Delivery and pickup are what helped restaurants make it
through the lockdowns. When dining-in was completely
banned, these were the only available options for
restaurants to continue operating. With phones ringing off
the hook, restaurants needed a more efficient manner to
process orders and so they turned to food ordering apps.
Since food ordering apps were the instant fix restaurants
needed to brave the pandemic, it is easy to see them
simply as a sales channel. Another equally valuable
benefit of these platforms that is too often overlooked is
cost-cutting. Food ordering apps help restaurants avoid
unnecessary expenses because:
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They are run and managed internally
Food ordering apps are easy to navigate and manage.
Setting it up is straightforward and takes very little
time. There is no need to hire an expert and pay
additional wages or fork out money for extensive
training for staff. Once it is up and running anyone
working in the restaurant can use it and there will be
no need to bring in a designated app operator. Staff
with access to the app can swiftly make changes,
carrying out menu updates, activating promotions,
changing photos and executing any other tweaks as
needed. Because there is no need to pay someone new to
operate the app, these platforms save restaurants a
lot of money.
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They prevent mistakes
By digitizing the taking of orders, food ordering apps
remove the element of human error (at least from the
restaurant's side). The restaurant receives the
customer's order exactly as it was placed. Nothing
gets lost in translation due to static on the phone
line, background noise or even thick accents. The
customer can make special requests and customize the
dishes through the notes function on the app and the
restaurant can follow these instructions. Ultimately
the restaurant is able to give the customer exactly
what they requested, preempting returned orders or
complaints, both of which are very costly. Should
there be any queries on an order, the records can be
accessed by both sides and the matter can be quickly
resolved. The food ordering app eliminates the costs
associated with botched up orders and saves
restaurants a lot of money.
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They are data goldmines
Understanding customers and their preferences is key
to a successful business. Food ordering apps offer
data analytics that give restaurant operators valuable
insights into customers. Information on what the most
popular dishes are, what times menu items are most in
demand, what special requests customers make, and
other such facts are vital for decision-making and
marketing. Data analytics show restaurateurs the
ground reality of their operations, reveal areas that
need attention and make predictions about future
sales. Contracting a data specialist is expensive -
there are very few of them around and they are in high
demand. By doing away with the need for an expert, the
in-app data analytics saves restaurants a lot of
money.
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There is one caveat, though. This kind of saving happens
only when a restaurant has their own custom-branded app.
Aggregators charge restaurants very hefty fees and these
can range from 15-30%. Restaurants already operate on very
slim margins and these exorbitant commissions mean that
most food outlets do not make any money when using an
aggregator. True, the orders keep rolling in, but once the
fees have been deducted there is no profit. The extreme
situation is that restaurants actually make losses through
these third-party apps.
When a restaurant has its own custom-branded food ordering
app, the only cost involved is a nominal flat monthly fee.
There is no third-party to pay commissions to and so they
get to keep all the profits they make.