifying many tasks.

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