The Benefits of Custom Mobile App & Website Food Ordering
Today, online food ordering systems are proving more popular and beneficial than ever before. Most diners, in particular, millennials prefer technology over traditional methods to access restaurant services.
Online reservations, online take out, and online pick up are favored over picking up the phone. Also, it is becoming extremely important to meet there needs in order to stay competitive in the food industry. The establishments that lag in implementing online services put aside in favor of the restaurants that are technology ready.
You may be asking what exactly the key benefits are? Well, we have listed some of the major ones below.
Benefits of Custom Mobile App & WebsiteUltimate Convenience for Customers
People are busier than ever before. Therefore, customers are looking for ways to save time and energy expenditure in any way they can. Mainly because every second count convenience is king. You can make the process faster and more convenient when it comes to ordering, picking up food, and booking reservations. That is where you will see an increase in return customers with the gratification that their needs are being met.
Here are some Hard numbers to back up this statement:
- Yearly and average of 68 million food orders are made in Australia, which translates to 7,000 orders per hour.
- The same research reveals that food delivery technology makes up for 12% of the sales within the $44.1 billion cafes, restaurant, and takeaway food services industry.
- Research from finder.com.au has found Australians are spending an incredible $2.6 billion each year on food and drink delivery. This is done through companies such as Menu log, UberEATS, Deliveroo, and Foodora.
It shows us most diners, if they are given the option to order and pay through an online ordering system or mobile app, will do so. We can gauge if this is their preference, they will tend to choose restaurants that offer this option.
A platform to increase ordering volume
Being a restaurant owner or manager, you are constantly striving to do whatever you can to strengthen the bottom line. More orders mean you are making more money, so implementing any solution that can make that happen is essential.
Online food ordering systems whether through a custom mobile app or through a website give you the best platform to do just that. Tech-savvy customers of this day prefer ordering online and through devices will undoubtedly increase revenue in the short and long term picture.
Having an online presence will give diners the ability to make a quick keyword search and bring them straight to your door.
Avoid Paying 3rd Party Commissions
A large number of restaurants are partnering with food delivery services such as Uber Eats, Menu log, etc. Meanwhile, they allow restaurants to jump on the online food ordering bandwagon quickly there are some major drawbacks.
When you partner with a third party, you pay commissions on every sale made. And as your business becomes ever more popular, the more you end up paying. If you are just building your clientele, it may still be advantageous. But as you gain more exposure, it just inevitably cuts into your already tight margins.
Statistics show that 70% of customers prefer to order from the restaurant directly as opposed to using third-party services. Why not keep the money in your back pocket, and implement your own food ordering services directly into a custom mobile app or website. You can keep your customers happy at the same time.
The ease of Automation
Utilising an online food ordering system automates your usual ordering processes. It allows you to limit and eventually eliminate completely, all those distracting processes. Whether answering the phone, taking payment info, handling cash, giving you more time to focus on the customers and key areas of the business.
Automation brings with it other benefits, such as hiring staff to answer phones and do mundane tasks, efficiency increases, and waste decreases. It is because the customer becomes responsible for placing there own orders and bookings. There is less breakdown in communication from disruptions such as the loud volume of a busy restaurant, disputes are minimized, and satisfaction is guaranteed.
Marketing and promotional automation become another great benefit, as it allows you to set daily specials. Automated notifications for any promotions allowing the customers to easily engage with you.
Marketing opportunities
Here at Calibre Digital, we don’t just offer a website or custom mobile app design for your restaurant and food ordering. We absolutely provide you with marketing material to be able to implement into your promotional efforts. Moreover, we also have Social media and SEO services available to our clients.
Having an online presence makes you stand out to clients who’d otherwise never see an ad or hear about your business. As well as those who would probably never come knocking on your restaurant door.
Being accessible through a custom mobile app allows you a direct line of communication with past clients. The ability to incorporate loyalty or reward style programs, both an efficient, well-functioning website and a mobile app will be the most powerful tool in your marketing arsenal.
Visual Appeal
As the saying goes, we eat with our eyes before we eat with our mouths. This rings true when it comes to digital food ordering. It allows you to present customers with amazing visuals of your food and services. Creating an appeal and desire not recognised by reading a simple A4 menu at a restaurant.
So, enabling your customers to go online and see the entire menu and imagery when they’re hungry pushes them towards ordering more food that they wouldn’t normally order over the phone. Menu engineering and the attention you pay to write dish descriptions that sell is also a key component of being online.
