This incident could have been disastrous for this restaurant, but cooler heads prevailed.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees ordered takeout at Del Mar Rendezvous, a Chinese restaurant in San Diego, CA, where he used to live and where he is still involved in the community.  The order was in excess of $70.  Somehow, a picture of the receipt got into the hands of a website called The Dirty.  The website posted the photo and called Brees a cheap (insert expletive) for tipping three dollars on the order. 

Daniel Shalom Schreiber, one of the partners of Del Mar Rendezvous, did several smart things very quickly.  1) He took responsibility for the incident and apologized to Brees for the unwanted attention.  2) He determined the receipt did not come from the restaurant staff (it sounds like a rogue guest snapped the photo during the brief moment the receipt was exposed).  3) He wrote and posted a very classy letter on the restaurant’s website explaining the situation, apologizing to Brees again, praising  him for his benevolence in the San Diego community, and also pointed out that the tip was, in fact generous, as most customers don't tip for takeout at his restaurant.  4) He donated $888.88 to the Brees Dream Foundation (eight being a lucky number in Chinese culture). 

In our opinion, Schreiber took a potential disaster and turned it into a PR success by being calm and thoughtful.  For that, we give him a NetWaiter salute.  In addition, his personal donation to the Brees Dream Foundation was above and beyond the call of duty.

Let the record reflect that THIS WAS A TAKEOUT ORDER.  Tips on takeout orders are not typically expected, because the level of “service” (if any) is miniscule, especially compared to dine-in orders.  As most waiters/waitresses would acknowledge, any tip on a takeout order is appreciated, regardless of the amount.  Mr. Brees, it doesn’t matter how much money you make or how many passing yards you throw, your tip should NOT be considered small.  The irony is, if no tip was left, there probably wouldn’t be any controversy.  Regardless, it sounds like Mr. Schreiber and the restaurant staff certainly do appreciate your business and tip.

 If true, it’s unfortunate that a rogue guest thought it was important to 1) take a picture of Brees’s receipt and 2) get it posted online in an attempt to embarrass him.  That’s completely classless.  For that, we think you’re a jackass.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A number that everyone in the restaurant industry has consistently speculated about was recently revealed.  According to BI Intelligence, Americans spend $70 billion a year for takeout and delivery of restaurant food.  Of that amount, the share that is ordered online is a whopping $9 billion, or just under 13%.

Here are some other important numbers to consider:

•    When restaurants enable online ordering, total orders per month at their establishment increase by an average of 11%.

•    The mobile component of digital ordering is growing at an even faster rate and now makes up about 23% of online food orders.

•    An online customer is more likely to re-order within 60 days, compared to a walk-in customer, simply because online ordering is so convenient.

With these kinds of numbers, the next question becomes, what type of online ordering should you choose for your restaurant?

•    Branded or Not?  NetWaiter is a branded online ordering system.  As opposed to portals, which feature hundreds of restaurants, NetWaiter provides an online ordering site specific to your restaurant, reflecting the look and feel of your brand.
 
•    Get Paid or Not?  NetWaiter processes payments instantly and directly to clients.  Portals are infamous for charging customers directly and then holding onto the money for weeks or longer.  Full control over payment processing is an important question to answer.

•    Mobile or Not?  The numbers clearly indicate how critical mobile ordering is to your restaurant.  Make sure your site is fully functional on all mobile devices.

•    Customer Access or Not?  Online ordering opens up a world of opportunities for restaurants.  Having access to your customer information is the first step to maximizing those benefits.  Not all systems provide that access, especially portals.

If you already have a NetWaiter site, rest easy knowing that you have the premier online ordering system in the industry.  If you want to read more about implementing online ordering and the various options available to restaurants, read this whitepaper from NetWaiter.