7 Proven Ways To Increase Online Order Volume For Your Restaurant
Increasing your restaurant’s online order volume doesn’t have to feel like an impossible task.
In fact, it’s going to be a lot easier than you think, and there are steps you can take starting today that will give you real results by tomorrow.
In this guide, we’ll walk through seven practical ways to boost your restaurant’s online order volume. You’ll learn how to:
- Make your website easier to use
- Improve your restaurant’s online visibility so more customers find you
- Offer rewards to create more repeat customers
- Leverage third-party apps to drive more customers to your direct ordering system
And so much more.
Let’s get started.
1. Optimize Your Website and Online Ordering Experience
If your restaurant’s website isn’t easy to use, you’re probably losing out on online orders.
Customers expect a smooth experience when they’re placing an order—if they have to pinch and zoom to read your menu or struggle to find the checkout button, they’ll probably give up and order from someone else.
The first step is making sure your website is mobile-friendly. Most people are ordering from their phones, so your menu should be easy to browse, and the checkout process should be quick and painless.
The fewer clicks it takes to place an order, the better.
Next, take a look at your menu. High-quality images and clear descriptions make a big difference when it comes to getting customers to actually complete their orders.
Instead of just listing “Cheeseburger,” try something more enticing: “Juicy half-pound Angus beef burger with melted cheddar, crisp lettuce, and house-made garlic aioli.”
For example, this is Renegade Burrito’s menu item, The Spacebird, on their mobile-friendly ChowNow branded app. You can see the high-quality image along with a great description telling customers it’s a crowd favorite among repeat customers.
High-quality images and clear descriptions on your mobile app make ordering easier for customers, increasing the likelihood they’ll complete their purchase—and ultimately boosting your online order volume.
2. Leverage Local SEO and Direct Online Ordering
When people are hungry and searching for a place to eat, they usually turn to Google. If your restaurant isn’t showing up in local searches—or if customers can’t easily place an order once they find you—you’re missing out on sales.
That’s where local SEO and direct online ordering come in.
First, make sure your Google Business Profile is fully optimized. This is what shows up when someone searches for your restaurant or looks for places to eat nearby.
Double-check that your hours, location, and contact info are correct, and most importantly, add a direct link to your online ordering page. If customers have to hunt for it, they might not bother.
To learn how to get started with Google ordering, check out our article on How to Setup Google Ordering for Restaurants.
Next, focus on your website.
Your online ordering system should be front and center, not buried on a secondary page. Ideally, customers should be able to start an order as soon as they land on your site.
You’ll also want to use local SEO best practices to make sure your website ranks well in searches—things like including your city and neighborhood in page titles, using keywords like “best pizza in [your city],” and making sure your site loads quickly.
3. Use Third-Party Apps as a Gateway to Direct Ordering
Third-party delivery apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub can help you reach new customers, but they come with a big downside—high commission fees that eat into your profits.
That’s why the smartest approach is to use these apps as a tool, not your main source of online orders.
The goal?
Get customers to switch from third-party apps to ordering directly from you.
One of the easiest ways to do this is by including a promo with every third-party order. A simple insert in the bag—offering a discount on their next order if they order directly—can be enough to nudge them in the right direction.
You can also use loyalty incentives, like a rewards program that gives customers points when they order through your website but not when they order through third-party apps.
For more ideas on how to convert third-party customers into direct ones, check outour blog on Third-Party App Strategy.
4. Promote Online Ordering Through Social Media and Email Marketing
On social media, showcase your food in a way that makes people crave it. Post high-quality photos, behind-the-scenes videos, and customer shoutouts.
Stories on Instagram and Facebook are especially powerful because they let you add a direct link to your ordering page, making it easy for customers to place an order without leaving the app.
You can also use limited-time offers, like “Order online today and get a free 15% off,” to create urgency and encourage action.
Email marketing is another great way to stay top of mind. A well-timed email about a new menu item, an exclusive online-only deal, or a reminder of your rewards program can give customers a reason to order again.
Keep your emails short, visually appealing, and focused on one clear call to action—placing an order.
The key to both social media and email marketing?
Make it as easy as possible for customers to order with just a few clicks. If they have to search for the link or jump through hoops, you’ll lose them.
Contact ChowNow to learn more about automated email marketing and how it can increase your online order volume.
5. Incentivize Repeat Online Orders with Rewards Programs
A great way to turn occasional customers into loyal regulars is by rewarding them for ordering directlyfrom you. When diners know they’re earning something extra—like a discount on a future order—they’re more likely to skip third-party apps and come straight to your direct online ordering system.
With a digital sticker-based rewards program, customers earn a sticker every time they place an order through your direct online ordering platform. Once they collect a set number of stickers, they unlock a percentage-based or dollar-amount discount on a future purchase.
Since the system is fully digital, there’s no need for physical punch cards—customers can easily track their progress, keeping them engaged and motivated to order again.
To make the most of your rewards program, you need to share it with your target audience.
Highlight it on your website, in order confirmation emails, and on social media. A simple reminder like, “You’re just one order away from a special discount!” can be enough to bring them back.
A digital rewards program doesn’t just increase repeat orders—it also helps build customer loyalty while shifting more online orders to your direct platform, so you keep more of your revenue instead of losing it to third-party fees.
Learn more about ChowNow’s digital rewards program here.
6. Streamline Operations to Handle Higher Online Order Volume
As online orders increase, your restaurant needs to keep up. If your kitchen and front of house staff aren’t prepared to handle the high volume of orders, customers may experience delays, mistakes, and long wait times—leading to disappointed customers and lost business.
First, make sure your kitchen workflow is set up for takeout and delivery. Designate a specific area for assembling online orders so they don’t get mixed up with dine-in tickets.
If possible, assign a team member to oversee online orders during peak hours to keep things moving smoothly.
Next, use a dedicated system to manage online orders. If you’re juggling multiple third-party apps alongside your direct online orders, consolidating them into a single system can save a ton of time.
ChowNow’s Order Aggregation helps by pulling all your third-party delivery orders into one tablet, so you’re not constantly switching between different platforms.
Finally, make pick-ups as quick and convenient as possible.
A designated takeout shelf, a curbside pickup option, or clear signage for delivery drivers can help ensure that orders go out smoothly. The faster and more efficient your handoff process is, the better the experience for both customers and staff.
When your operations run efficiently, customers get their food faster, and your team stays ahead of the rush—making it easier to scale up your online order volume without extra stress.
7. Run Targeted Ads to Drive More Online Orders
Running a targeted ad campaign can be a game-changer for reaching more customers and increasing your online order volume. Instead of waiting for people to find your restaurant, you can put your online ordering link directly in front of the right audience at the right time.
Start by using geotargeted ads on Google and social media (focus on Facebook and Instagram, aka Meta) to reach potential customers in your area.
When someone searches for “best tacos near me” or “pizza delivery in [your city],” an ad for your restaurant can appear at the top of the results—making it easy for them to order with just a click.
You can also use social media ads to promote exclusive online-order-only deals. A well-placed Instagram or Facebook ad featuring stomach-rumbling food photos and a limited-time discount can drive more direct orders.
Finally, don’t forget about retargeting past customers. With retargeting ads, you can remind people who have visited your website (but haven’t ordered recently) that they can easily place an order online. A simple message like “Craving the best burger in town? Order online now!” can be the nudge they need.
Customers Prefer to Order Directly from Your Website
With 58% of restaurant customers preferring to order from a mobile-branded app or a restaurant’s direct online ordering system, making direct ordering easy and accessible is the key to increasing your online order volume.
Contact ChowNow to learn more about increasing your online order volume using tools like automated email marketing and rewards programs.
