Snacking and Online Ordering

Posted by Tim on June 11, 2014
It’s not uncommon for some restaurants to get a surge of takeout orders in the afternoon.  While some may be late lunch or early dinner orders, they aren’t always full meals.  A lot of the time it’s a snack-type order.  A recent report reveals that about 50% of eating occasions are snack related.  Experts attribute this largely to busy lifestyles, but there are other contributing factors: 

  • 73% of snacking is physically driven – combatting hunger (44%), nutritional support (15%) and the need for a sudden burst of energy (12%), which explains the late afternoon aspect. 
  • 36% is emotionally driven – 23% of the people in this category use snacking as a time-marker in their day. There is also boredom alleviation (13%) and those who use snacking as a way to reward themselves (6%).
  • 28% of snacking is socially and culturally driven, including people who are bonding around food. 
  • Then there is something called ‘aimless snacking’ (27%), which is attributed to the constant availability of food and beverages. 

The numbers add to more than 100% because there is a good deal of overlap in consumer motivations for a snack. 

What does this mean for restaurant online ordering?  1) Make sure your appetizer and snack selections are listed on your online ordering menu, and 2) consider adding items that are both ideal for an afternoon snack and are a sure bet for takeout popularity. 

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NetWaiter Expands with Another Facebook Integration

NetWaiter Expands with Another Facebook Integration

Posted by Tim on August 24, 2012

With the widely recognized importance of social media, NetWaiter recently introduced another Facebook integration, called the NetWaiter Ordering App for Facebook.

With NetWaiter’s new Facebook App, customers are able to place orders directly from a restaurant’s Facebook page.  When customers visit a restaurant’s Facebook page, they can simply click “Order Online” and place their order.

According to a recent study by the National Restaurant Association, more than 95% of restaurant owners and managers acknowledge they will be on Facebook within two years.  "Social media is an increasingly popular way for restaurants to connect with customers,” said Jared Shimoff, a Sr. Director at NetWaiter.  “The new NetWaiter Ordering App for Facebook provides restaurants more exposure and allows customers another easy way to place orders,” added Shimoff.

This new Facebook App is not NetWaiter's first foray into social media.  In 2010, NetWaiter became the first online ordering provider to integrate Facebook into the ordering process.  When a customer orders online from a restaurant using NetWaiter, they can click a Facebook icon to quickly login and complete their order.  With the customer’s permission, a post is made to their wall/timeline that lets their friends know about their recent order.  The post includes the restaurant’s logo and a link for the customer’s friends to view their menu and also order.

The NetWaiter Ordering App is easy to install.  Restaurants can start the installation process from their NetWaiter Management Console and have it working on their Facebook page immediately.

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