Best Practices for Off-Premise Ordering

When utilizing off-premise ordering, it is important still to create a connection between you and your guests, even if it is virtual. Your guests want to feel valued and enjoy the experience when placing an order at your establishment. Create a unique look, make it easy, and be available at all times to take an order!

Digital Ordering Site

During your onboarding journey, Bbot will purchase and build a digital ordering site that is branded to fit your establishment. Make sure to provide the most up-to-date high-resolution background photo and logo and any branding colors, so your site accurately reflects your brand. Guests feel at ease knowing they are ordering through you versus a 3rd party!

Linking Your Digital Ordering Site To Your Website:

Here are some great best practices to follow when adding your Bbot menu link to your main website:

  1. Links: Ensure the 'Online Ordering' call-out is visible and easily accessible from your home page rather than hidden on other pages.
  2. Call-Outs: Consider a pop-up or call-out to direct guests to the ordering site upon arrival.
  3. Food Halls: Include links to the specific restaurant's menus using a unique location code to give great visibility to each establishment.
  4. Instructions: Add clear directions in case you have multiple different ordering methods and links (ex., Delivery vs. Pickup) or even multiple locations (ex., Uptown & Downtown).
  5. Multi-Location: Adding a search bar to locate one of your many restaurants allows guests to view and order from their local menu and allows your central website to shine.
  6. Color & Style: Since your guests' eyes will catch differences in color and design, it's a great idea to emphasize your "Order Now" or "Menu" buttons to drive revenue.

Great Examples of Ordering Links & Customer Websites

  1. The Parlor Food Hall
  2. The Roost Food Hall
  3. Bluejacket Brewery
Social Media

Update all of your social media outlets to reflect your URL. Adding visibility to all outlets markets yourself and can boost your sales; 15 minutes of work on the backend could lead to a 15% (or more) increase in revenue! Make sure to mention if you offer pickup, delivery, or both. Either link your landing page (myrestaurant.menu) or a specific menu (myrestaraunt.menu/pickup).

Instagram:

Utilize one of the top social media platforms to get guests engaged! Don’t forget to mention in your posts that guests can order from your digital site in your ‘bio’.

  1. Open your Instagram app and navigate to ‘Edit Profile’ > ‘Website’.
  2. Add your digital ordering site or menu. (Ex: myrestaurant.menu or myrestaurant.menu/pickup)
  3. Select ‘Done’ in the top right corner!

Google My Business Listing:

Google My Business is a free tool from Google that lets you manage how your local business appears in Google Maps and search results. 

When using Google, if a customer orders from your digital ordering site link, you will not have to pay out any commissions. By adding your digital ordering site or menu link to your Google Business listing, guests will be able to view your digital menu and order when performing a google search for your establishment! 

If you do not already have one, create a Google My Business Account (or claim an existing one) for your establishment.

Sign in to your Google My Business Account.

  1. Click on the ‘info’ tab for your listing.
  2. In the ‘URLs’ section, copy and paste your digital ordering site into the ‘Order Ahead URL’ and ‘Menu URL’ fields.

(Ex: myrestaurant.menu or myrestaurant.menu/pickup

4. Select Update Google Profile to finalize your updates. 

Guests will then see your restaurant information populate in their search results when they enter your restaurant information Google.com or through Google Maps.

By selecting  Order Online, all third-party platforms will populate that your customers can place orders through.

*Note* After updating your Google Business listing, there may be a delay before the information is updated in the search results for your restaurant.

Yelp:

Yelp is a great resource for online reviews and to get lips moving about your establishment; the site is also ranked as the most frequently used review site for discovering restaurants. To provide an easy bridge for Yelp users viewing your establishment to order, add an ‘Order Now’ button to your Yelp Business Page.

  1. The ‘Call To Action’ feature is included in some of Yelp’s advertising programs.
  2. You can visit the ‘Billing’ section of Yelp for Business Owners to see the list of products currently available.
  3. Please contact your Yelp Customer Success Manager to have this feature activated.

Tripadvisor: 

Tripadvisor is the largest travel site in the world and a great source to generate more customers. Add your digital ordering site to drive direct ordering.

  1. Sign in to your Tripadvisor account.
  2. Visit ‘menu’ under the ‘Manage Listings’ tab and add your digital ordering site or menu page.

(Ex: myrestaurant.menu or myrestaurant.menu/pickup)

Facebook:

Facebook is and has been the long-standing, most-used social networking site by restaurants. Promote your business by using the social media site that 74% of business owners utilize. To create a new Facebook Business page, follow the instructions here. After creating your business page, you are able to add a button to order directly from your Facebook Page. 

  • Click the 'Add a Button' on the right-hand side of your page.

  • A pop-up window will be displayed with different functions for the button you're adding. If you would like to add the option to place an order, click the 'Start an Order' button.

  • Enter the Bbot ordering page URL and click 'Save' to add the 'Start Order' button to your page. When a guest clicks on the button, it will direct guests to your Bbot menu page. 

Using Delivery Services

Take advantage of the delivery integrations Bbot offers! Delivery is one of the most popular methods for fulfilling orders to guests; it makes the guest experience convenient. Guests will feel confident when ordering through your site for delivery versus a third party as it eliminates the middleman. You can, also, set up delivery with your own drivers if you prefer.

Allow Order Ahead

The peace of mind of knowing an order will be ready at a selected time makes for a better experience overall for a guest. While it is great to be able to order for immediate delivery or pickup, it is also great and convenient to be able to order in advance. Allow guests to place orders for times that you are open, even if they are outside of business hours when they would like to place the order; this allows you to understand guest expectations when they order and exceed them. Don’t forget to capture contact information from the guest in case any questions arise!

Utilize Our Customer Experience & Marketing Partners

By utilizing our customer feedback partners, you can create an open line of communication between your establishment and your customers for feedback to streamline growth.

Bbot partners with:

Yumpingo: After a guest places an order, Yumpingo will send a survey to the guest asking about their experience. This feedback will then be directed to you for review and follow-up actions if needed.

Ovation: After a guest places an order, Ovation will send a survey to the guest asking about their experience. Depending on their rating (1-5) of their experience, Ovation will direct the rating to either a google review or back to you (the establishment) depending on if it was positive or negative. Ratings will be directed based on the following number of scores:

1-3 Rating: Direct back to the establishment for follow up

4-5 Rating: Direct to google reviews to be added to your google rating

Targetable: Targetable takes on social media marketing for you by creating advertisements and marketing them to the associated target audience without you having to lift a finger.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a demo of any of the partners mentioned above, please contact your Account Manager for assistance!