Dines Unlocks Pre-show Sales at Taste Of London
Dines delivered an industry-leading festival experience with cutting-edge tech, enabling seamless payments and a smart QR-based redemption system that kept queues moving and customers happy.
An Event of Unparalleled Taste
Taste of London, hosted by IMG, is a world-renowned food festival held in the heart of Regent's Park. Attracting food lovers from across the UK, it showcases over 20 of the hottest restaurants and offers exclusive dishes through a pre-sold redemption system. But for an event of this scale, managing payments and customer experience seamlessly is no small feat.
Taste of London had a challenge on its plate, and Dines was there to solve it.
Hear It from the Taste Of London Team directly
The Challenge: Keeping Payments Smooth Under Pressure
With tens of thousands of attendees, poor internet connectivity posed a significant threat. The stakes were high: the festival’s redemption system, where guests redeemed pre-sold dishes via QR codes, relied on fast and reliable processing. In previous years, slow transactions, long queues, and even failed redemptions threatened to sour the customer experience.
IMG also needed a way to capture detailed data about attendee behaviour—tracking how visitors moved around the festival and which restaurants attracted the most traffic.
Failure was not an option. A breakdown in the system would mean missed sales, frustrated attendees, and potentially tarnishing the festival’s reputation.
Will the Redemption System Fail? Will the internet hold up?
With limited internet options and growing attendee expectations, the Taste Of London team was anxious. They had never relied on a fully digital redemption system for pre-sold dishes before.
There was also a fear that backup 4g routers couldn't handle the sheer volume of attendees. Each year saw more people choosing card over cash, and the entire festival’s success depended on a seamless payment process.
The risk of failure loomed, with thousands of pre-sold dishes to redeem and payments to process quickly. They needed a reliable partner who could step up to these challenges.
Dines Steps In: The Perfect Solution for a High-Profile Event
Dines offered a game-changing solution. The system deployed by Dines allowed for fast, reliable QR code scanning and seamless redemption at all restaurant stands. Everything was digitally tracked which meant there was not reliance on paper vouchers.
Most importantly, Dines has industry-leading offline functionality built-in—enabling transactions to continue even in areas of poor connectivity.
This offline capability was a crucial lifeline. As thousands of festival-goers flooded the site, Dines ensured that every payment completed smoothly and every pre-sold dish was redeemed without a hitch. No queues. No frustration.
But Dines didn’t stop there. The team also provided robust on-site support and training, ensuring that the festival’s operations team was fully prepared to use the system to its full potential.
Key Solutions Delivered
All-in-One System
Offline Payment Processing
Real-Time Data Reporting
Seamless QR Code Redemption
On-Site and Remote Support
Dines managed everything from payments to dish redemptions in one central system, simplifying operations for IMG.
Even in areas with no connectivity, payments continued without interruption. This ensured there were no lost sales, keeping lines moving smoothly.
Dines provided real-time visibility into sales and redemptions, enabling IMG to make data-driven decisions during the event.
Attendees used QR codes to redeem pre-sold dishes, processed instantly at the till points.
Dines provided comprehensive on-site support with additional remote help, ensuring a smooth experience throughout.
Preparing for Success: Training IMG for Smooth Operations
Before the festival, Dines worked closely with IMG’s team, offering webinars and training sessions to make sure everyone was familiar with the system. Dines didn’t just deliver technology—they became a part of the festival’s operational team, ready to provide hands-on assistance as needed.
This proactive approach gave IMG the confidence they needed. No matter the complexity of the event, Dines was there to help every step of the way.
Showtime: Dines Delivers When It Matters Most
As the gates opened and crowds surged into Regent's Park, Dines’ system handled every transaction flawlessly. QR code scanning was instant, and payments processed without delay—even as the internet fluctuated. The system managed thousands of transactions without a single issue.
IMG was impressed not only by the reliability of the system but by the real-time insights Dines provided. IMG could see which restaurants had the longest queues and where customer flow was most concentrated, giving them invaluable data for future events.
With this data in hand, IMG could map out how to optimise the layout for future years, preventing bottlenecks and improving the overall customer experience.
Financial Transparency: Simplifying Complex Reconciliation
Post-event, Dines provided IMG with full financial reconciliation. Every transaction was accounted for, and restaurant reimbursements were completed within a week. This level of efficiency allowed IMG to focus on planning for the next event rather than getting bogged down in the details.
Dines’ system also made handling corporate packages, vouchers, and promotional offers seamless, ensuring that the added complexity didn’t slow down service or lead to errors.
Conclusion: A Festival Experience Without Compromise
With Dines’ system in place, Taste of London experienced zero payment failures, faster processing, and deeper operational insights than ever before. By ensuring seamless payments and delivering real-time data, Dines helped IMG create a smooth, stress-free experience for both attendees and restaurants. If you’re ready to elevate your festival’s operations, request a demo today.