The trend to eat out is growing. Today, Americans spend about 46 percent of their food budget on food prepared outside of the home. Furthermore, they consume 32 percent of their calories in foods prepared by restaurants. The Nebraska restaurant industry is expected to generate $2.3 billion in sales in 2011. However, eating out comes with many drawbacks. For example, eating out can mean super-sized portions and added calories. In addition, restaurant food is often laden with thick sauces, extra salt, and rich desserts.
Online ordering
Using an online ordering system for your restaurant or takeout business can dramatically increase your efficiency. By eliminating the need to pick up the phone to place an order, you can process orders in half the time. Plus, you can schedule delivery times and set up payment options online. This makes it much easier for your customers to place their orders and track their progress.
In addition to making your customers’ lives easier, online ordering can increase your profits. In fact, using online ordering can increase your restaurant’s revenue by up to 10%. However, this increase will vary from restaurant to restaurant, so you should consider how you can best optimize your current staff to handle the additional demand. For example, you can improve your kitchen layout, prep food packaging, and time your online ordering for consistency and efficiency.
Insulated shipping containers
Insulated shipping containers are a great way to keep food fresh. They are made of high-grade steel and are water and wind-tight. Moreover, they are lockable, which makes them an excellent choice for restaurants. These containers are available in various sizes and with various features and specifications.
Another great advantage of using shipping containers for a restaurant is that they are cheap. Compared to traditional buildings, they are the most affordable and convenient choice. They can be customized to fit any size and architectural style. Additionally, the container’s unique industrial look and feel will appeal to customers.
Custom menu printing
There are several factors to consider when selecting a menu printing service. The menu will be manipulated by hundreds of people, from the customers to the waiters. It will also be close to food and drinks, so it is highly likely that it will get dirty on a frequent basis. You should choose a durable paper for your menus, as matte and glossy finishes are less likely to wear out and cause damage to the paper.
When choosing a paper type and folding style, remember that the larger the size, the better. Choose a paper stock that will last for a long time and is easy to read. Use glossy paper if possible, as it will make your images pop off the page. You can also choose a single-page style for a sleek look.
Yelp
Yelp has a number of new features for businesses that serve the dining public. This includes new options for ordering ahead, check-in offers, and reservation options. The new restaurant features also allow owners to manage both dine-in and takeout parties, and track the number of orders placed. These new features are available in the current redesign of the Yelp website, which enables owners to better balance their online and offline presences.
You can also use the website and mobile app to place an order. Using these features, you can quickly and easily place an order for takeout or delivery. Yelp also lets you know when your food will be ready. If you order ahead, you can avoid waiting in line at the restaurant and take advantage of other benefits that come with online ordering.
DoorDash
DoorDash is a popular delivery app, and is ranked the top food delivery app, with over 310,000 restaurants in 4,000 cities around the world. Nearly 80% are located in the United States. The app has an easy-to-use interface, which displays a menu of icons for restaurant categories, price levels, and delivery times.
While the service is convenient and easy to use, it is also problematic in some ways. Some companies are predatory and charge exorbitant fees. These fees can be as high as 30 percent of a restaurant’s monthly sales. Other issues include drivers not being paid enough for their work.