Complete Guide To Online Ordering For Restaurants

28 Nov

Are you considering an online ordering system for your restaurant?

Maybe you’re just beginning to explore the idea of online ordering and wondering if it’s right for your restaurant. Or perhaps you are already using a service but want more insight into improving it or how to better use technology in general.

Regardless of where you are in the process, it’s important to know what online ordering for restaurants can do if you are managing a restaurant.

In this guide, we’ll cover all the basics of online ordering and show you how to start your own business using free solutions that will help you save money—and make a profit.

Let’s dive in.

How to Prepare to Offer Online Ordering For Restaurants?

Before you dive into the world of online ordering, there are a few things that you should consider. Here is a comprehensive guide for preparing to offer online orders:

1. Optimize your kitchen

The first step to offering online orders is optimizing your kitchen to accommodate them so that you can manage everything when customers order online directly from the restaurant. This means adjusting your equipment, training staff on new machines and software, and scheduling additional time in your day for tasks such as creating menus and ordering food supplies.

You can add online orders to your current line, especially if you already provide take-out service for restaurants or other establishments that want food delivery. Or if you still need to offer this service, creating a distinct space for preparing and packaging online and pick-up orders should be the top priority.

You should also consider how you will collect your orders. If customers prefer not to wait in line while someone else is ordering, designate a separate door or area for collection.

2. Prepare and train staff

Staff training is crucial in equipping your restaurant with take-out and delivery services. A well-trained staff will ensure that customers receive quality service, whether ordering online or picking up their food in person. Ensure your employees are always in the loop with the updates you are bringing into your restaurant model.

3. Consider your menu

Your menu will draw customers in and keep them coming back for more. If you are offering a delivery service, consider adding items popular among take-out customers but not necessarily your bestsellers in-house.

If you have an existing delivery service, consider adding new items to your menu so people can order them online. Make sure the prices are competitive with other restaurants in your area and offer any promotions or discounts to entice customers to order from you instead of another business.

4. Choose a tool to help you take orders

There are lots of ordering system restaurant options when it comes to online ordering systems. You can use an online ordering app like Posbytz, a website, or even a dedicated tablet at your restaurant.

If you are just starting with delivery and don’t have much money for technology, consider using the free version of Posbytz, an online ordering for restaurants software. The free version offers a free online ordering website and an app to manage orders.

This is how you can manage your orders with the free version of Posbytz,

With the help of an intuitive dashboard, you can easily manage your orders. The dashboard allows you to view the status of each order, including how many are in progress, how many were completed, and how many were unsuccessful.

You can also see each customer’s order history with advanced filters. In a nutshell, managing a restaurant with online orders is simple with this free version.

Try Posbtz for free; cancel anytime.

5. Spread the word

Once you are ready with your online ordering system, it’s time to spread the word. You can use social media, email marketing campaigns, and print materials to promote your ordering website.

It will take some time for people to discover your business and start ordering from you, but things will get easier for you once they do.

How do Modern Restaurants Offer Online Orders?

There are many ways to offer online ordering, and you must choose the one that best suits your business. Here are some of the most popular restaurant ordering systems:

1. Third-Party Delivery Apps

A third-party delivery app is the easiest way to start online ordering for restaurants. You just have to create an account with a company like Swiggy, Zomato, Hunger station, Careem, Deliveroo, NoonFoods, Talabat, or UberEats, and they will provide everything you need—including the space on their website where customers can place orders. All you have to do is connect your restaurant’s menu to its system so that people can order from it easily.

These ordering apps for restaurants have their website and app, so customers can place orders from them even if they don’t visit your restaurant. The only problem is that these apps charge a commission for each order, which means you have to pay them money every time someone uses their service.

2. Handle everything in-house

Some restaurants choose to handle all their deliveries in-house. This means you’ll have to invest in the equipment and manpower needed for the task, but it also means that you won’t have to pay any commissions or fees. With Posbytz, you can start your online ordering system for free, even with a free delivery app.

If you’re just starting, this might be a good option. The only downtime is you have to spend on the advertisement to get more orders and make your business profitable.

3. An All-In-One Tool

Having an all-in-one tool will make it easy to start your delivery service. If you want to make your life easier, one of the best ways to do this is by using an all-in-one tool that can help you with everything from ordering food and managing employees to taking orders on the go. This will save time and money because you don’t have to hire extra people or pay for additional software or equipment.

With Posbytz, you can host your website and app or integrate with your third-party delivery app. This means that you have a lot of flexibility regarding how you want your business to run and what you want it to look like.

Importance of Online Ordering For Restaurants

Online ordering systems are a great way to improve customer satisfaction and increase sales. They can also make it easier for you to manage your business because they allow you to keep track of everything from inventory levels to customer demographics.

The growth rate of online food delivery purchases in the UAE has steadily increased over time, and it is here to stay until 2025, according to Statista. The largest increase, five percent from 2019 to 2020, was the most recent rise of all periods considered.

Source

In the future, we expect online food delivery purchases to continue growing as more people become comfortable ordering their meals online.

Here are the five most important reasons why you should consider using an online ordering system:

1. Improved Customer Experience

Online ordering systems help improve the customer experience by providing a convenient way to place and track their status. This is especially helpful for businesses with high volume, where customers may not have time to wait in line or call in their order.

2. Increases the chance of increasing the order quantity

An online ordering system makes it easy for customers to add items to their orders or make modifications. This can help improve the number of orders placed by existing customers and bring in new ones.

As customers have to browse through number of dishes before placing an order, they are more likely to add something new and unique to their order. This can help increase the overall volume of orders placed by existing customers and bring in new ones who may want to try a different product or flavor than what they typically order.

3. Effortless management

Managing a food business is hard work and time-consuming. Having to deal with customers who want to change their order can be frustrating, especially if they do it multiple times throughout the day. In an online ordering system, every change made by customers is recorded in the system and can be viewed by management at any time so that they know exactly what orders are being placed.

4. Accurate food tracking

Online ordering systems record all the information about each order placed, including how many people ordered, what they ordered, and when they ordered. This allows management to easily keep track of the flow of orders throughout the day and know exactly how much food is needed for each shift.

5. Grow Your Business by owning your customer data

Businesses that use online ordering systems can gain valuable insights into their customers’ preferences and habits. This can be used for marketing purposes or simply to gain insight into improving the business in general.

Create and Manage Your Restaurant’s Entire Digital Presence with PosBytz

PosBytz is a cloud-based POS and restaurant online ordering system that offers restaurants a complete, integrated solution for managing their digital presence. With PosBytz, you can create an online ordering website and mobile app for your restaurant in minutes.

These are the features of Posbytz for restaurants:

A fully-integrated cloud-based POS and online ordering system designed to run on any device, anywhere.
An intuitive user interface that makes it easy for customers to order food and drinks from their mobile devices or computers.
Secure payment processing with industry-standard security protocols.
Posbytz’s POS system allows restaurants to manage and fulfill orders through all channels, including Talabat, Hungerstation, Deliveroo, etc. In addition to these platforms, Posbytz is also integrated with many other order management systems.
You can track your stock and sales in one place, along with monthly profit/loss reports.

The POS system is designed to be used by both advanced and beginner users. It comes with a user-friendly interface, making it easy for you to get started without prior knowledge of the system. It’s also highly customizable and can be tailored to your business needs.

If you need more clarification about the available features and how to get started schedule a free demo. We will show the roadmap of how you can start your online food ordering business and make it successful at no cost.

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