Keep Up With Customer Demand and Streamline Your Restaurant
Not all restaurants are built for takeout and delivery, but many had to adapt on the fly to evolving customer demand. In today’s increasingly digital world, 69% of the average restaurant’s sales are generated either by online or phone orders. The demand for online ordering isn’t going anywhere, so to remain competitive, restaurants must ensure they have a restaurant online ordering system and are following best practices. Whether you are already offering online ordering or thinking about implementing it, follow these tips to keep your foodservice operations streamlined, optimized, and profitable.
1. Optimize Your Workflow
When adding any new aspect to your business, it’s essential to consider its impact on your workflow. For example, online ordering can create an influx of takeout orders that your restaurant isn’t accustomed to, so you must have a plan in place to handle these orders.
When a customer orders online, they are looking for convenience. There’s nothing worse than a backlog of customers standing in line waiting for their food because a restaurant hasn’t optimized its layout. Some restaurants have found success by setting up a dedicated area out of the way from regular foot traffic for delivery drivers or customers to pick up their pre-paid orders. Or, if your restaurant sees enough online orders, it might be time to create a new position strictly for packaging food.
Additionally, your staff should be prepared to handle any incoming online order, from food preparation to pick up or delivery. The best online ordering system for restaurants is intuitive, easy to use, and integrates seamlessly with your restaurant’s point of sale (POS). This will ensure your staff is up to speed quickly to handle online orders confidently.
2. Adjust Your Menu
When your customers are eating off-premises, offering a menu tailored to that dining experience is essential. Your restaurant should simplify its online menu with items that will travel well and attract customers. By creating a curated menu for your restaurant online ordering system, you can help keep food costs and waste down to maximize profit.
Additionally, by limiting the menu, your kitchen staff won’t get overwhelmed preparing multiple recipes at once, allowing them to execute each order quickly and efficiently. This will keep your kitchen optimized so that customers get their food faster, creating a better experience.
3. Revisit Your Packaging
Dine-in food orders are all about presentation and a positive customer experience, but the packaging is the star with online food orders. If your containers leak or don’t keep food warm, your customers may think twice about ordering from you again. Also, proper food packaging can increase sales and customer loyalty, with 84% agreeing or strongly agreeing that food packaging is an important consideration when ordering food to-go or for delivery. On the other hand, if you aren’t mindful of your packaging, customers might not order from your restaurant again. For example, does your customer need utensils, napkins, or condiments to enjoy their meal? If your restaurant fails to think through each order, you can hurt the customer experience.
Proper restaurant food packaging helps enhance the customer experience by keeping food warm, intact, and ready to eat from your kitchen to your diner’s door. However, it does more than boost your food’s appeal. Packaging can also keep customers safe by reducing cross-contamination of bacteria through tamper-proof containers.
4. Make Online Ordering Easy
Customers want convenience when it comes to online ordering. So it’s critical for restaurants to think through each step of the ordering process to ensure it’s smooth. Consider these steps when implementing your restaurant online ordering system:
- Order now button
- Easy to read menu descriptions
- High-quality food images
- Simple, quick ordering and payment processing
Another way to ensure a top-notch customer ordering experience is by adding prompts throughout the process. A system like Paradise POS will allow merchants to suggest best-selling products and provide customers with the option to reorder their favorite items rapidly. Plus, your restaurant can quickly increase its average ticket amount.
Invest in the Best Online Ordering System for Restaurants
A restaurant online ordering system has gone from optional to a necessity, with online ordering becoming a leading revenue producer in many restaurants’ bottom lines. However, it’s equally important to optimize your operations and follow best practices with your online ordering system to deliver a convenient experience. Happy customers lead to an increase in loyalty and repeat business.
If you’re considering switching your online ordering system, it’s important to note that not all online ordering systems are made the same, with some solutions costing anywhere from 25 – 40% commission. With Paradise POS, we’ll put your restaurant online for a monthly flat rate. Invest in the best online ordering system for restaurants. Contact us today!