Around a decade ago, several market-leading restaurants began experimenting with the idea of allowing customers to order online via their websites. Since then, the trend has exploded and, today, ordering via the web is commonplace.
But why is website ordering so practical for customers? How does it help them? Let’s find out.
Customers Want Quick Food
Some highly organized customers order their food in the morning, scheduling a delivery slot in the evening. However, these are rare. Most will simply order when they are hungry.
As such, the majority of your customers want food quickly. They don’t want to wait around, stomachs rumbling in anticipation.
Many see website ordering as a way to get their food faster. Instead of calling up and explaining themselves over the phone (or going to the restaurant and ordering in person), all they need to do is click a few buttons and pay. Generally, if they know what they want, it is much faster.
Some People Like to Avoid Face-to-Face Interactions
There’s also the fact that many people prefer to avoid face-to-face interactions. They don’t like going to a restaurant and telling a staff member what they want. They would much rather do it impersonally online.
For instance, take a customer who is going through a relationship breakup. This person might be in the mood for some delicious food to cheer them up, but they may not want to talk to anyone in person. Allowing them to order online lets you capture their business more easily.
Easy Bulk Ordering for Multiple People
Bulk ordering for multiple people can be an ordeal if you try to do it in person. Customers have to give specific verbal instructions, and there may be issues in translation.
However, when they order online, they can see their order presented clearly and intuitively. Adding or subtracting items to an order is as simple as tapping the “+” or “-” buttons. They can continue adding until they have something for everyone in their party.
Website ordering is also much easier for waiters and kitchen staff too. Instead of having to double and triple-check orders, chefs can simply prepare food as per the instructions from the website. Again, it eliminates the difficulty of having a separate ticket for each meal.
Easy Menu Selection
Lastly, website ordering makes it easy for customers to filter menus and find nutritional information. Each menu item can list the total calories, fat, sugars, ingredients – and anything else you deem worthy.
Today, customers expect restaurants to provide options for a range of nutritional needs. Gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan are the most common, but there are others.
Website ordering filters could include things like “no meat,” “no dairy,” “no wheat,” “no soy” and so on. In fact, you could incorporate any number of filters to meet the dietary and allergy needs of your customers.
In summary, website ordering makes your restaurant more practical. It offers multiple benefits to diners – some obvious, and some more subtle.