How Restaurants Are Leveraging Online Ordering Strategies to Increase Profits

Article contributed by Zayn King-Dollie, Product Officer, Ordrslip

The restaurant industry’s path to recovery means adapting to new customer preferences — specifically, the rise and embrace of takeout ordering. Restaurants are projected to take in nearly $900B in profits this year, according to the National Restaurant Association. A significant amount of this will be attributed to takeout, which of course has only increased in popularity in the last three years.

With takeout orders increasing, many of these to-go orders are coming in from an online source. Online ordering has grown 300% faster than dine-in since 2014 and makes up about 40% of total restaurant sales. To make the most of this trend, restaurants need to think about how they’re fitting online ordering into their operations. The ability to order online is also especially important to the growing number of younger customers. Establishments that offer online ordering have shown a rise in their takeout profits by 30%, compared to those who stick to traditional ordering methods, and it’s certainly not going anywhere anytime soon. These numbers all point toward online ordering being a long-term trend, not a passing pandemic-era fad.

With that said, let’s explore the ways restaurants can take full advantage of online/mobile ordering to maximize their earning potential.

Own Your Online Ordering With a Native Mobile App

While many customers use third-party ordering for delivery, they turn directly to restaurants for pickup. Restaurants that have their own mobile apps, rather than relying on phone calls or their website, are able to provide options to customers who want to order food their preferred way, ultimately increasing their potential online profits.

• Customers order more frequently with an app. According to Incentivio, customers order up to 40% more frequently each month when they use a restaurant’s mobile app vs. their website. Apps are easier to access from anywhere for the vast majority of customers, which translates into more regulars and more sales.

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• Push notifications make for easy marketing. With their own app, restaurants don’t have to use web advertising to reach current customers. It costs nothing to send push notifications to get customers’ attention, let them know about new items or deals, and make them think about ordering takeout for their next meal.

• Loyalty programs bring customers back and lead them to spend more. Restaurants can create more regulars by using loyalty programs within their apps. Regular discounts on entire orders make it easier for customers to order more often. It can also help upsell items: customers are more inclined to order appetizers and desserts, for example, if there’s a loyalty discount attached.

Incorporate Order Pickup into Your Restaurant Space

Many restaurants are reconfiguring their physical spaces and service to accommodate takeout orders. Depending on the size of a restaurant’s building and its ability to invest in small or large changes, there are a number of ways to create a layout that accommodates both takeout and dine-in.

• Curbside pickup. Restaurants that don’t already offer curbside pickup — popular with the busy takeout customer — should consider reserving some parking spots for it. It’s a great option to offer if an establishment’s takeout orders are typically on the larger side, they have the staff to manage it, and if their online ordering service allows customers to check in (rather than call).

• Designated pickup counter. Plenty of customers are happy to come inside to pick up their takeout — operators just have to create a strategic way to quickly bring out their food while maintaining the dine-in environment for sit-down customers. A pickup counter at the entrance is relatively simple to set up, and allows staff to easily monitor and provide service as to-go customers come in without interfering with the dine-in customers’ experience.

• Self-serve pickup shelves/lockers. For restaurants that serve a lot of takeout and want to minimize the number of staff handling these orders, self-serve pickup options are the way to go. They can save costs by simply using shelves and leaving orders there for the customer to come grab when they are ready. For those who want to invest in a more secure and tech-savvy pickup experience, lockers with a code pushed to the customer through the mobile app allow customers to grab their food without even engaging with staff.

Online Ordering is Helping Restaurants Stay Relevant to Customers

The restaurant industry has faced an onslaught of problems the past few years — indoor dining closures, staff and food shortages, inflation and more. All of these problems have accelerated the drive to digital ordering for takeout. Not only do more and more customers want easy takeout options, these solutions help restaurants recover from pandemic shutdowns and increase their overall profits. Restaurants that invested into their online/mobile ordering systems are not only performing better right now, they are positioning themselves for the future, no matter what comes next.