Mobile ordering at restaurants is here and growing rapidly.

If you had any doubts, take into consideration a recent report that Starbucks has processed more than 26 million mobile transactions so far this year.  Impressive, especially considering that 2011 was the first year they offered such a service.

Since launching, Starbucks has heavily promoted the ability for customers to pay for their coffee with their Smartphones – all the while – helping to train customers to use their mobile device when interacting with other restaurants.  We should all thank Starbucks for this.

Thank you, Starbucks, for making everyone more aware of how convenient a Smartphone can be for customers and its ability to help process payments (or takeout orders at other restaurants).

According to a July 2011 Pew Report, 1 out of every 3 mobile phones is a Smartphone and 25% of those users consider their Smartphone their primary link to the internet.

When NetWaiter launched its own mobile ordering platform, nearly two years ago, we automatically made it part of every restaurant’s ordering system.  Within a week, there was a substantial traffic increase, and it continues to grow rapidly.

NetWaiter’s technology is able to determine when a customer accesses a restaurant’s NetWaiter site with their mobile device.  The system automatically recognizes the device and displays the appropriate mobile site.  Navigation is made simple, ordering is simple, and payment is simple.

NetWaiter also makes unique QR Codes available for each restaurant, allowing takeout customers to scan the code with their Smartphone and immediately access the restaurant’s mobile site.  All the work is done by NetWaiter – if your restaurant has a NetWaiter site, you’re automatically provided a mobile site and QR Code, customized for your restaurant.

For more information about NetWaiter’s custom mobile sites and QR Codes, please contact NetWaiter. 

Online ordering is one of the best tools restaurants can use to position themselves against larger chains that dominate the market.  Indeed, there might not be a better time to be an independent or small chain than right now, especially if you offer online ordering.

Yahoo Finance reports that customer traffic at large casual-dining restaurants slid 2% this past December. Reasons cited for this traffic decrease? Oversaturation, to be sure. How many large intersections in a city contain two or more casual-dining concepts?

Another is the rise of fast casual chains, the most prominent examples of which are Chipotle and Panera. Restaurants like these have seen sales increase 15% annually for the last five years. What do they offer? Made-to-order meals, made in a hurry. To sum it up in one word we all know well, they offer - convenience.

Also, a consumer trend we are seeing return is called “cocooning”, a word first coined back in 1981. Large-screen HD televisions, services such as Netflix, and the ability to buy almost anything online has resulted in more and more consumers coming home from work and never leaving the house again.

If they don’t want to go out for a meal or cook at home, their only alternative is the convenience of takeout. This is why online ordering is so helpful.  Customers crave convenience, especially takeout customers.  Offering customers the ability to order from your NetWaiter site helps them just as much as it helps your restaurant.

Part of running any successful business is making it easier for customers to purchase your product.  It’s the same for restaurants. 

As Rob Hough, of Technisource, said in a recent QSR article, “Sometimes technology can boost customer experience." 

We agree, especially if an improved customer experience makes it easier for customers to make a purchase.  So, the question is: How does NetWaiter improve the customer experience?  We polled some clients to hear what they have noticed with their customers.  Here is what they shared:

Denise Pontillo of Pontillo's Pizza, with multiple locations in New York, says that it's all about convenience.  "We get a lot of customers ordering from the office.  They don't want to get on the phone at work, so they get online, sometimes from their cell phone, and schedule their pick-up or delivery.  The convenience is what they are looking for."

Steve Osterholz of The Jackson Underground Cafe, in North Carolina, agrees and says, "It's all about convenience.  People really like it.  They are creatures of habit.  NetWaiter automatically has their last order in the system.  Customers love to just re-order.  It is a more convenient platform to use."

Mark Forinash of Cafe Moxo in Springfield, Illinois, reveals that his customers’ convenience really pays off.  "We've seen online ordering ticket sizes double.  When customers call in, there is a lot of background noise.  Employees try to take their time, but they're often in a hurry.  Unconsciously, the customer keeps the order short.  With NetWaiter though, people can take their time and go through the menu at their own pace."

Andrea Snyder of Urban Cookhouse, with multiple locations in Alabama, says that online ordering results in larger orders for her restaurants too.  "We use NetWaiter for our catering business.  A lot of pharmaceutical reps and law offices order from us.  When these large orders come in via telephone, customers often try to negotiate, which cuts into our profit margin.  Catering orders coming in online, however, obviously bypass that process.  The customers are happy to trade saving a few dollars for the convenience NetWaiter provides them."

Customer is king in any business.  By encouraging your takeout customers to use NetWaiter, their improved experience will lead to your improved bottom line.