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.