Online Ordering — the next frontier for restaurants?

Have you guys seen this new survey?

 

Consumers embracing online food ordering, new survey finds.

Nearly half of survey respondents prefer ordering with the internet

 

San Francisco, CA — A new survey by SurveyTool.com finds that over 47% of consumers prefer to order takeout food online. With only around a quarter of all chain restaurants offering online ordering today, the survey is further proof that online ordering has the potential to be a burgeoning revenue stream for the restaurant owners, despite the industry’s slow adoption of the technology.
 
Consumers, on the other hand, appear ready to embrace online ordering:
 

• Out of 277 respondents, 187 (67%) said they have ordered food online; nearly half prefer to order takeout online.
• The most common foods respondents had ordered online: Pizza (88%), Asian food (32%), Chicken Concepts (32%), and Mexican (28%). 

 
“Consumers are clear in their response: online ordering is the next frontier for restaurants,” Zack Martin, marketing associate for SurveyTool.com said. “We’ve found that 92% of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with their experience ordering online. Restaurants that embrace this technology now have a chance to put themselves significantly ahead of the competition.”
 
When asked why they chose to order online, respondents noted a number of benefits:
 

• 59% said they liked being able to view the entire menu as they order
• 57% said it was easier than talking to a live person (no time pressure, no language barriers, etc.)
• 53% said online ordering reduces mistakes with their orders
• 50% said it was faster

 
A large majority of respondents (about 78%) said they would like small, local restaurants in their communities to start accepting online orders. Local hamburger joints were a clear winner with over a third of all respondents stating they thought the classic neighborhood cheeseburger was due for an online reinvention.
 
Smart phone applications for food ordering like Grubhub, City Mint, and Chipotle are also popular. Over 50% of smart phone users answering the survey said they had at least one mobile food-ordering app.
 

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So.....What are you trying to sell?

lmao !!....my thoughts exactly.....
besides, your report there is about 300% BS, and 124% wishful thinking
....if you ever show up again and are curious as to why i think that, i'll be glad to share it with ya..... 

The web site he cites is a legitimate web site AND what the article states is the wave of the future for take out businesses, especially if you do a big lunch business. If you have a Brick & Mortar location I would set it up. 1/2 hour lunch hours are now the norm. Many people don't have time to sit down and eat. Not as critical for a mobile business, BUT Facebook and Twitter lend themselves to Mobile businesses.
Remember when people faxed their orders in? This is the next generation of that. It's actually more efficient than taking orders over the phone.
Some of you were pooh-poohing Jimmy Johns on another thread. Guess what? They're doing a ton of business with online ordering and delivery! Food may be lousy but they're selling convenience, not food. They even have their own iphone App!
There are web sites popping up all over the country specifically designed to expedite online food ordering. Many of them are geographically specific. To name a few-
delivery.com
grubhub.com
seamlessweb.com The best way to order delivery and takeout food from 6,500 restaurants in 27 cities
waiter.com
diningin.com
getquick.com
campusfood.com
Schwans.com
All the Pizza Chains are doing it as well as the smaller guys.
etc., etc., etc., etc., etc.,
If you ain't there someone else will be filling food orders for your customers.
If you don't have a web site shame on you. If you have a web site and don't have a link for online ordering, double shame on you! 
Embrace Technology and Change or Perish!

oohh i dont doubt the legitimacy of the article i just dont believe his numbers....
 
and his statement of "burgeoning revenue stream"......just dont believe it......
a phone customer swapping to online orders is still the same customer.... and many times, a brand new customer i feel would prefer the phone if for no other reason then to hash out modifications, picky eater syndrome....after which, he is now simply a customer doing it online instead of the phone.....
and faxing orders was all the rage, for about a year..... then it petered out almost overnight in a lot of places......im sure its still a mainstay in a lot of areas, but i can think right off the top of my head a dozen places that stopped doing because of finicky orders misunderstood, disappearing customers after food was cooked, etc...etc....
the only difference i see online orders giving is the ability to charge payment before order is filled.....
dont get me wrong, i like the idea, and will probably use it if/when i start deliveries downtown...... but i dont think its going to be the huge money maker everyone makes it out to be..... just simply a different form of communication
 
i have ordered pizza online a few times, just for the novelty of it..... but i like my thin crust pizza ran through the oven twice, you cant specify that online, so i still have to call in if i want it that way.....
 
remember the good ol' days when customer service was a face to face situation.... or at least a voice to voice......
then everyone went to computerized systems for the efficiency and the "bigger better faster" aspects, and now slowly but surely a lot of places are going back to real life customer service.... granted, theirs a good chance you will be talking to "james" with a heavy indian accent, but still, its a person on the other end....
 
places like schwans, yes, i see them being online kings, but for everyday lunch orders, i just think after its all said and done, there is just too many variables in what people want to eat for it to be anything more then simply a different form of communication for the eat it like its cooked crowd.... 
 
 

BackAlleyBurger


oohh i dont doubt the legitimacy of the article i just dont believe his numbers....

and his statement of "burgeoning revenue stream"......just dont believe it......
a phone customer swapping to online orders is still the same customer.... and many times, a brand new customer i feel would prefer the phone if for no other reason then to hash out modifications, picky eater syndrome....after which, he is now simply a customer doing it online instead of the phone.....
and faxing orders was all the rage, for about a year..... then it petered out almost overnight in a lot of places......im sure its still a mainstay in a lot of areas, but i can think right off the top of my head a dozen places that stopped doing because of finicky orders misunderstood, disappearing customers after food was cooked, etc...etc....
the only difference i see online orders giving is the ability to charge payment before order is filled.....
dont get me wrong, i like the idea, and will probably use it if/when i start deliveries downtown...... but i dont think its going to be the huge money maker everyone makes it out to be..... just simply a different form of communication

i have ordered pizza online a few times, just for the novelty of it..... but i like my thin crust pizza ran through the oven twice, you cant specify that online, so i still have to call in if i want it that way.....

A couple points;

1. They're not his numbers, their the article writers numbers.
2. If a phone customer calls in and can't get through, they're frustrated. there's no delay ordering online. When's the last time you picked up a phone book to look for a restaurant verses going online?
3. If online ordering is available you may pick up new customers who wouldn't call--IF you have a web site with online ordering capability.
4. You can design your online ordering system to handle special requests and comments sections. But you must train your staff to follow the special requests.
5. Faxes were more difficult to handle than online ordering and restaurants didn't know how to design an order sheet that made it easy for the customer to order. Online quickly replaced faxes. When's the last time you sent a fax? They'll be in the museum soon right along side the typewriter and the dial telephone.
6. It's all about convenience for the customer. Make it as easy for them to buy from you as you possibly can.
7. Do a survey with your phone customers and ask them which they would prefer to use and don't let your biases creep into how you ask them the questions. Be objective.
8. It's not God's answer to increasing your business but it's just another tool in your toolbox at a relatively low cost.

Foodbme

BackAlleyBurger


oohh i dont doubt the legitimacy of the article i just dont believe his numbers....

and his statement of "burgeoning revenue stream"......just dont believe it......
a phone customer swapping to online orders is still the same customer.... and many times, a brand new customer i feel would prefer the phone if for no other reason then to hash out modifications, picky eater syndrome....after which, he is now simply a customer doing it online instead of the phone.....
and faxing orders was all the rage, for about a year..... then it petered out almost overnight in a lot of places......im sure its still a mainstay in a lot of areas, but i can think right off the top of my head a dozen places that stopped doing because of finicky orders misunderstood, disappearing customers after food was cooked, etc...etc....
the only difference i see online orders giving is the ability to charge payment before order is filled.....
dont get me wrong, i like the idea, and will probably use it if/when i start deliveries downtown...... but i dont think its going to be the huge money maker everyone makes it out to be..... just simply a different form of communication

i have ordered pizza online a few times, just for the novelty of it..... but i like my thin crust pizza ran through the oven twice, you cant specify that online, so i still have to call in if i want it that way.....

A couple points;

1. They're not his numbers, their the article writers numbers. actually, if were going to split hairs, i think the numbers belong to surveytool.com, not the article writer
2. If a phone customer calls in and can't get through, they're frustrated. there's no delay ordering online. When's the last time you picked up a phone book to look for a restaurant verses going online? just about every time im out of town in a hotel room, i just find it faster
3. If online ordering is available you may pick up new customers who wouldn't call--IF you have a web site with online ordering capability. i agree with this to an extent, but i cant see even the most hard core techno geek shunning a place that has great word of mouth just because he cant order with his iphone
4. You can design your online ordering system to handle special requests and comments sections. But you must train your staff to follow the special requests. i have ordered from dominoes several times, if i am not mistaken i think they were coined as leaders in the field of online ordering, so i think there is still a lot of growing and tweaking to be done to be 100% viable
5. Faxes were more difficult to handle than online ordering and restaurants didn't know how to design an order sheet that made it easy for the customer to order. Online quickly replaced faxes. When's the last time you sent a fax? They'll be in the museum soon right along side the typewriter and the dial telephone. i have sent several faxes just the last couple of weeks (insurance and job apps) faxes were requested due to needing signatures for policy and background requests
6. It's all about convenience for the customer. Make it as easy for them to buy from you as you possibly can. i agree with this
7. Do a survey with your phone customers and ask them which they would prefer to use and don't let your biases creep into how you ask them the questions. Be objective. im good with this, and will definitely keep it in mind when the time comes 
8. It's not God's answer to increasing your business but it's just another tool in your toolbox at a relatively low cost.  uumm yea......... i think we came to the same conclusion.... my way of saying it was "simply a different form of communication"

Online ordering is just another step in the process. I would like to see the year to year figures on how many people use the drive thru window. I stop at our local Jack in the Crack,  the drive thru is packed and no one is in the restaurant. I think it's just a matter of time until you see drive thru and internet ordering only. The smaller operation  will cut down on labor and sq ft cost of building and land for fast food restaurants. You will also see all the restaurants offering home delivery. Every restaurant will contract with a local food delivery company that will offer this service for a charge. That way every restaurant doesn't have to have their own delivery employees, liability, taxes, benefits and so on.  The future of fast food is all about getting  people what they want, when they want it in a fast efficient way. This is also just the beginning of mobil food service, you will  see Chef/ cooks delivering to homes, from their mobil kitchens, with a selection of Chef quality foods that used to only be found in quality restaurants.........pnwc

PNWCHEF


Online ordering is just another step in the process. I would like to see the year to year figures on how many people use the drive thru window. I stop at our local Jack in the Crack,  the drive thru is packed and no one is in the restaurant. I think it's just a matter of time until you see drive thru and internet ordering only. The smaller operation  will cut down on labor and sq ft cost of building and land for fast food restaurants. You will also see all the restaurants offering home delivery. Every restaurant will contract with a local food delivery company that will offer this service for a charge. That way every restaurant doesn't have to have their own delivery employees, liability, taxes, benefits and so on.  The future of fast food is all about getting  people what they want, when they want it in a fast efficient way. This is also just the beginning of mobil food service, you will  see Chef/ cooks delivering to homes, from their mobil kitchens, with a selection of Chef quality foods that used to only be found in quality restaurants.........pnwc

 
This is already being done in other places  and in the pizza venue. Canada has been doing this for awhile. They get your order and cook it on the way. Delivery right out of the oven to your door. Their is a person in Fond Du Lac WS that started a mobile pizza kitchen in that area. Now I hear California Pizza Kitchens is looking into this.

The only problem I have with online ordering is the ease of it.
What I mean is.  If you call and can not get through then you know they are busy and might have to wait.  If you go there and it is busy you can move on.  If you add online ordering then you might have some ticked off people. 
 
To the customer it is instant, and if 100 customers order instantly, you will have a major kitchen meltdown, going in the weeds now becomes going into the jungle and getting lost.
 
This is my only concern.  Society is relying too much on technology.  Your not online!  You don't have a Blackberry! OMG
 
Al
 

agmccall


The only problem I have with online ordering is the ease of it.
What I mean is.  If you call and can not get through then you know they are busy and might have to wait.  If you go there and it is busy you can move on.  If you add online ordering then you might have some ticked off people. 

To the customer it is instant, and if 100 customers order instantly, you will have a major kitchen meltdown, going in the weeds now becomes going into the jungle and getting lost.

This is my only concern.  Society is relying too much on technology.  Your not online!  You don't have a Blackberry! OMG

Al

Not only is society relying more and more on technology, people no longer are able to be patient, and especially younger folks now expect instant gratification of their every want and need.  The perfect example is in today's Zits comic strip, where the teenage boy says, "I have a five-page paper due tomorrow that's going to take forever!"  Seven and one-half minutes later he has it done and his father remarks, "Seems like forever took a lot longer when we were kids."  The teenager responds with "Everything did, Dad."
 
It is no surprise that Fast Food (with emphasis on the word Fast) proliferates at the expense of Good Food, and I can see it only getting worse.

agmccall


The only problem I have with online ordering is the ease of it.
HUH???? That's the whole point of it!
What I mean is.  If you call and can not get through then you know they are busy and might have to wait.  If you go there and it is busy you can move on.  If you add online ordering then you might have some ticked off people. 
Just the opposite is true. Online ordering allows a restaurant more time to prepare your order in order for it to be ready when you get there. A good manager can direct the work flow to get the maximum productivity out of the kitchen people. It lessens the chance of a place getting "Slammed" with people in the restaurant waiting for their food.
To the customer it is instant, and if 100 customers order instantly, you will have a major kitchen meltdown, going in the weeds now becomes going into the jungle and getting lost.
Unless you're a really big operation, the chances of getting 100 orders instantly is slim to none.
This is my only concern.  Society is relying too much on technology.  Your not online!  You don't have a Blackberry! OMG
Guess what? "Society" will be using more and more technology. Us older folks don't like it but it's inevitable. So you better learn to embrace technology, even if you don't like it. The days of the Dick Tracy Video Watch are upon us!

Al

PNWCHEF


Online ordering is just another step in the process. I would like to see the year to year figures on how many people use the drive thru window. I stop at our local Jack in the Crack,  the drive thru is packed and no one is in the restaurant. I think it's just a matter of time until you see drive thru and internet ordering only. The smaller operation  will cut down on labor and sq ft cost of building and land for fast food restaurants. You will also see all the restaurants offering home delivery. Every restaurant will contract with a local food delivery company that will offer this service for a charge. That way every restaurant doesn't have to have their own delivery employees, liability, taxes, benefits and so on.  The future of fast food is all about getting  people what they want, when they want it in a fast efficient way. This is also just the beginning of mobil food service, you will  see Chef/ cooks delivering to homes, from their mobil kitchens, with a selection of Chef quality foods that used to only be found in quality restaurants.........pnwc

You're right on target!
I've done this. I've gone to Jack in the Box and there's a substantial line at the Drive -thru. I make note of the last car in line, make, model, color etc. I go inside and order and watch the line outside. Most times my target car will get their order before I do! The people behind the counter tend to favor the drive thru customers. They have that through-put mentality engrained into them during training.

I've online ordered a few times for takeout from Lucille's Barbecue. I have to admit, it made it really easy and the order was ready when I got there. Plus, they (at least at a few of the locations) have a separate take out window/counter so it makes for a pretty painless process.

EdSails


I've online ordered a few times for takeout from Lucille's Barbecue. I have to admit, it made it really easy and the order was ready when I got there. Plus, they (at least at a few of the locations) have a separate take out window/counter so it makes for a pretty painless process.

You now see designated parking spaces in front of restaurants that don't have drive thru's to make it easier for customers to pick up their takeout orders

Foodbme

EdSails


I've online ordered a few times for takeout from Lucille's Barbecue. I have to admit, it made it really easy and the order was ready when I got there. Plus, they (at least at a few of the locations) have a separate take out window/counter so it makes for a pretty painless process.

You now see designated parking spaces in front of restaurants that don't have drive thru's to make it easier for customers to pick up their takeout orders

 
and on friday and saturday nights, they are abused just as badly as handicapped spaces

In today's demanding world, more and more people are turning to the web for simple ways to order food from their favorite restaurants. If you are a business owner and don't have your own website, there is a good opportunity you are losing business to your competitors. In addition, having a website does not promise that you will get the desired users coming to your site and this is where eatonline, an expert on online restaurant menus and online ordering can help.

Yeah that is a good point, and we do see some new players, such as Mealdestiny.com, trying to do exactly that: give people what they want, when they want, and makes the whole ordering process from decision to ordering very easy.