Is Your Online Ordering System Costing Your Restaurant Sales?

In today’s world, restaurants are expected to have a user-friendly, efficient ordering system. With so many dining options available to customers, food quality becomes only one of several factors in customers’ decisions. Restaurants are now competing for ordering experience as much as they are with food quality and cost. 

A poor quality ordering system can have a significant impact on customer experience. It can result in lost potential customers, a lower retention rate, and a lower spend per order. 

So how do you know if your current system is up to the job? Ask yourself if any of these apply to your restaurant: 

Customers Are Abandoning Orders

Abandoned orders are an issue faced by any industry. If you’re relying on over-the-phone orders for most of your business, it’s likely you don’t know how often customers consider an order and don’t follow through with placing it.

This happens for a number of reasons. All it takes is for a customer to try to call and not have the phone picked up quickly before they conclude that the restaurant is closed or too busy. If you have a complicated or hard to find online menu, instead of calling to ask questions, customers may decide to look for another option. 

Order abandonment also happens when customers attempt to place an online order through an unclear system. Some may get clear to the checkout point and then not complete the order if they feel that there are too many hidden or additional costs being added to their bill. 

In a survey, 96% of people said that good customer service is a determining factor in their customer loyalty. Your ordering system is crucial a part of your customer service. If you make it too difficult for people, they will choose another restaurant to order from and might not try yours again.

You Have Low Customer Return

Repeat customers are the lifeblood of most restaurants. Satisfied customers come back frequently and provide the best word-of-mouth referrals. Studies have shown that just increasing customer retention by 5% can result in a 25-95% increase in profits. 

A customer’s negative experience will make them less likely to come back and cost you sales from retention. Reasons for a poor experience could include slow service, complicated ordering, and unclear additional costs. 

When your restaurant is at peak hours, you are slammed just trying to get orders out. With a disorganized ordering system, customers may show up to pick up an order long before it’s ready, or come late and find their food cold. 

If ordering was difficult the first time, customers may look for a different restaurant in the future. If they aren’t clear about the costs, it will make them feel cheated when they come to pay. A single poor ordering experience can put a customer off from coming back and from recommending it to others.

Customers Spend Less Per Order

A few dollars more spent per order can make a big difference to your bottom line. Restaurants need to maximize the amount of money that customers spend with them. The average spend per transaction can actually increase with a quality ordering system. If you have a poor system in place, you may be missing out on this benefit.

One reason that a poor online system can detract customers from spending more is encountering a disorganized online menu. If customers have to navigate too many headings to find specific dishes, they may stick to the favorites they know rather than looking through at other options. 

Restaurants that have an effective ordering system can give customers easy access to a well-formatted, simple to navigate menu. This can help customers easily see their options and notice any specials or extras that you want to promote. A quality system is an easy way to maximize your profits by adding on a small amount per existing customer.  

Find the Right Ordering System for Your Restaurant

The advantages of a well-run food ordering system are clear. ToGo Technologies specializes in providing the restaurant sector with market-leading, white-labeled ordering systems. Your customers can access your menu and order from wherever they are, seamlessly. 

A quality online ordering system can help you maximize your profits and take care of the ordering processes so you can focus on putting out quality food.