Food Industry is growing exponentially in the present e-commerce industry. There are almost more than three billion smartphone users worldwide in 2020, according to a report. It is vital that food industries take leverage of the increasing use of smartphone benefits and become a bandwagon by creating apps that will help them in bringing the customers closer to their restaurants. For instance, online food ordering website like Starbucks’s 16% of total transactions happens due to the service of mobile app. Also, other online food ordering websites like Zomato, Swiggy, Yelp etc., have gained popularity. Hence, it is imperative for restaurants to capitalize the benefits of the smartphones across various arenas by focusing on their restaurant mobile app development. It can range from a coupon app, or a restaurant wait time app or rating app to food ordering app. The various kinds of restaurant mobile apps help in reaching customers because of factors like convenience, user-friendliness and service management. Also, for a restaurant owner, it opens a window of opportunities by offering plethora of benefits in expanding their business across various regions.
The below points offer the benefits of a restaurant mobile app development, that helps in gaining potential revenue, expanding business and increasing customer.
Localization
The iBeacon technology assists the restaurant owners to send push notifications to people who are around their location’s physical proximity. They can offer them deals, discount offer and food specialties and lure them into entering their restaurants.
Loyalty Points
According to research, 65% of restaurant customers would be willing to download your restaurant’s app if you promised them exclusive offers and deals from time to time. Hence, it is one of the most effective and cost-efficient marketing strategies that can adopted by the restaurants for their restaurant app development. It offers a personalized touch than other kind of vouchers that are given to customers. Also, one can incentivize them to have more points by asking them to refer the app to their friends, family and other groups.
Hassle-free order
Due to the app, there are no middlemen who will make a customer wait for their turn. In the restaurant mobile app, one can order food, do online payment and avoid confusions related to payments. It simplifies the order process.
Online Reservations
It’s a daunting process to wait in a long-queue to order food. Making online reservations through their respective restaurant apps is a beneficiary for customers as they don’t have to search or stand in long-queues to order food.
Increase ROI
A Restaurant owner can increase their ROI and boost their business by offering special deals on weekends; offering discounts on specialties; personalized notifications about Happy Hour Meals or coupons of the same.
Digital Menu
Having an easy-access to digital menu in the app makes the customers to feel free from all the hassle that one has to go through while accessing the same in the web version. According to a survey, 62% of customers are less likely to visit the restaurant if they cannot see the menu easily on the app.
Coupon Redemption
Coupons have been a way to businessman to attract customers. Coupons were first offered by Coco-Cola Company in 1887, through which the company expanded their business. Due to technology, customers can access their coupon on apps and redeem through the app. This will not only increase ROI, but also expand business and attract more consumers.
Images than the words
A survey that was conducted unofficially revealed that the impact of images is more on mobile apps than on laptops. Images do help the customers in luring them to order the delicacies of their choice without being dubious about the dish.
Social Media
In the age of digital media, it is pivotal to have a social media where a word of mouth can make wonders in expanding the business and helping in the success of the restaurant business. People share their experience through social media, hence, if a better service; offers; deals and hassle-free payments are presented to the people through the app, there are high chances that people share the restaurant names, recommend it to others and help in boosting the reputation.
Reviews
One always looks at the app reviews before downloading and ordering from it. Hence, it is important to ask the customers to review the apps in order to boost and increase your sales. One can send push notifications to customers to remind them of reviewing the apps. This goes a long way in increasing sales of the restaurant.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BUILD A RESTAURANT APP?
The cost usually depends on the features that get integrated in the app. It also depends on the development time. A consultant at mobile application development company, may help you in making a Minimum Viable Product as per the restaurant business requirements. Also, mobile app companies charge on hourly basis for the development of the app.
In a succinct, it is high time that in the era of digital world, it is important to have their own restaurant mobile app; food delivering apps. Hence, the mobile apps become a handy tool to increase sales by targeting huge customers and boost the revenues of the restaurants.