Ristorante Luce: An Italian experience in Switzerland
When you enter Ristorante Luce in Bern, you feel like you're in Italy. The family-run restaurant has been in business for 29 years and offers its guests an authentic Italian experience. The restaurant specializes in the cuisine of the Emilia-Romagna region, which is known for its rich and aromatic dishes.
The history of Ristorante Luce and its owner Stevo Nilovic is characterized by a long passion for gastronomy. Stevo began his career in the hotel industry, his first contact with gastronomy was at the Hotel Freienhof, where he actually only wanted to work as a temporary employee. But he liked it so much that he decided to stay in the industry. His love of Italian cuisine began while working as a manager at Molino Thurm. On a trip to Italy with the company's general manager, Stevo discovered his passion for the country and its cuisine.
After five years at Molino Thurm, Stevo opened his first restaurant, Il Grissino, which specialized in good Italian pizzas. During his travels, he discovered the Emilia-Romagna region and fell in love with Romagna cuisine. When the Metropol restaurant near the Grissino closed in 1998, Stevo took over the building and opened Ristorante Luce in 1999.
Since then, Ristorante Luce has become an important part of Bern's gastronomy scene. Right next door is the Ristorante Galleria Luce, which is also run by Stevo and Nilo Nilovic and their family. Both restaurants offer the same cuisine, but differ in their atmosphere. The Galleria Luce is modern with a touch of nostalgia, while the classic Luce is designed in the Romagna style.
Stevo attaches great importance to the small details in order to offer its guests an authentic Italian experience. In 2022, Ristorante Luce switched to a new cash register system from Vendomat, which simplifies the ordering and billing process and saves time.
After a year, we want to find out from them how the cash register has changed its processes. We interview Stevo Nilovic and Nicola Nilovic (Stevo's son).
In conversation with Stevo and Nicola Nilovic
Question: How has the new Vendomat POS system changed your processes?
Answer from Stevo: At the beginning we had difficulties getting used to it. But after we made a few adjustments, everything worked perfectly. We have a piadina stand, a cold kitchen, a hot kitchen and a pizzeria. The new system makes our work easier as we no longer have to think about which kitchen the dish comes from. We simply enter the order, the system automatically assign s it and informs the other production points. This saves time and frees the kitchen from time-consuming communication.
Answer from Nicola: The system is very easy to use for new employees. They "only" need to know the menu and there is no long training period. At the beginning it was difficult for employees who had known the old system for 20 years, but now they are also very quick with the new cash register.
Question: What else is special about the new Vendomat POS system?
Answer from Stevo: My employees enjoy working with the tablet and it pushes them even more. The fact that I can see the sales figures in real time on my smartphone, whether I'm on the road or in the store, is also a big advantage. The system also automatically closes the daily and monthly accounts, which is a great luxury for us.
Question: How has the new checkout system affected the statistics?
Answer from Nicola: With the new system, we can see which dishes are doing well and which are not. We can also see which dishes we should offer more often. That wasn't possible with the old system.
Question: How has the new POS system changed the ordering processes?
Answer from Stevo: The waiter can now quickly hand over tables when changing service, or reopen and rebook tables that have already been closed. This saves time and reduces stress for the service staff. After Corona, guest behavior has changed completely, especially when it comes to the payment process. With the requirement to be able to pay immediately, to create an invoice for the number of guests per table or to divide the bottle of wine by the number of guests at the table. This has given our service staff elegant and easy-to-use support.
Question: Would you recommend this system to other restaurants?
Answer from Stevo: Absolutely. It was a stroke of luck that we opted for this system. In Vendomat, we have found a partner with whom we can work closely.
Finally, we would like to thank the whole Nilovic family and of course the entire Luce restaurant. If you are looking for an authentic Italian experience in Switzerland, then you should definitely not miss Restaurant Luce. Not only will you be spoiled with delicious dishes, but you will also be welcomed by a warm team in a unique atmosphere.
