Who doesn’t love online ordering for restaurants? It’s easier than phone ordering, it’s faster than waiting in line, and best of all, you get in and out of the restaurant faster.
And according to research, the trend is catching on for quick service restaurants (QSRs) across the board. Businesses are fast realizing how useful online ordering can be for boosting revenue and enhancing their customers’ experience—and with these statistics in mind, you’ll see why.
This outpaces most other business verticals by far. And really, it represents a perfect opportunity for QSRs. Part of consumer’ research will bring them around to your site in some way, and if they do visit, what better way to snag their business than offering an online ordering solution? Tap into the visibility you already have and make it as easy as possible for them to order.
Revenue for QSRs is driven by quality, speed, and convenience. Most restaurants get the first two down as a matter of course but lag on the third. As survey data shows, customers will often use convenience tools when they can—provided that they facilitate a smooth transaction with the QSR itself. Use this to your advantage when deploying a digital ordering system. Or in other words: Build it, and they will come.
Online ordering is great for businesses because of just how easy it is to spend money through online channels. We’ve all been there. When you’re in the privacy of your home, and you have the whole menu in front of you, it’s a little too easy to indulge. You got your entrée—but those chips look good, too. And there are lots of dips to choose from … and dessert is discounted on weekends! Retailers like Amazon have enjoyed this lesser-discussed benefit of online shopping for years, and with online ordering, your company can too.
See point number three. We’re talking incremental sales, folks. Give customers the option to order at their leisure, and you’ll see better revenue than you would by limiting their choices to in-store or phone.
This statistic highlights an important trend for restaurateurs: The coveted Millennial population leads every other generation in their preference for takeout orders. Chalk it up to a lack of time, the convenience of online ordering, or the Millennial preference for tech solutions over human interaction. Any way you look at it, Millennial customers love ordering through digital channels and will likely continue to do so—signaling good things for the online ordering market.
For consumers, mobile and online ordering are handy tools. For QSRs interested in growth, they’re a prescription. Give the customers what they want, and they’ll pay it back in kind.
Profit margins in hospitality are razor thin. Thirty percent is laughably optimistic for most QSRs—which is why they need to be so careful about which solutions they bring to their customers.
Value-adding service providers like Uber Eats take significant cuts from every order, making them a poor choice for most cash-strapped QSRs. Conversely, how many of us can afford to invest hundreds of thousands into a dedicated, in-house mobile app? Look for a middle-ground, here and find a service provider who can enable digital ordering in your point-of-sale (POS) software through a simple, low-cost subscription.
It’s no surprise that pre-ordering and mobile order-ahead options are gaining so much ground in the consumer market. The whole point of online ordering for restaurants is convenience, but it’s hard to call an ordering channel “convenient” if it won’t let your customers order exactly when and how they want. Keep these issues in mind as you build out your online ordering tools.
Barely over a third of companies offer online ordering, despite the well-documented consumer preference for quick and convenient options. We’re not sure what the disconnect is, but it represents a significant point of advantage for QSRs. Companies that work to make these convenient shopping options synonymous with their brands will earn the attention of the numerous buyers who prefer online channels.