Restaurant digital orders were expanding at a rate of 23 % per year even before the COVID-19 outbreak. As we all are aware, restaurants have been forced to adjust to off-premise dining over recent years. Due to this the emergence of the 'cashless economy' and the rise of food-delivery-only businesses, often known as cloud kitchens, have resulted in a considerable increase to digital ordering. The restaurant delivery service market is showing continuous development in 2022, similar to how contactless payment usage has grown to become popular. When you add it all up, online ordering is set to become one of the most lucrative income streams for restaurants, even as business slowly returns to normal today. Restaurants should consider customer engagement tactics to keep regulars coming back, attract new consumers, and develop native platforms to boost online orders for their restaurants. Here are some ideas for getting the most out of online ordering through digital menus and with other mediums to help you optimize revenues with this rising trend.

1. Create a fantastic online digital menu

The shift to digital menus is transforming how customers order meals, and they're already becoming a normal feature at most restaurants. Customers will have to engage with your digital menu no matter if they're scanning a QR code at the table, ordering online for delivery, or ordering online for pickup. It is said that customers spend up to 30% more on online food orders than they do dining in, therefore this creates a significant opportunity for restaurant operators to increase their revenues. As a result, creating and optimizing a digital menu is a fantastic way to boost your revenue.

When creating your online ordering menu, make sure to keep the customer experience in mind. Some things that are popular on-site may not be appropriate for delivery or take-out. Remove menu items that don't travel well or won't taste well after sitting in a box for a long time. So, make sure the products you're selling are lucrative for you.

You can also keep considering the following tips when creating a digital menu;

Make your product description short and sweet

A common error made by most restaurants is over-explaining their items on their online restaurant menu. You must recognize that customers who browse the online menu are there to place a food order. So, get rid of all the excessive words and adjectives. Make your food description brief and to the point; describe why the dish is special and what to expect from it in a clear and concise manner.

Make your menu more appealing by using enticing product images

Food photography done well is a certain method to get customers to try your dishes and increase income. After all, we humans eat with our eyes, and how your foods are presented on your digital menu may make or break someone's choice to place an order. In fact, adding high-quality photographs to your menu can boost sales by 30%.

Make it simple to understand your online menu

For simple navigation, choose a category. Customers will be able to access goods in relevant categories such as Appetizers, Italian, Burgers, and Desserts with only one click rather than browsing through the full menu.

2. Offer Convenience and evolve with the market

Restaurants can use an online ordering system to get more orders than they can from physical customers, in fact 20% of consumers spend more on off-premise orders compared to a regular dine-in experience. Managing orders during peak hours for restaurants is a challenge, especially when a restaurant is dependent on a sole ordering stream such as phone-in delivery orders or walk-ins. Using an integrated system for all orders is one of the most significant techniques for increasing restaurant revenue as you can manage all sales orders and track order progress, one a single platform.

When a customer places a delivery order, it should be well prepared and sent to the customer's doorstep with convenience and ease. Imagine what would happen if you were to receive several phone orders at once, attempting to manage them without a framework in place can be tough and can result in a disorderly restaurant that fails to improve sales and could face a decline in retention rates.

60% of restaurant operators say that online ordering has generated incremental sales. Offering delivery, pick-up, and curbside ordering options on your custom online store will help you meet the needs your customers and their varying expectations, resulting in enhance guest experience. You may also see an increase in your customer base as global online food ordering is expected to represent a 20% growth year on year. Utilize your online store to increase sales without having to spend more or invest in new merchandise, it also allows for more control over sales statistics and analytics without the need for third-party services.

3. Use social media to get the word out

A trendy approach to reach out to your customers and let them know about your online ordering store is through social media, promote your mouthwatering dishes on your social media platforms and simply add the link to your online store, so potential customer can place orders instantly. Encourage your existing followers to like, comment, and share your posts, helping you attract new customers.

According to Hootsuite, public social feeds still account for 52% of all online brand discovery, in fact 92% of Instagram users claim they've followed a company, visited its website, or purchased a product after seeing it on this social network.

4. Give your customers special deals

Guests are always on the lookout for a good deal, and this is something that will never change. So, offering them special offers and discounts, is always a smart idea and can help in attractive new customers to try out your dishes in order to avail the offer. With your online store, you can make daily updates instantly and announce special offers.

Last say,

Traditional restaurants can enhance their sales without having to invest in extra resources using an interactive online ordering platform. In fact, restaurants that have created and promoted their custom online store have successfully attained more customers via social media networks and browsing platforms, ultimately resulting in an increase in restaurant profits.

With Applova's Free Digital Menu and Online Store you can maximize your revenue, offer convenience and evolve with the market.

Ready to start selling online? You can set up your online store for a nominal service fee of only 5% per customer order.

Check out a sample menu here and sign up now!