Tips for Online Ordering for Cafes

Online ordering for cafes is a sure game changer if you want to market your cafe through the proper channels with maximum exposure. Online ordering makes it easy for customers to order food and coffee from your cafe from the comfort of their homes. It is a great way to improve customer service and experience.

In today’s world, a customer can use his phone to scan the QR code for your cafe, then look at the digital catalog of food items your cafe has to offer, and finally place his order. Conversely, your cafe will receive the customer’s order through the POS software or from the cafe order management system it has in place. This is an easy process and the best way to expand your cafe’s reach in the digital world and grow your customer base. 

This article offers some excellent tips for online ordering at your cafe.

Getting Started with Cafe Online Ordering

As a cafe owner, you can opt for an in-house online system to manage customer orders. For this, you have to integrate an online order management system with the POS system of your restaurant. Your in-house online ordering system will enable you to accept online payments, funnel incoming orders, and ultimately increase your revenue from the cafe. 

You can use the OrderEm online platform for this purpose. They have a dedicated online platform-building system with customized logos, brand colors, and fonts to give your cafe a unique appearance and appeal.

With online ordering platforms, you have an integrated payment system that will enable you to handle the whole online ordering process for your cafe successfully. All you have to do is receive the order, confirm it, enter it in your POS software, and prepare the food for either curb-side pick up or in-store pickup by the customer or by the courier working for the platform. 

Tips to Improve Online Ordering for Your Cafe

Here are some useful tips to improve the online ordering system for your up-and-coming cafe:

Adopt Cafe Technologies

With technology on your side, you can automate the online ordering process for your cafe. Using online ordering software makes your cafe operations run smoother and helps build extremely efficient systems for day-to-day business. 

You can create an online ordering app with the help and expertise of Orderem and then integrate it with the POS software, thus helping to streamline the ordering and payment processing. Using the right restaurant/cafe technology ultimately improves the customer experience at your cafe. Who wouldn’t want that?

Creating the Online Menu for Your Cafe

Creating an online menu for your cafe is sacrosanct. Customers need to know precisely what food and coffee items are available before ordering. The way to go is to create a digital menu integrated with your cafe’s point of sales system. This will help streamline the entire process and leave no room for confusion.

You must remember to update the menu regularly so that newly added items are visible on the menu. But you also have to ensure that high-demand products are not removed from the menu in favor of newly created items whose popularity is yet to be tested. In the menu, you need to give information about the different ingredients in the meal, any allergens if present and pricing options for group and individual ordering.

This menu can be added to your website, social media handles, the cafe's app, or even with the scannable QR code. Whatever option you choose, it must be easily accessible to the customer.

Integration of Delivery services

To deliver customer orders, you can employ a third-party delivery service like Uber Eats or a courier service. When you make it easier for the customer’s orders to be delivered, you automatically pave the way for outstanding customer reviews and enhanced customer satisfaction. All online ordering systems will give you real-time order delivery tracking features you can use to track orders in transit. Ensure that all deliveries are fast so that a customer does not unnecessarily wait for his order. Speedy order delivery will ensure customer satisfaction. 

Use the Right Food Packaging

The customer eats with his eyes first. Ensure your offerings are palatable and image friendly with suitable branded packaging. Packaging your food is also an excellent way to advertise your cafe. You should go for tamper-proof packaging that sticks to applicable food safety regulations. When you have attractive packaging, it helps to increase sales and improve customer experience. 

Optimizing your Cafe Website

When you have an eCommerce website, it can be optimized to receive more orders. With the help of your website, you can easily reach niche markets. When your marketing and SEO strategies are on point, you can expect to reach a wide audience without much effort. 

Adding your digital menu to the website is a great way to hook potential customers. You can also add an “order now” button beside each food item your cafe has to offer as a compelling call to action for visitors to your website. Remember to include high-quality images for every item. You can safely depend on OrderEm to design an excellent website for your cafe and market it with its unique marketing tools. 

Updating Other Platforms

When you employ an online ordering system for your cafe, do not forget to update essential information on other channels. For example, if you have a Google My Business account, you might need to connect the buttons and links to your online ordering system. 

Also, update any required information on social media channels and online directories. When you have a cafe, online accessibility is the holy grail, and there can never be too many “Order” buttons. 

Promoting Online Ordering Services

Next on the list of tips is the promotion of online ordering services for your cafe. For this, you can use eCommerce PPC or even email marketing newsletters to notify your customers about the stellar items at your newly launched cafe. Social media handles with colorful banners and stunning graphics should also be utilized to the hilt, with colorful banners and stunning graphics to promote your cafe online. 

Have a Customer Loyalty Program

Finally, having a customer loyalty program that rewards faithful and regular customers is the icing on the cake. Your regular customers need to know that their patronage is appreciated and heartfelt, with great discounts on food and coffee or even free deliveries if it is practical. A loyalty program is the ultimate way to obtain repeat customers and increase their loyalty and lifetime value. Remember that it is easier to get repeat customers than attract new ones. 

Conclusion

As a final word of advice, it is a good idea to have a system for customer feedback to improve your service from the customer’s point of view. In conclusion, having an online ordering system for your cafe will increase sales and make it a popular destination for local customers. Follow the above tips for streamlining your online ordering system, and watch as your cash counter rakes in the money!