When it comes to restaurant online ordering platforms, there are many features to look for. However, with so many restaurant ordering platforms on the market, it can be challenging to decide which one is right for your business.

Not all platforms are created equal, and each one offers different benefits. Thus, it’s crucial to find the platform that fits your restaurant’s specific needs.

This blog post will discuss the features you should be looking for when choosing a restaurant online ordering platform. Let’s get started!

Restaurant Online Ordering Platform

A restaurant online ordering platform is a system that enables customers to order food and beverages from a restaurant through mobile, voice, or web-based interfaces. The order can be  for takeout, catering, or delivery.

Customers can browse different types of menu, select items, and add them to their cart on the platform. Once they have finished selecting all the items they want, they can check out and pay for their order or change their mind at the last minute. This action can lead to abandoned carts.

When a customer abandons their shopping cart, businesses lose out on potential revenue. To combat this, many eCommerce stores use a strategy called abandoned cart recovery.

Businesses will send abandoned cart email sequences, which are automated emails sent to customers after they leave their cart to encourage them to come back and complete their purchase. Upon checking out, they can pay for their order using a credit card or other online payment processing companies they prefer.

Many restaurant online ordering platforms support popular payment gateway providers such as PayPal and Stripe. Others accept digital wallets like Google Pay and Apple Pay. Once payment is captured, the order taken is integrated directly into the restaurant’s systems, preparing the food and delivering it to the customer.

Online Ordering System for Restaurant Owners: 14 Features to Look For

There are several features to look for when choosing an online ordering platform for your restaurant. These features will ensure that you get the best possible solution for your business.

Here are 14 of the most essential features to keep in mind when choosing an online ordering platform for your restaurant:

1. Ease of Use

The platform should be easy for both you and your customers to use. It should be intuitive and user-friendly so that anyone can place an order with just a few clicks.

2. Unified Digital Ordering

You should be able to manage and execute orders from different channels. Using a unified approach, you can get a clear overview of your sales from all media in one place.

It will help you make better decisions about inventory levels and order fulfillment. In addition, using a system with Omni channel capabilities such as the omni channel ordering system and omni channel order fulfillment will help you keep your customers satisfied by providing them with a consistent experience across all channels.

3. Payment Options

The platform should work with most online payment services including credit cards, digital wallets, and other subscription payments to accommodate differing needs. It should also cater to different online payment servicing companies, payment gateway providers, and follow strict PCI compliance.

There are a few different scenarios in which a restaurant might choose to utilize subscription payments. For example, if the restaurant offers a monthly meal plan, it could use a subscription service to bill customers each month automatically.

Or, if the restaurant offers delivery or take-out service, it could use a subscription service to allow customers to order food on a recurring basis. In either case, subscription payments help streamline the restaurant’s billing and payment process.

4. Customer Support

If there are any problems with the platform or an order, you should be able to get help from customer support quickly and easily. Look for a platform that offers 24/7 customer support.

5. Scalability

As your restaurant grows, you’ll need a platform that can scale with you. Look for a platform that offers different pricing tiers so that you only pay for what you need.

6. System Integration

The best restaurant online ordering platforms will integrate seamlessly with your existing restaurant technology, such as restaurant or bar point of sale systems, payments, and Kitchen Display Controllers (KDC). This integration will make it easy to keep track of orders and payments and ensure that they are processed correctly.

7. Loyalty and Marketing Integrations

An online ordering system can also help you build loyalty among your customers. Look for systems that offer loyalty programs that give customers rewards for ordering from your restaurant.

Third-party restaurant marketing platform integrations enable your business to send outbound marketing messages to customers (like SMS and email campaigns) to promote your business.

8. Reporting and Analytics

An online ordering system should have reporting and business analytics tools to give you insights on your business. You should be able to see how many orders you’re getting, what items are being ordered the most, and how much revenue you’re generating.

9. Delivery Tracker

Both you and your customers should be able to track orders so that you can see where there might be delays. This feature is vital if you offer delivery or takeout service.

10. Live Order Alerts

Another great feature of a restaurant’s online ordering platform is order management software, which provides dashboards showing all active orders and any new orders. Such dashboards help the restaurant keep track of customers’ orders in real-time, enabling them to be alerted if there are any issues with an order.

11. Promotions

The platform should allow you to create promotions and discounts to attract more customers. You should also be able to send targeted emails and push notifications to promote specific items or deals.

12. Security

When running a restaurant, one of the most important things to keep in mind is security. It would be best to look for a platform that uses SSL encryption to keep data safe.

Your customers need to feel confident that their personal and financial information is safe when using your online ordering platform. That’s why it’s essential to choose a platform with a secure credit card payment gateway or payment processing software.

By doing so, you can help ensure that your customers’ information is protected and help build trust in your restaurant.

13. Ground Control

A restaurant online ordering platform should have an integrated delivery system to ensure orders are delivered promptly and accurately. It should also include a marketplace option to connect with third-party delivery services. Delivery enablement can also help expand your restaurant’s reach to new customers, and provide an additional revenue stream.

14. 360° Customer Profile View and Order History

An online ordering system for restaurants should allow owners to have a 360 degree view of their customers. This means that the customer’s contact information, order history, and any other relevant data should be visible to you.

Additionally, the system should allow owners to capture customer data and order activity from all channels in one place. This will help you better understand your customers and make more informed decisions about your business.

If you’re looking for a restaurant online ordering platform, these are 14 features to keep in mind. By finding a platform that offers all of these features, you can be sure you’re getting the best possible solution for your business.

Frequently Asked Questions About Restaurant Online Ordering Platform

What are the Benefits to a Restaurant Using an Online Ordering Platform?

There are plenty of good reasons to switch to an online ordering platform. Here are just some few benefits that might sway you:

• You’ll Save Time and Money on Training

An online ordering system is much easier for newbies than a traditional POS system to get the hang of. With an online ordering platform, your staff won’t need to spend as much time in training, and they’ll make fewer mistakes. This means that you’ll save time and money in the long run.

• You Can Offer More Payment Options

You can offer your customers more payment options with an online ordering system. This means that they’re more likely to find a payment method that works for them, leading to more sales for you.

• You Can Reach a Wider Audience

To reach a wider audience, you need to be where your customers are. And these days, that means being online. With an online ordering system, you can make it easy for customers to find and order from your restaurant, no matter where they are.

• You’ll Get Better Data

When you switch to an online ordering system, you’ll be able to track data more effectively. This data can help you make better decisions about your menu, marketing, and operations. In other words, it can help you run your restaurant more efficiently and effectively.

Why Online Ordering Is Important?

There are several reasons why online ordering is important for restaurants. The most obvious reason is that it can increase sales.

Customers who don’t want to come into the restaurant to dine can now order their favorite dishes from the comfort of their own homes. Additionally, online ordering streamlines the restaurant’s operations.

By taking orders online, restaurants can avoid dealing with a flurry of phone calls during busy periods. This can free up staff members to focus on other tasks, such as preparing food or providing customer service.

Finally, offering an online ordering option can make a restaurant more convenient for customers, leading to repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals. In today’s competitive marketplace, any advantage a restaurant can give itself is worth considering. Online ordering is one such advantage that is well worth implementing.

Best Online Ordering Platform for Restaurants

If you’re a restaurant owner looking for the best online ordering platform, look no further than Revolution’s Order One. Revolution’s Order One platform is the perfect solution for any restaurant looking to streamline their ordering process.

By integrating directly into your POS system, Order One eliminates the need for phone calls or delivery tablets at your location. Additionally, our platform supports online, mobile, and voice ordering so that you can take orders anywhere.

Plus, with delivery support from leading delivery service providers, you can offer your customers the convenience of delivery without hassle. With this platform, you can take advantage of unified digital ordering, which captures all digital takeout, delivery and catering ordering opportunities.

You can also view your customer’s profile and order history and get reporting and analytics. Additionally, you can integrate loyalty and marketing integrations, and deliver your orders directly to your customers.

Order One is the best online ordering platform for restaurants because it offers a unified omni-channel ordering experience that is easy to use and provides all the features you need to succeed.