The restaurant landscape today is driven by digital experiences. With online and mobile ordering adoption growing steadily, merely offering dine-in services is no longer enough. Expanding your reach digitally through ordering channels has become vital for survival and growth.
In 2024, optimizing and diversifying your online ordering capabilities will be key to tapping new revenue streams. Read on for tips to grow your reach and sales leveraging technology.
Enabling Direct Online Ordering
Having your own branded website or app for online ordering should be the foundation. This provides a direct channel to engage customers and lets you control the experience.
Rather than only listing on third-party marketplaces, direct ordering allows owning customer relationships. Focus on making online ordering seamless by:
- Optimizing site speed and navigation – Eliminate friction in finding and ordering menu items
- Integrating smart menus – Categorize dishes, highlight best-sellers, and enable customization
- Offering flexible checkout – Allow guest checkout and multiple payment options
Owned online ordering channels give freedom to align the experience with your brand vision. So invest in maximizing convenience and personalization here.
Embracing Third-Party Marketplaces
While having your own ordering channels is important, third-party food delivery marketplaces like UberEats and DoorDash can drive significant exposure. However, their high commission fees, which can be up to 30%, eat into restaurant profits significantly.
Instead, restaurants should consider leveraging no-fee solutions like Tapless Menu:
- Tapless Menu has no commissions or monthly fees, helping restaurants maximize profits
- Provides a customizable online menu that integrates with your POS system
- Real-time syncing across online and in-house orders reduces errors
- No-fee structure and integration capabilities make it an attractive alternative
- Can boost online orders and retain more profits on every sale
The high fees of UberEats and DoorDash cut significantly into profits. But with Tapless Menu:
- No commissions or monthly fees
- Customizable integrated online menu
- Real-time order syncing
- Attractive no-fee alternative
- Boost online orders and retain more profits
The no-fee structure and seamless integration make Tapless Menu an optimal choice over high-commission third party platforms.
Adopting New Ordering Tech Like QR Codes
Innovative tech like QR code ordering has exploded since the pandemic, and will see increased adoption in 2024. QR codes enable contactless ordering and minimize wait times.
With over 60% of diners now preferring to order via QR codes, integrating solutions like Tapless Menu can drives growth through:
- Increased dwell times and order sizes
- Seamless dine-in ordering
- Contactless ordering for takeout/delivery
- Access to customer behavior data
Rather than static menu boards, lean into tech like QR codes for next-gen ordering experiences.
Optimizing Menu Strategies
Menus are the cornerstone of the ordering experience. Optimizing menus across channels impacts conversions and growth. Tactics like:
- Analyzing menu performance to identify top-selling and poor-performing items
- Curating menu selections to focus on proven winners rather than overwhelm customers
- Crafting enticing menu descriptions to make items mouth-watering
- Incorporating photos to showcase dishes
- Geotargeting popular dishes like cold items in summer
Help boost order values. Sync printed, online, and QR code menus for consistency.
Leveraging Customer Databases
Customer data is invaluable for personalized engagements that drive loyalty and repeat orders. Ways to tap into CRM include:
- Email/SMS campaigns with targeted promos based on order history
- Loyalty programs with points or tiers to nudge purchases
- Feedback surveys to learn about customer preferences
- Retargeting through ads to bring back inactive users
Tapping purchase data and customer feedback provides insights to tailor engagements. Having an integrated CRM system to segment and engage customers can turbocharge growth.
Tapless Menu captures real-time analytics on menu views, items ordered, daily analytics, referrer sources, customer countries, devices, browsers and operating systems used, with the ability to receive analytics reports by email. This in-depth data provides valuable insights that restaurants can use to tailor marketing and promotions to specific customer segments for more effective targeted marketing.
Optimizing Listings for Discovery
Being findable across Google and restaurant directories is critical for customer discovery. Optimize online presence through:
- A search-friendly website with keywords relevant to your cuisine
- Google Business Profile filled out
- Hyperlocal promotion via targeted ads, flyers, or partnerships
- Social media promotions to drive local awareness
- Ratings and reviews management to build credibility
An omni channel digital footprint ensures your brand surfaces during searches. Pursue platform-specific optimization to get discovered by the right customers.
FAQs
What are the benefits of direct online ordering?
Owned websites or apps for ordering allow controlling the customer experience and cementing loyalty. Data insights can also inform engagements.
How do QR codes expand reach?
QR codes significantly enhance a business’s reach by seamlessly connecting the physical and digital realms. They enable customers to effortlessly transition from in-store experiences to online ordering using their personal devices. This integration not only caters to tech-savvy consumers but also attracts a wider audience who appreciate the convenience and modernity of digital interactions, thus broadening the business’s customer base.
How can restaurants leverage customer data?
Restaurants can effectively utilize customer data by analyzing order history and engagement patterns to tailor personalized communications and promotions. This approach allows for the creation of targeted marketing strategies and special offers that resonate with individual customer preferences, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty. By understanding their customers’ choices and behaviors, restaurants can refine their menus, services, and overall dining experience to better meet the specific needs and desires of their clientele.
Supercharge Your Online Presence in 2024
As consumer habits shift to favoring digital channels, restaurants must meet customers where they are. Having an owned website as well as integrating aggregators gives the best of both worlds.
Optimizing every platform with elements like efficient menus, flexible ordering, and marketing will be key. Adopting innovative tech like QR codes alongside robust customer data strategies can further amplify reach and revenues.
The opportunities to digitally engage customers are at an all-time high in 2024. Now is the time to supercharge your online presence by picking the right platforms and maximizing their capabilities.
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