Restaurant online ordering has skyrocketed in popularity over the past few years — and for good reason, too.
A strong online ordering system has proven to be a win-win for restaurants and their guests, with benefits from revenue increases and stronger customer loyalty to improved order accuracy and streamlined payments.
There’s a caveat, though.
Simply having an online ordering system doesn’t guarantee your restaurant all of those magical-sounding benefits.
But having an online ordering system built on our seven best practices?
Now that’s a different story.
In this blog, we’ll take you through seven restaurant online ordering best practices, highlighting the most important features to include and sharing examples for inspiration. We’ll also share a free, downloadable guide to help you decide which online ordering system is right for you, whether you want to change your current system or start from scratch.
Ready to make your restaurant’s online ordering the best it’s ever been?
7 Best Practices to Set Your Restaurant's Online Ordering Up for Success
Best Practice #1 — Use High-Quality Visuals and Descriptions
Example — Mocha Nut
What we love about Mocha Nut’s online ordering:
✔ High-Quality, Inviting Images — Mocha Nut’s investment in product photography is evident from the high-quality, aesthetically pleasing images on their online ordering system. The product images do a great job of showing customers exactly what to expect while also demonstrating Mocha Nut’s unique “vibe,” too.
✔ Friendly, Engaging Descriptions — The descriptions on Mocha Nut’s online ordering system prove that high-quality descriptions don’t have to be boring. Every item description sufficiently explains what the item includes without shying away from personality; almost every description has a friendly quip or relatable joke.
Best Practice #2 — Organize Your Restaurant’s Menu Items Intuitively
Example — Fresh Baguette
What we love about Fresh Baguette’s online ordering:
✔ Detailed But Clear Organization — Fresh Baguette’s online ordering is the perfect example of a detailed organization strategy that’s still clear and easy to understand. With distinctions like “Giant Croissant” vs “Croissant” and “Savory” vs “Pastry,” customers can easily navigate to the section of the menu they want without feeling confused or overwhelmed.
✔ Simple, Accessible Headings — Is a croissant technically different from a kouign amann? Sure. But, instead of fussing with technicalities, Fresh Baguette’s online ordering groups similar desserts under simple, high-level headings, using recognizable language that’ll actually land with their customers — no matter their pastry proficiency.
Discover which online ordering system can offer the organizational capabilities your customers want (and need).
Best Practice #3 — Highlight Your Promos and Bestsellers
Example — Mucho Burrito
What we love about Mucho Burrito’s online ordering:
✔ Featured Items Are Easy to Find — Mucho Burrito’s online ordering system puts their promotions and bestsellers front and center, leveraging product blocks and banners to draw customer’ attention to their top picks. The image thumbnails have the offer details, too, so users know exactly what it includes without having to click in.
✔ Promos/Bestsellers Use Specific Imagery — Unique design and branding is another tactic Mucho Burrito has added to their online ordering, drawing attention to promos and bestselling items. Bright, bold banners accompany every “Signature Creation,” “Mucho Value Offer,” and “Fan Favorite,” a visual indication to customers that “This is special!”
Best Practice #4 — Include Upselling and Cross-Selling Suggestions
Example — Domino’s Pizza
What we love about Domino’s online ordering:
✔ Upsells are Automatic (But Easy to Decline) — Domino’s online ordering system knocks upselling out of the park, with automatic prompts popping up right after the customer finishes making their pizza. But, despite Domino’s upsells being automatic, they’re not aggressive; customers don’t feel trapped because pressing “No thanks” is easy.
✔ “Last Call” Cross-Sell Before Checkout — Right as the customer heads to checkout, Domino’s online ordering system throws out a “last call” pop-up, offering complementary add-on and up-sell suggestions. Uniquely, most of Domino’s cross-sell suggestions are promos too, cementing the brand’s deal-oriented position in the pizza world.
Powered by the right online ordering system, your restaurant can upsell and cross-sell like the pros.
Best Practice #5 — Incorporate Your Restaurant’s Branding
Example — Starbucks
What we love about Starbucks’ online ordering:
✔ Instantly Recognizable Colors — The classic deep green that’s become so unmistakably “Starbucks” is sprinkled throughout the brand’s online ordering system, from the background of the drink images to the page footer. The obvious branding gives Starbucks’ online system a sleek, consistent look that mirrors its highly popular mobile app.
✔ Consistent Ads and Imagery — Under the “Featured” tab, Starbucks has added the same ads and imagery users can find on the brand’s website, mobile app, and social media. This omnichannel consistency gives the brand’s online ordering system an instantly recognizable look and fosters a sense of familiarity among its users.
Best Practice #6 — Provide Guests with Customization Options
Example — GreenSpot Salad
What we love about GreenSpot Salad’s online ordering:
✔ Seemingly Infinite Customization Options — GreenSpot’s approach to customization makes customers feel like they have infinite options at their fingertips (because they basically do). The online ordering system’s multi-select ingredient menu empowers customers to add as much or as little as they want to their salads — no limitations.
✔ Unique Customization Features — One of the coolest things about GreenSpot’s online ordering is how unique some of the customization options are. For example, the brand’s “Removal” feature is one you don’t often see, allowing customers to ditch any of the salad’s base ingredients (right down to the lemon juice in the dressing).
Best Practice #7 — Ensure Your Restaurant’s Pricing is Transparent
Example — Chipotle
What we love about Chipotle’s online ordering:
✔ Ingredient Prices Are Front and Center — Chipotle’s online ordering has been set up to ensure that customers never have questions about the price of an item or ingredient. Protein and topping prices are listed directly below the ingredient title, with upgrades and add-ons featuring a bold “+” clearly indicating their upgrade cost.
✔ Featured Products Have Clear Prices — For those who don’t feel like customizing a burrito bowl, Chipotle’s online ordering system has a convenient “Featured” section, listing popular, pre-made choices and their prices. That way, customers can decide if the price is right without clicking on a product or scrolling around the site.
Find The Restaurant Online Ordering System Right For You
Now that you know our top 5 best practices for restaurant online ordering, you’re probably wondering how to implement them successfully.
Well… we’ve got good news and bad news about that part.
The bad news?
Our answer to how you can successfully implement these best practices is the oh–oh-so-unsatisfying phrase “it depends.”
How successfully you can implement these best practices largely depends on which online ordering system your restaurant uses. Features like Domino’s automatic upsells or Starbucks’ on-point branding are easier on some systems than others, so it truly does depend on the system you’re running with.
Luckily, that’s where the good news comes in.
Craver has created a free guide to help you explore your online ordering options and decide which online ordering system works best for you and your restaurant.
With comparison tables, pros and cons lists, and real customer reviews for each of our top online ordering systems, our guide puts everything you need to make an informed decision right at your fingertips.
(Once you download it, that is.)
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