5 Best Online Food Ordering Software to Boost Restaurant Sales

Food ordering software has become indispensable for restaurants to meet customer expectations, manage online orders, and enhance the overall dining experience. 

The New World of Consumer Behavior: Restaurants 2022 revealed that 57% of diners find it nice if a restaurant offers takeout or delivery, and 8% of respondents said they would only consider a restaurant that offers takeout and delivery.

If you're from the hospitality industry and have yet to implement a restaurant online food order system, you are already missing out on some opportunities to expand your business.

Get started and find the ordering software you can incorporate for your business.

What is a food ordering software?

This technology is a digital solution allowing customers to place orders directly from a restaurant’s website or mobile app through their smartphones.

This ordering tool comes in many forms, from web-based platforms to QR code menu solutions.

This smart restaurant technology streamlines the entire ordering process, from food item selection to payment, making it a convenient experience for customers and staff.

It also comes with restaurant analytics and reporting features that provide restaurateurs with valuable insights into customer preferences, order patterns, and sales trends.

These data can help make informed business decisions, such as optimizing menus, identifying popular items, or adjusting menu pricing strategies.

Investing in the right food ordering software has a huge impact on the success and growth of your restaurant. You must carefully assess the options and select the best for your business.

Choose the right software provider by looking closely at its features and ensuring compatibility with your specific needs and goals.

5 online food ordering systems for restaurants

Check out our top five choices of great restaurant contactless ordering applications that can bring out the best in your restaurant operations:

MENU TIGER

MENU TIGER is one of the best QR code ordering software optimized for different types and sizes of restaurants. It offers affordably priced plans with a multitude of advanced features.

This smart restaurant technology offers dine-in ordering through its customizable QR code and online food order system for pick-up with the shareable URL of its built-in restaurant website. 

MENU TIGER’s online digital menu is conveniently editable; you can update the menu’s content—item description, price, availability—on a desktop or tablet.

Restaurant order management is easier because you can integrate MENU TIGER with your POS system. You can also integrate with MENU TIGER’s printing software for easy back-of-house operations.

Other important integrations include Canva, Zapier, and mobile payment channels like PayPal and Stripe. These integrations can help automate transactions and workflows to boost operations efficiently.

Other noteworthy features of MENU TIGER include:

• easy management of multiple store in one account
• customization for your QR code menu
• customer surveys for feedback generation
• support for multi-language translation
• order, revenue, and customer analytics
• white label feature (customize your own domain)
• 24-hour customer support

Saba F&B ordering

Saba is a digital menu app that provides a new level of convenience by allowing customers to browse the menu and place orders with their mobile devices anywhere. 

This contactless restaurant ordering software allows you to create editable menus and upsell offers. Its language-inclusive software also lets guests view the menu in their native language. 

Guests can scan the menu and browse food and drink options without feeling rushed to order.

Upserve

Upserve is an online ordering system for restaurants of all types and sizes. This software comes with payments, analytics, and marketing tools designed specifically for restaurants.

It has a reputation for being easy to implement and use. It allows guests to search for items, saving them time and energy.

Other features of Upserve include easy menu editing, multi-lingual support, and payment integration.

MenuDrive

MenuDrive is an online food order management system for restaurants that integrates ordering, delivery, marketing, and analytics.

They have a customizable online ordering site with multiple restaurant website templates. You can add your logo and feature food photos for more visual appeal.

Menudrive can also help you get more orders with its analytics, where you get insights about which items to promote.

And using its retention features like loyalty and coupons, you can attract customers to revisit your store.

Restolabs

Restolabs is an online restaurant ordering system and management platform offering a wide range of streamlined features. 

The platform provides real-time updates, allowing restaurants to easily add or remove menu items and modify prices.

It also integrates seamlessly with various payment gateways, enabling secure online transactions. And with its user-friendly interface, restaurants can efficiently manage their online ordering operations.

Ordering services that the MENU TIGER QR code menu software offers

MENU TIGER is a digital menu solution that provides a range of ordering services designed to streamline takeaway and dine-in processes.

Let’s explore the ordering services it provides and see how you can integrate it into your business:

Takeaway ordering within the website menu

MENU TIGER offers takeaway orders on the restaurant website, which customers can access through its URL or by scanning your website's customizable URL QR code.

This built-in restaurant website is easy to set up and customize; no coding is needed.

Once customers access the website menu, they can view the restaurant’s featured items, chef’s specials, and special promotions and deals.

Dine-in ordering through the QR code menu

MENU TIGER offers dine-in ordering through scannable QR codes optimized for smartphones and tablets, so it's easily accessible for customers.

Once the customers scan the QR code, it redirects them to the restaurant’s online menu, where they can browse items and settle payments online. 

Customers can pay in cash or through online payment channels like PayPal or Stripe—which also enables Apple Pay and Google Pay.

To enable takeaway and QR code ordering, follow these steps:

1. Go to Stores on your admin panel.
2. Select the restaurant outlet where you will offer the takeaway/dine-in ordering options.
3. On the right-hand menu tab, locate and click on Ordering Options.
4. Slide the toggle option to Enable Takeaway.
5. Hit the toggle beside Enable dine-in to activate the feature.

Benefits of choosing the best online ordering system for restaurants

Restaurant owners must embrace technology to stay competitive, especially with the rise of food delivery services and the increasing demand for convenience. 

If you're still on the fence about implementing an online food ordering system for your restaurant, let's take a closer look at the benefits that await you:

Provide a convenient ordering experience

A robust online ordering system enhances customer convenience, which has a significant impact on purchasing decisions.

According to the Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN), 60% of US consumers order takeout or delivery at least once a week. Furthermore, a Restaurant News report found that 70% of consumers prefer ordering online over calling a restaurant due to ease of use and order accuracy.

For example, major brands like McDonald’s and Starbucks have successfully integrated mobile ordering, allowing their customers to place orders in advance and skip long lines. 

Independent restaurants can achieve similar benefits by implementing a seamless digital ordering experience, increasing the likelihood that customers will choose them over competitors.

Streamline restaurant order management

Efficiency is key to running a successful restaurant, and contactless restaurant ordering software automates the process to reduce errors and enhance order accuracy.

A report from Business of Apps shows that online food delivery market is expected to hit $213 billion by 2030, highlighting the growing consumer reliance on digital ordering platforms.

Domino’s Pizza, for instance, implemented AI-powered order management, reducing communication between customers and kitchen staff while speeding up fulfillment times. 

By adopting a similar system, restaurants can ensure seamless communication between the front and back of house, minimizing mistakes and improving overall efficiency.

Increase revenue and reach a larger market

A well-designed online ordering system can significantly boost a restaurant’s bottom line. Research by Upserve shows that restaurants with online ordering systems see a 30% increase in revenue compared to those that rely solely on dine-in customers.

Additionally, digital ordering allows you to tap into a wider market by offering delivery and takeout options, catering to busy customers who prefer eating at home or at work.

Chili’s, the American casual dining restaurant chain, introduced online ordering and curbside pickup, which led to a 25% increase in off-premises sales. Small and mid-sized restaurants can replicate this success by offering flexible ordering options to attract more customers.

Cut costs and maximize profitability

Automating the ordering process reduces labor costs associated with phone or counter orders.

Additionally, having an in-house online ordering system helps eliminate third-party delivery service fees, which can range from 15% to 30% per order.

Chipotle, for example, built its own digital ordering system to bypass third-party fees, increasing direct orders and improving profit margins.

Gain valuable customer insights

Using an online ordering system allows restaurants to collect data on customer behaviors, preferences, and purchasing trends. This data can be used to optimize menu offerings, create personalized promotions, and implement loyalty programs.

For example, Panera Bread uses its digital systems to track customer preferences and send personalized offers, resulting in higher retention rates.

By analyzing customer insights, restaurants can launch targeted marketing campaigns, recommend best-selling dishes, and improve customer engagement.

Choose the best online food order system for your restaurant

When choosing the right food ordering software for your business, you must look closely at its features and functionality.

MENU TIGER is the wisest choice among the options above. With its comprehensive range of features like marketing tools, analytics, ordering services, and relevant integrations, this platform makes all the difference.

Choose MENU TIGER QR code menu software today. Subscribe to our premium plan to make the most of our advanced features.

FAQs