The global pandemic drastically changed how consumers interact with restaurants around the world. Face-to-face interactions suddenly made customers feel uneasy and, for the safety of their employees and the peace of mind of their guests, restaurants quickly pivoted to digitizing their offerings with takeout and delivery focused models as “contact free” and “curbside pickup” became the buzzwords which gave consumers comfort. 

The pre-pandemic norm of dine-in service from smiling servers and cashiers, longed for by so many for so long, is now gradually returning, but the widespread adoption and use of digital ordering brought forth by the pandemic are not going to subside along with it. Many restaurants are recognizing this and positioning themselves for a new, more digital reality as they look toward the post-pandemic future.

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Digital Ordering is The New Normal

Having spent the better part of a year using only digital platforms to discover restaurants, view menus, and place order customers are not going to just switch back to old habits. Restaurant discovery was a process that has happened online for years, but the pandemic brought forth the need for restaurants to not only have an online presence but to now bolster that presence with accessible, easy to use ordering platforms that provide convenience as well as clarity for their customers.

Most of these systems, be them online ordering through Google, a 1^st party app, a 3^rd party service, or just simple menu viewing, hit bumps in the road over the past year as we all adjusted to our new way of living. At first consumers were willing to persist and give restaurants the benefit of the doubt when using ordering methods that were awkward to use or clunky in their design. Now, a year on, consumers have used many apps and web ordering systems that are excellently designed and well thought out, so they’re much less likely to preserver with clunky, poorly designed online menus and ordering platforms.

Selecting the digital ordering provider which not only best suits a venue’s guests and brand, but one which also provides a streamlined, user friendly experience is paramount to the success of elevating the digital ordering experience and providing an online service which guests are happy to return to use again and again.

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In Store Digital Ordering

The customer facing element of restaurants has largely avoided the digitizing impact of technology of recent decades; with physical menus and physical checks still omnipresent across the industry. Last year, however, the pandemic quickly moved this element of restaurants into the 21^st century.

Some locations opted for single use menus, whilst others took the digital root and have ditched  paper menus all together, replacing them with digital versions. These have come in many forms: QR codes, which customers use to pull up menus on their personal devices, menu screens integrated throughout venues, booths for self ordering, and apps allowing customers to browse, order and pay for their order at their table with minimum contact.

These changes are here to stay and, whilst consumers may not demand them as highly as they will seamless online ordering, these digitized options are becoming more common place as customers continue to strive for convenience and contact-free service.

Not only can these digital options reduce wastage but these products can be updated with just a few clicks of a mouse, whilst also giving customers the freedom to browse menus at their leisure. This freedom to browse offers more opportunities for sales -as guests need not ask servers for a menus once they’ve been removed after the initial order has been placed- allowing for more spontaneous ordering and, potentially, higher check totals.

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Be Mindful of Costs Incurred for 3^rd Party Service

It has been no secret that the growth of 3^rd party ordering and delivery systems have, whilst being great for the consumer, not been the greatest advances for restaurants themselves. Some 3^rd party services take up to 30% of the cost of the order, eating into the razor thin margins that restaurants run on.

When choosing how to bring seamless digital ordering to the largest possible audience restaurants must select whom they use and partner carefully, because the costs of these services, if not properly analyzed, can have a damaging affect on a venue's financials.

Options besides 3^rd party partners include integrating with Google or having someone design and host a proprietary app for a venue or restaurant chain. Both of these services have a much lower cost basis that can be a set amount per month, entirely unrelated to, or skimmed off the top of, a location’s sales. These options may not suit everyone but they are another option alongside the consumer focused 3^rd party services.

A Final Word

Digital ordering is an exciting prospect for restaurants who are looking to remain relevant and instill confidence in their customers. With a wide range of options out there each restaurant can choose the platform which they believe best suits their brand and their customer’s needs, whilst continuing to make every effort to keep their employees and guests safe.

Digital ordering, online and inside venues, offers new revenue streams for some restaurants that were slow to adopt these functionalities because they didn’t see their model as suited to takeout and delivery service. The pandemic has made everyone: proprietors, shareholders, and, most importantly, guests; see takeout and delivery as something universal, which they will now all expect to a part of a location’s offerings.