How to Boost Your Restaurant's Online Presence and Sales

In today's increasingly digital world, having a strong online presence is crucial for restaurants looking to attract new customers and drive sales. With over 60% of consumers viewing a restaurant's website before dining, optimizing your online ordering experience can significantly impact your bottom line.

In this guide, we'll explore proven strategies to elevate your digital storefront, leverage contactless ordering technology, and promote your online channels effectively. By implementing these tips, you'll be well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for online food ordering and delivery.

Your online menu is often a customer's first introduction to your restaurant's offerings. Crafting a compelling, user-friendly digital menu is essential for enticing orders and boosting sales.

• Menu Engineering: Implement menu engineering principles like strategic item placement, mouthwatering naming conventions, and strategic upselling suggestions. Studies show that menu re-engineering can increase profits by up to 15%.

• High-Quality Food Photography: Invest in professional, appetizing photos of your dishes. Restaurants with quality food imagery see up to 70% more visitors staying on their website.

• Compelling Descriptions: While keeping descriptions concise, highlight unique selling points and use sensory language that makes dishes irresistible. Descriptive menu labeling can increase sales of those items by over 25%.

By continually updating your online menu with new items, specials, and seasonal offerings, you'll keep customers engaged and eager to order.

QR code ordering has skyrocketed in popularity, allowing customers to seamlessly browse menus and place orders from their smartphones without contact. Capitalizing on this technology is a must:

• Placement and Visibility: Ensure QR codes are prominently displayed on tabletops, entrance areas, and anywhere ordering may occur. Codes visible within 20 ft drive 90% more scans.

• Integration: Seamlessly integrate your QR codes with online ordering platforms like Wilcu for a smooth customer experience from scan to transaction.

• Versatility: Use QR codes for dine-in, takeout, and delivery orders to provide customers with optionality. The NPD Group found that QR code usage tripled since 2019.

• Analytics: Monitor QR code performance, menu views, and ordering behavior to continually optimize your setup and identify high-impact areas.

• Mobile food ordering: By introducing the ability to order food online, you can serve more customers and make them more loyal repeat customers, which will not only increase your revenue, but also reduce marketing expenses.

Having optimized digital menus and contactless ordering is great, but you need an effective promotion strategy to drive awareness and usage:

• Website/Social Integration: Prominently feature online ordering links and buttons on your website, social bios, Google listings and all digital presences.

• Email Marketing: Leverage your email lists to announce new online ordering capabilities, promotions or specials only available through these channels.

• Paid Social Media: Use paid advertising on Facebook, Instagram and other platforms to put your online ordering front and center. Paid social can drive 20%+ online order increases.

• Incentives: Offer discounts and exclusive deals for first-time or recurring usage of your online ordering channels. Even a 10% discount can substantially boost online sales.

• Staff Training: Ensure your team is thoroughly trained on suggestively selling online ordering, highlighting the convenience and safety benefits.

• Local Partnerships: Co-marketing by partnering with complementary local businesses, influencers or communities can increase exposure.

By optimizing your menus and contactless tech while actively promoting online channels, you'll be well-equipped to capture customer demand and drive incremental revenue. Get started with Wilcu's powerful online ordering platform today!