That thing that you thought would never happen has happened. Now, more than ever before, we’re seeing restaurants scrambling to find some order among the chaos. Overnight you’ve had to completely overhaul how you do business. No more dining in, and when you do open up again for dining in customers are likely to be weary and head shy to make the journey in. Plus, the extra six feet needed between patrons is not likely to go away even as restaurants open back up. This means you’ll have to accommodate far fewer people than you used to be able to.
You need an online ordering system; one that can cater to your customers, display your menu choices clearly, and won’t take more of your hard earned money than necessary. GrubHub, UberEats and DoorDash take between 25% and 30% of what you charge customers. In an industry where profit margins are already pretty slim, these fees take a huge chunk of your profits.
By transitioning to your own custom-branded online ordering system, you can save a ton of money, while building a seamless experience for your customers and offering convenience and value.
Here are some of the most important things to consider when choosing an online ordering system for your restaurant.
Fees, Fees, and More Fees
Hands down, this is the make or break for most restaurants. Fees can kill a restaurant’s profits. Many online ordering systems charge upfront fees, setup fees, monthly plan fees, cancellation fees and more. They can also nickel and dime you for design services, menu updating or features like mobile responsive design. Remember, these are all critical to the success of your ordering site and should come standard.
Look for an online ordering system that charges a low fee per order with no hidden costs. At eHungry, we charge 1.9%. That’s far less than the upwards of 30% other services charge.
Customizability
Your online ordering system should match the branding, design, and feel of your restaurant’s existing website. Without a fully customizable interface you risk losing the trust and confidence of your customers.
Most will notice if they move from your website to a secondary one that looks completely different. Instill trust and nurture your relationship by branding your online ordering website. Colors, logos, fonts, and even the images should all reflect your restaurant’s personality.
At eHungry, our designers work tirelessly to ensure each restaurant is onboarded and their online ordering site is completely branded prior to launching.
Check out some of these gorgeous examples:
Look For Custom Order Types
Custom order types allows you to create a system that caters to the needs of your customers, while working with your resources. You might want to offer carryout or contactless delivery.
Curbside pick up is another option that’s popular with customers and the ability to add details about a person’s vehicle (make, model, color, etc.) should all be standard in the system you choose.
A Variety Of Integrations
Like most things in life, simplicity is your friend. Ensuring you choose an online ordering system that offers integrations with major payment gateways and POS systems can help to keep your entire ordering process from start to finish seamless both from the perspective of a customer and on the back end business side of things.
eHungry offers integration with over 70 payment gateways and over 40 POS systems (note: additional fees may apply for certain POS systems).
Mobile Friendly
This is non-negotiable. Think about how much time you spend on your phone. Chances are, your customers are going to want to order from you using their phones or tablets. One recent study suggests that “Mobile represents 60% of all digital restaurant orders today.”
Another great option: apps. Your most loyal customers will appreciate having an app at their fingertips that makes ordering from you even easier.
This all comes down to customer experience. If you strive to meet your customers where they are, they will continue to come back.
Your goal throughout the entire process of choosing an online ordering system is to offer an enjoyable customer experience, while seamlessly tying together the behind the scenes business processes. Review these features, make a spreadsheet, and then make a decision.
eHungry can help. Get in touch with us to learn more about why our customers love us and how we can get your ordering system launched in just 2 days.