In a lockdown-burdened society, restaurant owners face major uphill battles. Gone are the days when we could all comfortably sit in a restaurant to enjoy delicious meals. Today, coronavirus makes it so that physical distancing is a must. For restaurateurs, that means either closing their dining rooms or significantly limiting the number of patrons they can seat at any one time.
In place of dining, takeout orders have become a top source of revenue for restaurant owners all across Canada. As well, in place of traditional handheld menus, restaurant websites have become go-to destinations for people who wish to place food orders. Could your website use a redesign? What can you change in order to boost orders?
Display an eye-catching menu.
Firstly, your menu should be very easy to find on your website. In fact, should be front and centre. Make sure that it is clearly visible to everyone who visits your site. Secondly, making it eye-catching is a must. If it doesn’t include vibrant photos of your menu items, it’s time to book a photo shoot. Having an impressive, visually-stimulating menu on your website is a key to boosting meal orders.
“The first thing that a customer looks for in a restaurant website design is the menu,” notes The Restaurant Times, “Whether they wish to order online or are planning to dine at your restaurant later, a hearty menu is what would make the conversion of a website visitor to a buying customer. Ensure that you have clear categories in your menu, such as Veg, Non-Veg, Starters, Main Course, Beverages, and Drinks.”
Post videos of your delicious eats.
We live in an image-obsessed world. The popularity of social media platforms, such as Instagram, is proof that the sharing of photos and videos are among the most popular pastimes of our generation. In addition to pictures, post videos that will entice your website’s visitors to order featured meals. This is an especially good idea if you are introducing a holiday-themed menu for the season.
“Restaurant videos give diners a preview of what to expect at your restaurant,” points out Katie McCann on TouchBistro.com, “When potential customers can picture themselves in your seats, they’ll be more likely to make that fantasy a reality.” Even though you may not be able to currently seat customers in your restaurant, videos can still entice them to place orders for takeout.
Showcase an online ordering button.
During these tough times, it’s practically mandatory to allow your customers to place meal orders directly from your website. The easier you make their buying decisions, the more money your business will make. It’s that simple. As we continue to contend with COVID-19, offering options that include not having to make customers leave their homes is an important part of business growth.
“Having an Online Ordering Button on your restaurant website gives you an opportunity to convert the visitors on your website to buying customers,” The Restaurant Times points out, “Thus, it is also important to have delectable images of your menu items that propel your website visitors to order food from your restaurant right there!”
With Unity Payments, you can quickly set up an online ordering system for your restaurant! To learn more, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-661-3761 or email us at info@unitypayments.ca.
