Post the COVID-19 pandemic, the market for food delivery has begun to evolve at a much more rapid pace than it already was. Although customers are returning to restaurants, the rate at which restaurant e-commerce orders are growing is a call for establishments to better streamline their online ordering and delivery services.
Restaurant operations are being significantly impacted by the internet and technological improvements. If you run a restaurant, going online is the best course of action for growing your clientele and increasing your revenue and bottomline. In this article, we outline 6 useful and easy ways you can adopt and incorporate to increase your online presence and e-commerce orders which will help you increase your overall revenue, decrease overhead costs, gain exposure to new customers, and many more other benefits.
6 Ways to Increase Your Restaurant E-Commerce Orders
- Have more discounts for delivery orders
To create repeat orders and long-term customers, discounts and offers are essential. Discounts can be offered in a variety of methods and it is easier when done through restaurant e-commerce websites, making it a win-win situation for management and customers.
This includes giving discounts through coupons, referral codes, and promo codes which customers can use during checkout. Discounts and offers work as an incentive to get more customers since people tend to buy more frequently when they are on sale and when they feel like they are getting the most value out of their money.
Having a time limit on your discount works well to pull in a lot of traffic during the specific time-frame, which you can use to upsell new items or finish any excess inventory without letting it go to waste. Promote your deals through push notifications and provide customers with combo deals.
Discounts boost sales of other menu items in addition to the specific food item on offer. Customers will visit your app for the discount, for instance, but they may also purchase something off your daily specials menu.
- Promote online ordering to in-store customers
One of the best places you can promote restaurant e-commerce orders is right inside your restaurant using in-store marketing.
Your employees are uniquely placed to promote your online ordering system and they are the ideal people to identify your frequent customers. Encourage employees to spread the word about your restaurant e-commerce services, and make them explain the benefits of ordering online, such as more discounts, less wait times, and to promote self-ordering and menu customizations.
Other strategies for in-store promotions could include samples of online-exclusive menu items, display ads and coupons to avail with online orders. Be sure to include the information for your restaurant e-commerce orders and offers in every receipt you hand out to in-store customers.
- Optimize menu for e-commerce ordering
It’s important to have a website that can integrate online orders from customers, but you’ll need more. Menu optimization is crucial since it not only promotes business success but also provides a positive customer experience, keeping them returning for more. You can immediately increase your bottom line by designing a menu that is well-structured and optimized.
Start off with listing your best-selling, most recommended items. Add vivid images and descriptions to your menu items to truly help customers visualize what you are offering them and refrain from listing items that do not hold well until it reaches your customers’ doorstep.
- Extend operating hours for delivery
There are also a number of benefits for restaurants who aim to stay open longer or work in a 24-hour work window. If you are operating in a busy area or a college town, late nights are big business.
Being one of the few places that stay open for longer periods of time could put you in an advantageous position compared to your competitors. With food delivery, you can stay open longer without the need for a FOH staff, which can decrease overhead costs.
Staying open longer during nights opens new opportunities as you can target major demographics like students cramming for tests or employees who work in the night shift and are just looking for an open place to order food from.
- Make social media your best friend
If you are looking to expand any aspect of their business, including online ordering and food delivery, social media is the best place to be.
You can post high quality images of their menu items, upload videos of their chefs in action, and highlight behind-the-scenes content of their employees to promote themselves on social media. When posts are well timed and optimized for SEO with the right hashtags, they have the ability to generate a lot of buzz for your restaurant, thanks to the easy sharing of content.
You can use location-tagging to target customers who live within their delivery range, which will have a direct impact on delivery orders. Social media is also great for interacting with customers and receiving feedback directly via direct messages. Restaurants that address customer concerns stand to gain long-term because they increase their chances of having repeat customers, all while creating a positive reputation for themselves.
- Completely automate your online ordering process
To grow your food delivery orders while keeping prices down and quality good, automation is essential. Increased efficiency is among the most important advantages of completely automating your restaurant e-commerce services.
A silver lining of the pandemic is the development of technology in the F&B industry. Food ordering and delivery businesses have garnered the most investment since eating out habits have changed dramatically over night.
The Takeaway
In the digital world, people have grown accustomed to the ease of receiving anything they want or need with only a few clicks of a button. Customers have to expect their favorite restaurant will provide online ordering for this reason.
Increasing your food delivery orders is a guaranteed way to maintain a steady flow of income, regardless of any calamities that might affect your in-store dining. As customers begin to prioritize the comfort of eating from their homes, the market for food delivery services worldwide has grown to a valuation of $106.1 billion in 2021 and is anticipated to reach a value of $223.7 billion by 2027. Including a meal delivery service in your business plan will be a terrific way to boost sales, reach, and profitability.
If you own a restaurant and haven’t jumped on the online ordering bandwagon, you’re already losing out on some fantastic chances to significantly grow your business. By implementing modern technology, you not only make your consumers’ life easier but also make sure that your restaurant can compete successfully in the market.