If Your Menu is not Online, You are Losing Customers

Ordering food online is one of the fastest and simplest ways to have food delivered to your door or ready for carry-out. Most restaurants have changed their business models to include online ordering because it adds flexibility for meeting a customer’s needs and desires for their orders. While some businesses still operate without accepting online orders, it is clear that they are missing out on prospective customers who would be willing to try their establishment if it fit their schedules and lifestyles better.

A restaurant does not need to give up their standard in-house menu and ordering options. They also still need wait staff to handle the needs of walk-ins and customers who would rather not use an online program to send in an order. However, that does not preclude a business from adding variety to the way customers can be served. Posting a menu online and working with a developer to add online ordering makes it easier for the customer to choose how they want to be served. Giving choices to your customers means having a greater variety of customers doing business with you. Now, when a hungry soccer mom is in need of a quick way to get food for the team, all she needs to do is place an order from her smartphone while at the field, and it will be ready as soon as the game is over. With one click of a button a college student who is cramming for finals can place an order, which saves while still getting quality food, instead of a three-minute cup of noodles from the microwave.

Ordering online is beneficial for more than just stand-alone restaurants as well. Catering services can reach entire new audiences who would be happy to have their services, particularly if it was easier for them to find out what the menu items are. Whether the food is for an office party, a wedding reception or a high school graduation party, having the menu, pricing and availability online can expose any food catering business to fresh faces and a broader clientele. Providing that information online clearly gives prospective customers more choices. That variety will attract them to the business that best suits their needs. With the holidays coming up fast, there are going to be many office heroes who are looking for the best food in town to be delivered to their party. If they are turning to online services to meet those needs, then any catering business that is not online is missing out. A caterer who is available online can make any party planner look like the office hero when he or she hire you for their big holiday party.

Allowing customers to order online also gives your business new ways to tailor orders to the convenience of your customers. With online menus, pricing and ordering, you can allow customers to build an order that best suits their desires. Giving the customer a platform to customize and select options as they see fit can ensure that the food they receive meets their dietary needs, tastes and health specifications. Providing a better way to choose what gets delivered is one of the best ways to ensure your customers are completely satisfied. Having the order submitted by an online ordering system ensures the order is written exactly as the customer wanted, with no hiccups like being misheard over the phone, or not realizing they left an important item unsaid while in person.

If your business does not already have an ordering option online it is not too late to get started. While website design can be time-consuming and daunting, you should still find a way to implement a system in your restaurant. If you do not want to get the job done yourself, outsource the work to a company such as Orders 2 Me. This company provides a service that allows your customers to place orders on your website, Facebook page or mobile app. Then they process the payment and information for you. Then all that you need to do is prepare the food and have it ready for your customer to pick it up, or for you to deliver it. Businesses like Orders 2 Me offer other benefits as well. They can help you create a custom website or mobile app for your restaurant if you do not already have them. Often, they can also deal with Point-of-Sale integration. If you have not already looked into the benefits of going online, then do it now before this year’s holiday season passes you by.