Mobile App In The Restaurant Industry – 10 Basic Features To Check Out

There is no hiding the fact the Mobile apps have been a great support in the Restaurant Industry especially during this time of the pandemic. Aside from its features being in line with the new normal protocols, it also meets the basic demand of modern diner – convenience.

Here are the features that you must look out for in choosing a Mobile app for your restaurant or takeaway:

• Custom-build Interface
• Updated menu
• Trouble-free ordering process
• Uncomplicated reservation and advance order
• Profile section
• Ratings, reviews and feedbacks
• In-app payment process
• Enable Push Notifications
• Discounts, coupons, and loyalty program
• Tracking option

Read on as we get into the details to help you out in your restaurant’s app design.

WHAT IS A MOBILE APP

Mobile App is a software program that is downloaded and accessed via smartphone, tablet, music player or another mobile device. Take note that it is important for your app to be compatible with the mobile devices of most if not all of your customers.

In the Restaurant Industry, mobile apps have helped restaurateurs and customers by streamlining the process of ordering, processing, and delivery. The process is simplified into customers placing an order online or via app, the restaurant then receives a notification about the incoming order and then sends a confirmation to the customers about their order. This may include the estimated delivery time and the driver’s profile.

After sending confirmation, orders from mobile apps are now processed in the restaurants’ kitchen, and then soon the customer will get their order delivered right at their doorstep – or however they choose to get it, it could be curb-side pick-up or takeaway.

Whether you decide to have your own mobile app or tries to join a 3rd party app, you should know what customers are expecting out of their mobile app. We’ve gathered the main features modern diners are looking for in order to produce a reliable mobile app.

10 Features of a High Quality Mobile App

1. CUSTOM-BUILT INTERFACE

Aside from the fact that it should be easy to navigate, mobile apps can be customized according to the theme of your restaurant brand. You can align the layout to complement and promote your brand.

2. UPDATED MENU

It is important for mobile apps that their menu is updated real-time. This is to avoid confusion with the orders and provide a better customer experience. That’s why it is ideal for it to be integrated with the POS menu for improved process of menu management.

3. TROUBLE-FREE ORDERING PROCESS

One of the main goals of mobile apps is to simplify the process of ordering. The process may differ depending if you have your own mobile app or you’re integrated with a 3rd party app. Either way, the order process will just be as simple as : customer placing and finalizing an order through a UI – the app connects the customer’s orders to the restaurant’s software or via cloud – the order would be sent to nearby delivery service who can accept or decline your order. 

If you have your own mobile app, the process is more simplified and you can skip the third part.

4. UNCOMPLICATED RESERVATION AND ADVANCE ORDER

Modern diners now crave for the right to be in control of their transactions. For reservations, you can choose whether your customers can request reservations through your app or if they can specifically reserve a seat. Talk to your mobile app developer on what suits best for your restaurant.

Restaurants whose mobile apps have ‘advance orders’ feature give their customers the privilege to schedule the delivery time or pick-up time for their order. The restaurant is promptly notified with the customer’s selected schedule.

5. PROFILE SECTION

Mobile apps are developed to deliver convenience and faster transactions to the customers. Having a ‘My Profile’ feature allows the customers to save their address, favorite orders, and saved orders. This lessens the time of inputting the same details repeatedly leading to a satisfactory transaction for a customer.

6. RATINGS, REVIEWS AND FEEDBACKS

It is ideal that Mobile apps, of any business, show value to their customers’ feedback. This feature acts as a stimulator that provides the customers the space to give their feedback in their own time. This leads to better optimization, and an opportunity to analyze the customer’s insights and experience.

7. IN-APP PAYMENT PROCESS

If you don’t allow your customers to process payment through your mobile app, it contradicts the main goal of them using it. Your mobile app should be developed to accept payment and process payment online in order to meet the demand for convenience, and to help increase the restaurant’s efficiency and productivity.

8. ENABLE PUSH NOTIFICATIONS

This feature of mobile apps is seen as an effective marketing tool that allows the restaurant to send notifications, updates, promos, and latest offers to the customer’s mobile device. While it can surely improve the customer’s engagement with your brand, make sure to give your customers the liberty to decide on how they want to be notified. 

9. DISCOUNTS, COUPONS, AND LOYALTY PROGRAM

One thing that will lure customers are discounted or free products. This will contribute to the improvement of your mobile app’s customer engagement, as this feature would leave the impression that your customers are being valued by your restaurant. 

10. TRACKING OPTION

Providing your customers a feature that enables them to locate their orders real-time will surely serve customer delight. The framework for this feature appears to be the same with the ordering process of your mobile app.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN DEVELOPING A MOBILE APP FOR YOUR RESTAURANT

There are many factors to look out for if you’ve decided to incorporate a mobile app to your restaurant’s operations. Here are the most common ones :

1. Business Concept 
2. Quality
3. Budget
4. Functionality and Features
5. Maintenance and Support
6. Payment Processing
7. User-friendly Interface
8. SEO and Social Platform Integration

DEVELOPING YOUR OWN MOBILE APP VS PARTNERING WITH A 3RD PARTY APP

This is one dilemma that restaurant owners are dealing with. Would it be worth the hassle to create your own mobile app for your restaurant? Would your restaurant be able to benefit if you decided to integrate a 3rd party app with your mobile app? Below is a quick overview on what’s to be expected for both.

	OWN MOBILE APP	3RD PARTY APP INTEGRATION
Profit Share / Commission	All profits will surely be yours. No cuts from delivery service providers, no activation fees, and other fees that will cost you a huge cut from your sales.	3rd party apps require restaurants to pay for activation fee, service fee, and others even delivery fee.
Delivery Service	If you decide to hire your own delivery service, though you have to pay for additional labor and insurance, you’ll be able to manage and monitor them closely. You’ll also have the authority to customize their vehicle according to your liking – which would help your marketing.	Since you’re not in control of the drivers or couriers that will deliver your food item to your customers, there is no guarantee that they’ll serve it the way you want them to be. The delivery fee of almost 15% may be put into waste if the order would be damaged.
Profit Margin	You’re in control of your own margin if you develop your own mobile app.	3rd party apps are strict with the prices displayed on their platform, it should be the same on your menu. With all the fees required, your restaurant will receive 15% – 30% less margin if you decide to partner with their platform.
Control	All the freedom from the layout to your customer’s date would be in your hands as you control your own management with your own mobile app.	You don’t have control on almost everything starting from the placement of your restaurant to your customers’ database. If you want to have a better placement, other 3rd party apps will require you to pay more.
Maintenance	It would be shouldered by your restaurant and you’ll be the one responsible to find a good mobile app developer that suits your liking and quality.	The 3rd party app developers would be responsible for the maintenance and it would be automated.

With the recent survey done by Statista in the UK, 30% of the respondents answered Deliveroo as what online food provider and delivery they’ve used in the past 12 months.

Gone are the days where restaurants were filled with yelling customers through the phone in order to process their orders, reservations, and other transactions. There are also lesser errors with taking orders and missed orders due to busy lines or missed calls. 

The Restaurant Industry is continuously adopting innovations to provide and steadily improve customer satisfaction and experience. Mobile apps are one of those, and it has proven its worth by providing customer delight through easier, faster, and simpler process of transactions.

source https://www.etakeawaymax.co.uk/mobile-app-features-for-restaurants/