The Upside Of Contactless Ordering
What is Contactless Dine-In Ordering?
Contactless ordering for dine-in or table service refers to when guests do not have to touch a physical menu during the ordering process at a restaurant. Contactless ordering has gained a lot of popularity since the onset of Covid-19 due to safety concerns.
How Can Restaurants Offer Contactless Options?
There are many options for restaurants looking to improve their ability to provide contactless solutions for their guests and staff.
Offer Contactless Takeout
Allow your customers to order and pay safely from outside the restaurant, in their car or without having to queue up in line. Many restaurants are posting a QR code menu on their front door or window, or at a host stand. This way a guest is able to view and order from their phone as soon as they’re ready. Once their meal is prepared, it can be brought to the guest, or placed in it’s own sanitized box at the front or outside of the restaurant. Some foodservice providers also offer to bring the meal out and place it into the open trunk of the customers vehicle.
Accept Takeout Orders Directly From Your Website
70% of Consumers prefer to order direct from restaurants, not Third-Party Services. With that said, an increasing amount of consumers are trying to support local restaurants and businesses more than they did pre pandemic. 67% of consumers — and 72% of millennials — say they’re committed to supporting small businesses more than they did pre-pandemic. Put these two together, and it should be a strong case to consider offering a streamlined online-takeout solution for your restaurant.
Accept Commission Free Online Ordering & Takeout
Have a QR Code Menu Available
Digital QR code menus are easy, affordable and can save tons of money on printing costs. Plus, they can help your guests feel safer about touching menus and other surfaces that could be infected. You can claim a free digital menu in just a couple of steps by clicking the link below.
Get Your QR Code Menu
Contactless Payment Options
Contactless payments are growing in popularity. In fact, a study showed that 74% of consumers will use more contactless payments in 2021. Contactless payments can include a credit card tap or even better direct payment from the customer’s phone.
The Benefits of Contactless Ordering for Dine-In or Table Service
To help recover from this unprecedented time, restaurants offering dine-in service should consider a contactless ordering system. A simple, free system can impact table turnover, increase margins, improve customer experience, and even net more tips for servers or bartenders. Here are 5 ways contactless ordering & payment can help your restaurant.
Save Time & Free Up Staff
Table turnover is one of the many important metrics restaurants should be monitoring. Allowing guests to place orders directly from their mobile device, straight to the bar or kitchen can greatly reduce the time needed to punch in multiple orders to a POS.
On the other hand, it also frees up your service staff to do what they do best – provide amazing customer service, and ensure your guests have a great dining experience. Reducing the time staff spends on inputting orders, closing tables, and splitting bills results in a better customer experience, more time allotted to answering questions, double-checking order quality, and making sure diners are fully satisfied.
It’s also very helpful if your restaurant is understaffed due to unforeseen circumstances. People get sick, things come up, but that’s life. Having a mobile ordering system at least as an option can greatly reduce the stress put on an understaffed restaurant.
Less Errors, Refunds, and Comps
Contactless or mobile ordering puts the guest in charge of their order. Specifying allergies, food preferences or dietary restrictions is easier than ever. Enabling contactless ordering truly puts the customer in complete control of the specifics of their orders.
With the continued rise of vegan, vegetarian, and other dietary preferences, restaurants are placed in a tough spot. There’s the need to offer dishes to cater to these customers, but also a higher risk of wastage due to errors. Having a mobile or contactless menu ordering system can streamline these modifiers, making sure the guest gets exactly what they ordered.
Increase Average Check Size
Some studies suggest that contactless options actually encourage consumers to spend more money. For instance, research shows that payment behaviour in University Students were heavily influenced by contactless options. Also, a study by Mastercard shows that those who used contactless credit cards spent 30% more than those who didn’t over a 12 month period.
Mobile ordering across industries has proven this time and time again. Using tactics such as recommended add-ons, pairings or extras can greatly improve average check size. This strategy is used successfully in both e-commerce and delivery services. Studies show that the increase in revenue can be anywhere from 5% to 31% from recommended items.
Increase Tips
Another misconception surrounding contactless ordering is that customers will not tip serving staff. This is also false! Research from Square shows that contactless payments actually increase the amounts. And it makes sense. Because the servers can pay closer attention to the floor, the table had time to ask questions and learn more about the establishment and its offerings. Furthermore, the guest didn’t have to wait too long to get a drink refill or make a change to their order. Finally, when the food comes out, it’s hot, fresh, and meets the guest’s dietary needs. The customers had a great experience because of the elevated service made possible by the contactless ordering system. This results in a higher tip than usual.
Contactless Ordering for Dine-In Service
Contactless ordering is a very serious opportunity for restaurants to take their service, quality and guest experience to the next level. It can save time, improve service, save waste, impact margins and net staff larger tips.
If you’re a restaurant owner or manager, and are thinking about making a transition towards a contactless dine-in ordering system, don’t hesitate to get in contact with us. OrderUp is, and always will be completely free for restaurants. From a QR code menu, to ordering and payment systems – we never charge you a dime.
With that said, using an OrderUp menu, does not mean that you have to switch your existing systems, staffing, or menus. Perhaps only certain sections or certain customers will use it in certain situations. It’s better to be prepared and cover all bases.
If you’d like to learn more, simply send us an email and we’d be happy to answer any questions: [email protected]
