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These days, effective online ordering is more important than ever. For restaurants that have temporarily closed in-store service, online ordering or calling in is the only way for customers to order pickup or delivery from you, and most will opt for ordering online.
Now is the time to take a critical look at your website, and ask yourself: Is my online ordering site maximizing revenue? Below are tips on exactly what to look for.
Online Ordering Audit
Here are some criteria to help you evaluate your current online ordering, taken from a new Auditing Checklist available for free download. Look for the following:
Easy Store Selection: If you have multiple locations, is your site "smart" enough to select the one closest to the customer, even if they are on a mobile device? Can the site remember where they ordered from last, and offer the same store as the initial location?
Mobile Friendly Design: Does your site force your customers to constantly pinch and zoom to see what's on offer and fill in payment info? They will often solve this kind of annoyance by ordering from a competitor's site. A mobile-friendly site like SpeedDine® automatically adapts to whatever device your customer is using.
Guest Checkout Options: Does your site require customers to fill in a form before they can even see a menu? Many people don't want to make that time investment until they see if you have something they want. Remove this friction point by talking to your ordering provider.
Appealing Food Images and Descriptions: Even if you're not a professional photographer and only have a phone camera at your disposal, you can take great food shots for your menu. Get some pro tips from SpeedLine's resident photographer in this On Point blog post. And make the titles and descriptions that go along with the photos informative, while not forgetting to add a bit of your brand's personality. Think of your ordering site as your new dining decor. You have to "dress to impress"!
Upselling Options: Does your site offer the customer extra items like desserts and appetizers, upsizes, and other extras at checkout? Upselling is a great way to increase order totals while providing your customers a service. Let them know that it only costs a little more to get that larger size, a premium topping, or a delicious dessert! Just introduced in SpeedDine, cross-selling prompts can be customized to offer up to three items not already in the cart, while upselling prompts offer additions like extra cheese or a larger size to an item already in the cart.
Find Out More
Ready to improve your ordering site? The points above are just an excerpt from a full auditing checklist available for free download.