5 Best Practices to Follow for Restaurants Accepting Online Orders

These days, merely having a great menu is no longer enough to secure a restaurant's success. The modern food service industry is fiercely competitive, with new establishments popping up at every corner, each offering something unique to tempt the palate of discerning diners. In such a high-stakes environment, restaurant businesses need to look beyond the plate and explore innovative ways to stand out from the crowd. Leveraging technology like online ordering systems, in particular, has emerged as a pivotal strategy for those looking to elevate their customer service and operational efficiency.

At its core, the adoption of online ordering platforms is a transformational shift that can redefine how restaurants connect with their customers. These systems offer numerous advantages, including expanded market reach, streamlined operations, and enhanced customer satisfaction. By making it easier for customers to explore, order, and pay for their meals, restaurants can tap into the growing preference for digital interaction.

If you’re looking to implement an online ordering system at your restaurant, it's essential to consider the expertise and solutions offered by industry leaders like Maya Business. Our deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing today's restaurateurs makes us an ideal partner in your restaurant's journey toward digital excellence. Let’s explore five best practices that any restaurant accepting online orders would benefit from following:

Offer Secure Payment Options

The foundation of a successful online ordering system is trust, and nothing builds trust faster than going the extra mile to keep your customers' payment information secure. Consumers in the digital age are increasingly wary of online fraud and data breaches. Offering a variety of secure payment options through a dependable payment gateway can help alleviate cybersecurity concerns—and it’s also one of the best ways to cater to the diverse preferences of your customer base. From credit cards to e-wallets, the more options you provide, the wider the net you cast to capture sales.

In the search for a good payment gateway, Philippines’ restaurants will find an especially robust option in Maya Checkout. Its airtight security measures, including 24/7 fraud protection, ensure that every transaction is a step towards building lasting customer trust. This solution also accepts all forms of digital payment available in the country, so every customer can choose to pay how they prefer. By integrating Maya Checkout into your online ordering system, you stand to enhance the overall customer experience by making it faster, safer, and more user-friendly.

It’s also worth noting that not all customers will be comfortable paying for their orders online and would prefer instead to settle their transactions upon pickup or delivery. In addition to accepting cash payments on the spot, you may find it worthwhile to look into Maya Terminal Lite. This lightweight, highly portable device allows your staff members to accept digital payments from your customers anytime, anywhere, be it inside your establishment, by the curbside, or at your customers’ doorsteps. Its accessible price point and suite of powerful features make it the perfect payment solution for small to medium-sized restaurants.

Set Up a User-Friendly Ordering System

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of developing an online ordering system that customers find intuitive and easy to use. A complicated or cumbersome process can deter potential orders, leading to cart abandonment and lost sales. The goal instead is to design a system where customers can easily navigate the menu, customize their orders, and check out with a few clicks, whether you’re operating out of a website, a mobile app, or both.

If you run your online orders on an e-commerce platform like WooCommerce or Shopify, you have the option of integrating Maya Checkout into your store seamlessly via a dedicated plugin. Maya Plugins are easy to both use and install, which means that you should be able to set up your online ordering system with minimal downtime and no technical headaches. And once you have things up and running, you can rest assured that your chosen system is well-supported by the best payment gateway around.

Provide a Detailed and Accurate Menu

Your online menu should be effortless for your customers to navigate, and it needs to offer them all the information they need to make informed decisions about their meals. Each dish should come with a clear description, an accurate price, and enticing visuals that reflect the true quality and presentation of the food. Being transparent in this way helps set the right expectations and significantly reduces the chances of order errors or dissatisfied customers. It’s also worthwhile to identify allergens in relevant dishes and highlight options for diners with specific dietary preferences. This can help you capture the interest of a broader audience, and this also sends the message that everyone can find something to enjoy at your establishment.

Beyond the basics, your menu should be a tool for engagement. Highlight special deals, best-sellers, and new additions to guide customers towards satisfying choices or encourage them to try something new. This dynamic aspect of the online menu makes it more than just a list of options—it becomes a part of the dining experience, one that begins the moment they start browsing.

Implement a System for Order Accuracy and Quality Control

With orders pouring in from various channels, maintaining accuracy and quality becomes a monumental task, yet it's one that you can’t compromise on. A robust system for verifying each order's accuracy before it's prepared can drastically reduce mistakes and guarantee customer satisfaction. Technology plays a crucial role here, as there are many digital tools you can invest in to streamline the process, from kitchen displays that organize orders to real-time tracking systems that keep customers informed about their order status.

It's equally important to have a keen eye on every dish that leaves the kitchen. After all, consistency is the hallmark of any successful restaurant, and online orders are no exception. Regular training sessions for your staff, coupled with strict quality standards, ensure that the food delivered to the customer's door is as good as what's served on the premises.

Optimize Kitchen Workflows

As online ordering volumes grow, your kitchen must adapt to handle the increased demand without compromising on the quality of food or service. This might mean reorganizing the layout, designating specific stations for online orders, or adopting new technologies that streamline preparation processes. The goal is to create a smooth flow that accommodates both dine-in and online orders efficiently.

Optimal workflows require strategic planning, particularly during peak hours when the pressure on your staff and resources is at its highest. Consider implementing a system that prioritizes orders based on their preparation and delivery times to help manage the workload and achieve timely fulfillment. Cross-training staff to perform multiple roles can also boost their flexibility and efficiency within the kitchen, which, in turn, will make it easier to adjust to fluctuating volumes of orders.

Build the Restaurant of Your Dreams with Maya Business

Sign up for Maya Business to unlock a wealth of payment, business banking, and disbursement solutions that can take your restaurant to new heights. Setting up a Maya Business account lets you open a Maya Business Deposit account and use it as your settlement account. With an industry-leading 2.5% per annum interest rate, you’ll earn PHP 25,000 in interest per year on a PHP 1 million deposit. Furthermore, you can send money to your partners and suppliers for free via InstaPay and PESONet, which opens up a key opportunity to build your savings. Signing up also qualifies you for a no-collateral Maya Flexi Loan offer of up to PHP 2 million in just 3 months, giving you even more capital you can use to enhance your restaurant. Just use Maya Business as your primary processor for all wallet and card payments. The more you use our solutions, the better the loan offer will be. Apply for a Maya Business account today and you’ll immediately gain all these advantages and more.