How Can E-Commerce Work To Boost Sales In Your Restaurant?

Everyone knows that restaurants are excellent venues for nice nights out. They are common destinations for dates and people tend to book reservations at restaurants in order to celebrate special occasions. Of course, restaurants don’t exist for dine-in experiences alone. Many meal hunters prefer take out. Some have no problem calling ahead to pick their meals up while others much prefer the convenience of delivery.

This is why it’s of vital importance that restaurant owners throughout Canada invest in a sound e-commerce solution. No longer are hungry customers restricted to telephone use for the purpose of ordering food. Canadians expect to be able to log on to restaurant websites to order food directly.

How does online ordering impact a restaurant’s sales?

On Netwaiter.com, Tim writes that having an online ordering strategy is a top way for restaurants to increase their sales. He also notes that online orders tend to be larger than dine-in orders. “Average ticket amounts are between 10% and 30% larger with online orders, and 95% of those that order from a restaurant online return to that restaurant,” he reveals.

Tim goes on to point out that a third of restaurant customers say that the ability to order online is a major reason why they order takeout and delivery more often than dining in. “You can increase customer loyalty and, in addition, you can increase sales without bringing more people into your restaurant, thus reducing the load on your staff, and you also reduce the load on the person taking orders over the phone,” Tim informs.

Jenny Brooks agrees. On TheRestaurantExpert.com, she sates that allowing your restaurant’s customers to order their meals online is a top reason they will choose your business over its competitors. She also reiterates that online ordering eliminates long line ups inside of your establishment – something that is known to turn customers off.

“Guests won’t be forced to wait around just to be served,” Brooks explains, “This allows your kitchen and staff to complete more orders in less time. This feature also makes you more discoverable online, and people will be able to order right from their computers or smartphones. Your guests want a convenient dining experience, not a complicated one. Make it easy for them and increase your sales at the same time by offering online ordering in your restaurant.”

How important is it for your website to be mobile-friendly?

In 2017, it couldn’t be more important to have a mobile-friendly website! As indicated earlier, most consumers use their smartphones to browse the internet and yes…buy products and services. And, as Tim notes, mobile phones are extremely popular with today’s younger generation. Having a mobile-friendly site will encourage sales from millennials.

“These are people that sleep with their mobile phone within arm’s reach,” describes Tim, “More than 50% of millennials make their buying decision in the six-hour window before they eat, with 29% of that group admitting that the window is closer to one-hour. Seventeen percent of millennials don’t even plan that far in advance. And guess where they are looking for the information on where to eat? Their phones.”

Isn’t it time to allow your restaurant’s customers to place orders online?

Let us help you! At Canadian POS Corporation, we proudly offer a secure e-commerce solution that enables you to easily and securely accept and process all credit cards from your website. For more information, call Canadian POS Corporation at 1-877-748-2884 or email us at info@localhost.