The pandemic has increased the need for measures of social distancing in all forms of life, especially the restaurant industry. Now, more than ever, restaurants are under pressure to provide customers with safe and reliable methods to order their meals. If you haven’t switched to online ordering for your restaurant, now is the time to act.
With today’s demanding and rapidly changing market, it is important to stay ahead of the competition, establishing yourself as a modern and innovative business. With online ordering, you can showcase your deals and promos over the internet, reaching a wider customer base. Another benefit of online ordering is the ease and convenience it affords you and your customers. It can help reduce the amount of awkward, rushed conversations over the phone which can lead to miscommunication and bungled orders. Customers can instead take their time to browse the menu online at their own pace, giving them control over their orders. Online ordering can also prevent missed opportunities in items being overlooked, since customers have more time to browse menus, leading to increased sales and profits for your restaurant.
One size does not fit all. Every restaurant is unique in its needs, so the online ordering system you choose must reflect these needs.
The first one is pricing. Many well-known platforms offer percentage-based pricing, others may charge a flat fee per transaction and a commission. Decide which pricing model suits your business, but also keep in mind that newer platforms usually offer the most competitive pricing. It is a good idea to jump on board these systems early on, before they become more popular and raise their rates.
The second criteria you need to consider in terms of an online ordering system is integration with your current POS system. How do you want to be paid for your online sales: daily, weekly or monthly? What additional services does the platform offer to help your business grow? Can you easily make changes or updates to your menu without having to contact the company? For example, SwiftPizza and Yumvee will build a custom website for your business and integrate it with online ordering. They will also provide merchants with the credentials to make changes as needed. Other companies may require you to call their customer service line for these services.
Lastly, choosing the right online ordering system that is specifically tailored to your business will allow much more flexibility and customization. For example, pizza shops may find that SwiftPizza is a better choice over GrubHub, since it is custom-built for pizzerias only. It offers an edge over other ordering systems, because it would allow their customers to personalise their pizzas according to size, crust type and toppings, unlike any other app.
Restolabs
Restolabs offers a simple interface and many features that are likely to catch customers’ attention, including the ability to order from Facebook and real-time analytics. The pricing starts at around $45 for the basic and charges monthly. For more information visit Restolabs
Gloria Food
This platform is free and allows you to take orders on your own website or Facebook account. The system also includes a table reservation widget and mobile ordering for convenience. Credit card payment functions do require a premium plan and do not come as part of the free service. For further information visit Gloriafood
ChowNow
This platform can be used on a variety of devices such as smartphones, Facebook and your business website. If your customers are mostly inclined to using their mobile devices for ordering, this option may be one to consider. The pricing starts at $119/mo for the annual plan, and does not include credit card processing fees. Visit Chownow to see if this system is right for you.
Slice
Originally created to provide online ordering for local pizzerias, allowing them to compete with many of the larger chains such as Domino’s and Pizza Hut. This platform primarily allows its merchants to receive their online orders by email, mobile, and fax. Slice has many features including customization capabilities. Pricing is based on the number of orders, charging a commission of around 7% per transaction. You can visit their website Slicelife for more information on whether this system is right for your business.
SwiftPizza
SwiftPizza is gaining popularity among many pizza stores for being an up-and-coming online ordering system. One of the first of its kind, SwiftPizza links directly with a merchants’ Clover system. Not only does it give customers the capability to build their pizzas from scratch, but also create half-and-half orders, along with access to the rest of the pizzerias’ menu. As an added bonus, SwiftPizza will custom design a website for their clients, creating an easily accessible and convenient way for customers to order and browse menus. Pricing is a flat $19.99/mo and $0.99 cents per online order. If you’re a pizzeria and haven’t taken advantage of this platform, it’s time to act. Visit Swiftpizza for more information.
Yumvee
A unique online ordering system created for restaurants that uses an Android tablet for order notification. Yumvee offers the same great features as the SwiftPizza app in terms of food customization, website building and customer support. Yumvee’s pricing for unlimited online orders is $99/month, but you can get the same plan at a discounted price of $69/month from Merchantech if you switch to their credit card processing. Yumvee is not only competitively priced, but also offers unlimited free online orders when customers pay cash for pick-up or delivery. Visit Yumvee to learn more.
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