We’re currently in the digital age, where everything is just a few clicks away. Whether you want to order some groceries, clothes, or your favorite flowers, everything can be done with the ease of your smartphone. One of the most popular segments for online ordering is in the food industry, with restaurant online ordering software and delivery service options.
The rise of the internet and mobile phone applications has given birth to many food delivery apps. Most people looking to order food will simply browse a food delivery app, pick a restaurant, and place their order.
But most restaurants also have their own in-house online ordering systems. These might be on their website or through mobile applications of their own. In-house online ordering systems are particularly useful because they allow the restaurant to have full control over the checkout process and avoid annoying delivery app fees.
Nonetheless, third-party delivery apps open restaurants up to many new potential customers. So, no matter what type of restaurant online ordering system you use – you are opening yourself up to many benefits.
Here are the seven main benefits you can expect to receive after taking online orders for your restaurant.
1. Better Overall Ordering Experience
One of the most significant benefits of an online ordering system is that it significantly improves the overall ordering experience for customers.
Previously, to place an order with a restaurant, the customers would have to call in and relay their order. Then an employee would have to manually take down that order and pass it forward to the kitchen. So, it’s clear that there is potential room for many errors in the whole process.
The entire process isn’t efficient either. When calling in orders, the customer doesn’t have all the information about the menu. Hence, they will need the employee to relay everything manually. It is a very time-consuming process that can cause unnecessary trouble.
An online ordering system is much more efficient than calling in and can provide customers with the entire menu to browse at their leisure. They can also comfortably view any deals and potential add-ons that they can choose between.
Instead of calling and placing the order every time, customers can access the online ordering platform and place their order in a few clicks.
When you have an in-house online ordering system, you can also comfortably make changes to the menu at any time. The process is trickier and more time-consuming when you’re on a third-party long delivery app.
(Source: Manna Kitchen CAKE Online Ordering website)
2. Streamlined Kitchen Operations
Another significant benefit of an online ordering system is that it helps streamline the entire kitchen. Instead of relying on an employee to take the orders and then relay them to the staff, an online ordering system will feature an effective kitchen display system (KDS) that displays all pending orders.
It also means that restaurants can dedicate more staff to the essential steps like preparing the food and packaging everything. In addition, by employing an effective online ordering system, you can consistently provide your customers with their meals on time.
There can be room for error when using third-party delivery apps, as it adds a middleman. But when you use a restaurant online ordering system, the room for error is significantly minimized.
3. Cut Out Mistakes
When the restaurant is operating in a rush, the potential for mistakes increases exponentially. When you’re struggling with customers in your restaurant, the hassle of manually taking down orders from customers on the phone in a busy restaurant increases. So, the chances are high that you’ll miss something.
Suppose you make a mistake noting down the order on the phone. You waste time and resources taken to complete that order and deliver it. It also means that you will have an unsatisfied customer, and no restaurant wants unhappy customers. Employing a restaurant online ordering system significantly reduces the potential for mistakes inside the kitchen.
It also gives more liberty to the customers while ordering. They can choose whatever add-ons they require. The most effective online ordering system will provide customers with the option to relay special instructions.
4. Effective Marketing Tool
While most restaurants are starting to catch onto the digital marketing trend, it’s a space that many eateries still ignore. However, by creating a website that provides access to your restaurant’s online ordering software, you’re doing high-quality marketing for your restaurant.
It is a way to provide customers with information on your restaurant 24/7! You can even up the impact by starting a loyalty program through the website.
Online ordering systems are an effective marketing tool because restaurateurs can further build connections with their customers. Many systems ask for emails and offer loyalty sign-ups, keeping the customers engaged and making them feel important.
To maximize the potential of your website, you’re going to require a basic understanding of SEO or even hire a specialist to manage the platform. However, once you maximize the visibility of your website, it’ll start generating plenty of leads.
While traditional marketing would cost significant amounts of money to generate substantial leads, digital marketing can achieve the same at a fraction of the cost. All you need to start digital marketing is a website and social media platforms.
5. Better Data Collection and Analysis
Before the advent of online ordering software, data collection, and analysis were just something the biggest restaurant chains in the world could perform. However, thanks to restaurant online ordering systems, businesses can get access to a wide variety of data relatively quickly.
They can get order information on the best items, what deals are working the best, their top customers, and much more. The potential for data collection is endless. Restaurants can then use the data to maximize their sales and create a more effective menu.
It also allows them to assess what particular food is doing well with age groups and effectively target their customers. An online ordering system will give small restaurants access to info that’ll greatly benefit them!
6. Increase Overall Revenue
Research from the restaurant industry indicates that online orders tend to be 20% larger than the standard order. That may be due to the more convenient ordering process and the fact that customers have better access to the menu.
As customers find more time to navigate through the menu, they are likely to spend more money seeing items they enjoy. They might be tempted to order a promotion along with their standard order to try something. The bottom line is that an online ordering system can help increase overall revenue.
This is when having an in-house online ordering system can be particularly effective. Third-party delivery apps can charge a hefty fee of 15% to 35% per order. In-house restaurant online ordering systems can decrease revenue by a considerable amount. To compensate for this, most restaurants on delivery apps actually increase their prices, which can, in turn, deter customers from placing an order.
With an in-house online ordering system, you can avoid these fees altogether. This means you can charge lower prices for menu items, encouraging more customers to place orders.
Discover the latest online ordering statistics and witness its booming success in the restaurant industry.
7. Diversification
A key to maximizing your business and growing effectively is taking advantage of different revenue streams. Restaurants that don’t employ an online ordering system completely miss it on a major revenue niche. While delivery services may come with extra fees, it’s a worthwhile investment because many customers still rely on them.
For example, if a restaurant doesn’t offer online ordering and dine-in services are temporarily suspended, the restaurant will lose revenue. By ensuring that they offer online ordering services, the restaurant can diversify their revenue streams and ensure they can operate under any circumstances.
A key aspect of diversification can also be taking advantage of both an in-house online ordering system and third-party delivery apps. This way, you benefit from gaining access to the consumers of third-party delivery apps, but you also have an online ordering system of your own that you can control.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are several benefits of a restaurant online ordering system – whether it is with a third-party delivery app or an in-house one. Regardless of size and type, restaurants can take advantage of these benefits.
An online ordering system is a great way to increase your customer base and revenue. It is also an incredibly efficient and convenient way of placing and receiving an order. As evident, having an in-house online ordering system can be slightly more advantageous, but it does come at the cost of setting up your website and online ordering system.
Experience the convenience of CAKE’s user-friendly restaurant online ordering software, designed to streamline your operations. Our integrated online ordering is commission-free and includes curbside pickup. Real-time feedback from our customers showed a consistent increase in takeout revenue, with an average tab that’s 30% higher than traditional call-in orders.
Discover how incorporating CAKE’s online ordering system can enhance your profitability and decrease your overall spending when using our savings calculator below.
