Ordering Food Online Becoming Increasingly Popular – Time for an Order Food App?3 min read

Social Media Spurs More Online Orders, Free Viral Advertising: More than 500-million users subscribe to and use Facebook on a near daily basis. According to recent statistics that were generated by Mashable, the average user will click the “Like” button nine times, write about 25 different comments, and become a fan of two different fan pages over the course of a month. Considering the geo-targeted prospect of online ordering, more companies are cashing in on enabling integrated web ordering via Facebook, mobile or website for their customers. Some restaurants now even offer online ordering directly from their Facebook fan page.

Some more interesting statistics regarding this trend help to paint a pretty picture on how viral a recommend by a customer of any restaurant that offers online ordering can be on Facebook. Considering that the average person on Facebook has about 130 friends, for every 10 recommend or share features that are posted about a restaurant, including a check-in (a popular feature that geo-targets location and restaurant name on Facebook and posts it to the wall of the user as a status update), that’s about 1,300 people that are informed as a result. Case and point: a restaurant that offers online ordering, and that also includes a check-in feature (is listed on places for check-in on Facebook) and offers an ability for customers to like, share or recommend their venue, is likely to see a viral increase in traffic from just 10 recommendations, check-ins, likes, status updates or shares. (Did you know that Open’s digital menus for in-house and online ordering feature a Facebook/Twitter recommend/share feature? …. Learn more about a digital menu.)

Does Offering Online Ordering Make Sense?

Online ordering has multifarious benefits that make it an attractive option for restaurants of all sizes.

• Online orders average 25% higher than telephonic orders, and don’t tie up phone lines or staff.
• Online orders net at least 40% more than in-house orders at the table do.
• Online orders are far more capable of up-selling orders with add-ons and pictures that drive sales.
• Major restaurants that are offering online ordering, like Five Guys for example, see about 25% of their total sales come from online ordering.
• Studies indicate that customers who order food online, and who are satisfied with their order, are far likelier to become loyal, repeat customers.
• Studies show that 90% of Americans with internet access order food online.
• Restaurants that offer online ordering average $2,000-$10,000 per month in online sales, according to Big Holler.
• Online ordering enables better demographic information gathering for restaurants.
• According to Big Holler, patrons who visit websites that offer an online ordering feature or button are 85% likely to click that button.
• More customers leave instant feedback from online orders than in-house orders.

Four Most Popular Mediums for Online Ordering

• Restaurant website: with a mobile compatible website, any food service business can enjoy a serious spike in sales by offering online order food apps for mobile and easy online ordering for computer or tablet users on their main URL.
• Social Media: Facebook ordering is a very solid consideration that has viral capacity to draw more customers to a restaurant as users share their orders with their friends.
• Smartphone/Tablet App: Apps are becoming the most popular software programs in the world. Mobile searches are estimated to surpass desktop searches by 2016. An order food app is a virtual must-have for any business that wants to remain competitive in the unforgiving food service industry.
• Telephonic orders are still popular, but are quickly being phased out in favor of other, more intuitive ordering methods. However, telephone orders will more than likely always be around.

Could your restaurant benefit from offering an order food online feature? With a unique solution by Open, you could be offering online ordering for takeout or delivery at your restaurant today. Learn more about an Order Food App by Open.