Your restaurant may offer the best food, service, and ambiance in the City, but in 2025, that alone no longer guarantees success. Customer behavior has shifted, with convenience now being the top priority.
Since the pandemic, online food ordering has surged. The global market was valued at 770 billion dollars in 2022 and is expected to reach 1.4 trillion dollars by 2027. Most restaurants have already adapted to this change by implementing online ordering systems. Failing to do so puts you at risk of losing both customers and reputation.
An online ordering system can help increase order volume, streamline operations, enhance your brand, and offer easy customization. It enables personalized offers, better customer support, and most importantly, allows you to retain full profits instead of paying third-party fees.
Most restaurants, food joints and takeaways have deployed an online ordering system. Hence it has become necessary for restaurants to invest in online takeaway ordering system. With the market being so competitive, your reluctance to adopt new technology could result in loss of customers and reputation.
Last but not least, the online ordering system allows you to keep all the profits unlike the aggregator food apps. In this way, you can enjoy greater freedom and be a step ahead of your competitors. Now comes the hard part. How to select the best option that we need to manage restaurants online. We will discuss that in this blog.
What Is an Online Ordering System?
An online ordering system is a software solution that allows your restaurant or food business to receive and manage orders placed over the internet. It typically includes two main components: a customer-facing website and a backend admin interface.
Through the website, customers can browse your menu, customize their orders, and pay online. The admin interface allows your team to receive, track, and fulfill those orders efficiently.
In today’s market, having an online ordering system is no longer a luxury. It has become a basic expectation. The shift in consumer behavior after the pandemic has made digital ordering an essential part of running a successful food business.
If you want your restaurant to stay relevant and competitive beyond 2025, investing in an online ordering system is a smart and necessary step. The good news is that these systems are often affordable, quick to set up, and easy to use.
Not sure where to start? Keep reading for practical tips on how to choose and implement the right system for your business.
Do You Know! How does Online Food Ordering System Work?
Best Tips to Choose a Restaurant Online Ordering System
Choosing the right online ordering system for your restaurant can be a challenge, especially with so many options available in the market. However, it is a decision that can have a major impact on your operations, customer experience, and overall business growth.
Not every system will suit your needs. Some are built to handle complex workflows and large volumes, while others may lack flexibility or come with high costs that do not match the value they offer.
To help you make the right choice, here are some useful tips to keep in mind when selecting an online ordering system for your restaurant. These suggestions are designed to guide you toward a solution that supports your goals and sets you up for long-term success.
Review customer-facing design and user journey
Your online ordering system should offer a smooth and intuitive experience for your customers. A cluttered layout or confusing navigation can cause users to abandon their orders midway. Make sure the interface is easy to use, with clearly visible menu categories, product details, and a hassle-free checkout process. If customers can place orders without frustration, they are more likely to return and recommend your restaurant.
Verify customization options for branding
Your online ordering platform should reflect your restaurant’s identity. Look for systems that allow you to customize colors, logos, fonts, and promotional banners. A consistent visual identity builds trust and brand recall among customers. The ability to tailor the platform also helps you stand out in a crowded market.
Confirm real-time order tracking for customers and staff
Transparency during the ordering process enhances the customer experience. Your system should show real-time updates on order status, from confirmation to preparation to delivery. Internally, this feature helps your kitchen and delivery teams stay organized and responsive. Clear communication reduces confusion, delays, and support requests.
Look for loyalty, promo, and discount tools
A good ordering system should support customer retention through built-in loyalty programs and promotional features. Options like referral rewards, first-order discounts, and personalized coupons can increase repeat orders. These tools not only boost short-term sales but also help you build a loyal customer base. Make sure the system allows easy setup and tracking of all your campaigns.
Know your budget
Be it an online ordering software for restaurants or any other food business, you must always take into consideration the budget. Never exceed the budget. You will need funds for marketing, promotions, paying employee salaries, and running daily operations.
Be practical while choosing the best online restaurant ordering system for your food business. When will you be able to recover the cost of the software? Will it deliver the expected results? What is the estimated ROI? Think about these aspects before arriving at a decision.
At the same time, you must not settle for a generic or free online ordering system that fails to deliver the required results. You may save a dollar or two here but it will cost you heavily in the long run.
There are many free online ordering solutions in the market but don’t fall into the trap because those may not be customized for restaurants. Moreover, there is nothing free. There is always some catch involved. Either they will charge you for extra services like eCommerce integrations or fees for upgrades. Free ordering systems do not provide customer care services, so who will you turn to when your software stops working?
If you are managing a restaurant with online orders, there is no room for error. Opt for a customized ordering system with a paid subscription because you will receive technical assistance and robust customer service. Over time, such companies will introduce new updates and features that will be beneficial for your food business.
Hardware compatibility
Don’t forget to consider this aspect while shopping for an online ordering system. These days customers use a plethora of devices to access the web and place online orders. Your software should be compatible with digital devices like tablets, smartphones, and various platforms like iOS, Android, etc.
You must first run the software on the devices at your organization, familiarize your staff with it, and see how that goes. Make sure that the user experience (UX) is uniform across all platforms. Discontinue the subscription if you face continuous glitches and difficulties.
Easy integration
Another aspect you should be mindful of is how the software integrates with existing technology at your business, including apps and other hardware. If you experience any technical errors or inconveniences while using the new software, there’s a red flag right there. The primary objective of a restaurant’s online ordering software is to boost sales while increasing customer convenience. Look at popular food delivery apps and compare them with the one you tested.
Does it offer the same features? Does it meet your expectations or exceed them? If customers do not find your app’s interface easy to use and order, they will not hang around for long. Even the appearance and features should be attractive and impactful, encouraging them to order again & recommend it to others in their social circle.
Crucial features
Ask yourself this question: What kind of features would you expect from an online ordering system as a customer? Online restaurant ordering systems must have a few key features that will enhance the customer journey.
First, the software must have location navigation enabled. An effective location navigation feature facilitates easy fulfillment of online orders plus your staff will know if they can deliver to a particular area. Without accurate location navigation features, orders won’t be delivered on time, thereby tarnishing your reputation.
An online ordering system for restaurant should simplify the process of uploading menus and making changes to them whenever you want. Know that most people do not carry cash these days. Your online restaurant ordering software should accept various payment modes like credit/debit cards, internet banking, UPI, mobile payments, Apple Pay, smart speakers, social media payment options, and others.
Lastly, the restaurant ordering software must have a time tracking feature that tells customers when their order is about to arrive. This will enable them to plan their activities accordingly. Time management is crucial for restaurants and other food businesses because customers will highlight the slightest of mistakes on social media.
Time tracking becomes all the more important when catering for marriages, celebrations, and bulk orders.
Analytics
In 2025, data is money. The more you know about the market and your target audience, the more revenue you can generate. An online food ordering system for a restaurant must provide you with customer data to improve your services & increase profits. Most importantly, the data should be actionable and precise because cluttered, raw data is of no use.
The right data will help you introspect your business processes and conduct a SWOT analysis. Understanding customer behavior will help you create personalized promotion and marketing campaigns while creating ideal products/recipes. Hence, analytics can enable effective decision-making to get outstanding results.
Marketing functionality
Things that catch people’s attention is what sells like hot cakes, this is true in today’s times. Your restaurant/food joint must catch people’s attention and encourage them to interact with your brand.
The best online ordering system for your food business can improve your marketing efforts. You can create innovative promotional and loyalty programs to entice customers and keep them hooked to your services. Ensure that you have a solid strategy for your marketing campaigns because that is what will separate you from the herd.
Adaptability and simplicity
An ideal online ordering system for restaurant that should provide an exceptional user experience? Who are the users here? Both the customers and the business are the end-users. The ordering software for your restaurant must be scalable and adaptable to meet the business as well as customer requirements.
Your online restaurant ordering system should be simple and easy to use. If your staff and your customers are not able to navigate the software and utilize its functions, it is of no use. Talk to different providers, try different systems, and settle for one that fulfills all criteria. Do not compromise on convenience and functionality.
Read Also: Why Restaurant Need to Use QR Code Menus?
Pick-up options
Many food joints and restaurants provide the option for customers to collect their packages from a place of their choice. Don’t skip this feature, thinking people will make an effort because your food is super delicious. As stated above, convenience is what differentiates businesses from each other. Check with the provider if their online takeaway ordering system has a pick-up feature.
After-sales support & maintenance
Technology is an integral part of people’s lives and new updates/upgrades are being released each day. As a restaurant/takeaway owner, your job is to streamline operations and overcome challenges. You can’t turn into an IT expert in the blink of an eye.
Managing a restaurant along with online orders is not an easy task. When you shop for an online restaurant ordering system, ask the providers if they provide after-sales support and maintenance services. While running restaurant operations, you may encounter integration issues, ordering tracking problems, server malfunctions, and other problems.
If the software service provider handles these issues in time, you can go about your business without any stress. Moreover, industry trends and customer preferences change frequently. A responsive service provider will customize your ordering system for restaurant as per the changes to enhance customer satisfaction. Restaurant owners must never overlook post-sales customer service while choosing an online ordering system.
Reporting features
Do you know how many orders your business fulfills on daily/ weekly/ monthly, or yearly basis? If you are not aware of your business’s order volume, how can you make powerful decisions related to raw material purchase, staffing, marketing, etc?
With an online ordering system for restaurants, you will get accurate data about order volume on weekends, weekdays, public holidays, festive occasions, and so on. The reporting feature will shed light on the total orders, takeaways, pickups, and deliveries in figures that will facilitate proper decision-making.
With these reports, not only can the restaurant owner serve customers better, but also measure success & ROI while boosting marketing/promotional efforts.
Tips to Create Website for your Restaurant
Key Takeaways
The tips above are not just for restaurant owners. If you are in the food business, you can benefit from these tips. Running a food business is about coordinating all business functions like operations, marketing, promotions, staffing, etc. It is impossible for one man to micromanage so many tasks single-handedly.
Your food business app and online ordering system should work together to ensure smooth sailing. As per research, 30% of customers spend more on online orders than regular dine-ins.
Furthermore, you can target customers more intelligently with an online ordering system for the restaurant without being pushy. Customers have the luxury of using your app/online system at their convenience and ordering accordingly. Follow the top tips described above to see the desired results. Need more help? Schedule a consultation today.
