The gaining takeaway food trend

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The pandemic has reshaped the restaurant industry. Even as dine-out restrictions are relaxed as Singapore is recovering from Covid19, the takeaway food trend is still gaining due to the convenience it brings.

In this article, we share a few tips for restaurant owners to adapt and capitalize on the upward trend of takeaway food.

How should restaurants adapt to the new takeaway food trend?

Many consumers order takeaway food from online. It is important to recognize that and meet your consumers where they are shopping. There are 2 ways you could achieve this. Food delivery platforms or setting up an online food ordering system.

Food Delivery Platforms

These are popular platforms like GrabFood, FoodPanda and Deliveroo. Many restaurants have taken to such platforms to start selling online. These platforms are great tools to reach more consumers as you tap on their vast customer base and food delivery is handled through them, making it a good option to quickly reach out to online consumers.

However, there are downsides to using these platforms. First being that you unable to collect your customer’s data to create your own customer base. Thus, unable to create a loyal customer following.

Second and one of the most talked about would be the high commission rates that these platforms draw from each of your orders. In order to maintain profits, many F&B merchants had to raise their prices, but this could discourage customers from ordering.

Online Food Ordering Systems

The difference between online food ordering systems and food delivery platforms is that online ordering systems are often web based and you would have to acquire your own customers. Also, food delivery and collection has to be handled by the restaurant.

However, with proper marketing and order management, your online ordering system can outperform food delivery platforms in terms of customer retention rate and profitability.

An online ordering system allows your customers to focus on your brand and offer. This prevents them from hopping to your competitors on the same platform.

By using an online ordering system, you are able to build your restaurant's fanbase for better customer retention to generate more revenue for your restaurant in the long run, without high commission rates charged per order by food delivery platforms.

Which to use?

To achieve the best results, having a strong online presence is important for your restaurant. Hence, using only one of these solutions is inadequate. By using both food delivery platforms and online food ordering systems hand in hand, will help you increase your restaurant’s online presence and meet your customers where they are shopping.

Self ordering kiosk

How does a full service restaurant that prioritizes dine-in adopt self-ordering kiosks?

When customers head to restaurants to takeaway, your restaurant has to divert extra manpower to get orders from these customers. If takeaway order volumes are high, you will have to divert even more manpower from your dine-in operations to handle high volumes of takeaway orders. This negatively affects your efficiency and you may even have to expand your restaurant’s floor space to accommodate more cashier terminals.

By adopting self-ordering kiosks, you are able to open up more takeaway ordering counters without the need to allocate manpower to take orders manually. As self-ordering kiosks take up less space than cashier terminals, you will not have to increase your restaurant’s floor space, hence, saving on rental costs.

On top of that, self-ordering kiosks allow you to preset add on suggestions to promote new dishes, promotions or popular add ons to your takeaway customers.

When the self-ordering kiosks are not in use, they can be used to display attractive images of your best-sellers and promotions that will help to attract walk-in customers.

7 Tips to Optimize Operations at Your Takeaway Food Kiosk in Singapore

By Liang Wei Liaw • 09 May, 2024

Takeaway food kiosks in Singapore generally serve the demographics of Singaporeans that are looking for quick, convenient and tasty meal options. Hence, optimizing operations at your takeaway food kiosk is essential for delivering exceptional service and maximizing profitability. With the increasing demand for quick and convenient dining options, implementing strategies to streamline processes and enhance efficiency can set your kiosk apart from the competition. Here are seven tips to help you optimize operations at your takeaway food kiosk in Singapore, leveraging self-ordering technologies and online platforms to meet customer demands and drive success. Embrace Self-Ordering Solutions Invest in self-ordering kiosks or QR code ordering systems to empower customers to place their orders independently. By offering self-service options, you can reduce wait times, minimize order errors, and improve overall efficiency at your kiosk. Emphasize user-friendly interfaces and intuitive navigation to ensure a seamless ordering experience for customers. Implement Online Ordering Platforms Extend your reach and cater to digital-savvy customers by implementing online ordering platforms for takeaway and delivery. Utilize mobile apps or web-based ordering systems to enable customers to place orders remotely and schedule pickup times at your kiosk. Provide incentives such as exclusive discounts or loyalty rewards for online orders to encourage adoption and drive sales. Optimize Menu Selection and Layout Streamline your menu selection to focus on popular and high-margin items, reducing complexity and speeding up order processing. Organize your menu layout logically, grouping similar items together and highlighting best-sellers or promotional offerings. Utilize digital menu boards or signage to display menu options clearly and attractively, guiding customers towards their desired selections. Invest in Efficient Kitchen Equipment Equip your takeaway food kiosk with efficient kitchen equipment and tools to expedite food preparation and assembly. Invest in high-quality appliances, such as commercial-grade grills, fryers, and ovens, to ensure consistent quality and timely service. Implement workflow optimizations and station layouts to minimize bottlenecks and optimize throughput during peak hours. Streamline Order Fulfillment Processes Develop streamlined order fulfillment processes to ensure orders are prepared and delivered promptly. Implement order tracking systems or digital ticketing solutions to monitor order status in real-time and prioritize tasks accordingly. Train your staff to work efficiently and communicate effectively to minimize wait times and maintain customer satisfaction. Prioritize Hygiene and Safety Measures Uphold stringent hygiene and safety protocols to ensure a clean and safe environment for both customers and staff. Implement regular cleaning and sanitation routines for all surfaces, equipment, and utensils to minimize the risk of contamination. Provide hand sanitizer stations and encourage proper hand hygiene practices among your team members. Monitor Performance and Seek Feedback Continuously monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as order processing times, customer satisfaction scores, and sales metrics to identify areas for improvement. Solicit feedback from customers through surveys, comment cards, or online reviews to gain insights into their experience and preferences. Use this feedback to iterate on your operations and enhance the overall customer experience at your takeaway food kiosk. By implementing these seven tips, you can optimize operations at your takeaway food kiosk in Singapore, delivering fast, convenient, and high-quality service to your customers. By embracing self-ordering technologies, leveraging online platforms, and prioritizing efficiency and hygiene, you can position your kiosk for success in the competitive F&B landscape. iMakan Apart from looking to value add F&B owners in Singapore through information sharing articles, iMakan also provides self ordering solutions such as self ordering kiosks, qr ordering, and online ordering solutions for F&B businesses. If you are looking for such self ordering solutions, WhatsApp us or click here to drop us an enquiry.