The Rise of Mobile Ordering & How It’s Changing The Hospitality Industry

The need for online ordering has become a critical necessity in the restaurant industry due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

Although mobile ordering apps have helped restaurants and pubs survive offering several advantages to customers and businesses, it also has trade-offs in the hospitality industry.

This article will discuss the rising demand for mobile ordering apps, their advantages, and the challenges to hospitality.

F&B Outlets Under Pressure

Because COVID-19 is primarily spread via contact with an infected person, it has caused the implementation of social distancing measures, stay home orders, and other restrictions such as curfew. This has damaged the Food and Beverage industries such as restaurants and pubs.

Smartphones have become foodies’ dining partners, with consumers flocking to mobile ordering apps for most of their dining needs. Mobile capabilities are now more critical than ever in the face of the COVID-19 virus. More businesses and consumers rely on well-designed mobile ordering apps to accurately determine, monitor, and time pick-up and delivery of food and other items now that delivery, and pick-up are the only safe dining alternatives in most areas.

For restaurants and pubs, they now have to enter the online ordering environment. They are forced to enhance their strategy by developing a greater focus on mobile ordering applications if they want to stay competitive.

 

Advantages of Mobile Ordering Apps for Restaurants and Pubs

Prioritizes the Safety of Customers and Staff

It is not unusual to see customers asking for services with little human contact, and this naturally contributes to the expansion of contactless services.

Minimal interaction helps consumers, staff, and the general public from acquiring and spreading not only the COVID virus but also a range of other health threats. Mobile ordering apps will likely continue to serve consumers’ needs because of their ability to accommodate customers with minimal contact.

They Ensure Convenience

Mobile ordering apps make things convenient. By putting everything on the app, guests will always have a good and familiar dining experience whether they’re using desktop or mobile. Customers are only a few taps away from ordering; they may order quicker and have an easier time finding their favorite items on the menu.

Ordering Becomes a Seamless Process

The mobile ordering app allows customers to order anytime, from anywhere, saving time and money that they would have spent on a trip to pick up their meal. Customers can also order their meals and drinks without having to wait in line.

Easily Manage the Menu

Mobile ordering apps allow businesses to modify their menu instantly. They can take off meals or drinks they no longer serve or those unavailable for that day. This can reduce a lot of the conflict between staff and customers.

Less Mistakes and Problems

Even the most seasoned server may get orders wrong. But this can be avoided with mobile ordering apps. If you want to operate your restaurant or pub successfully, you must ensure a faultless customer experience. Investing in a mobile ordering app allows less mistakes in taking orders.

Additionally, with a mobile ordering app, your staff will have more time to concentrate on other things like maintaining cleanliness or preparing food.

How Mobile Ordering Apps May Change The Hospitality Industry

The trade-off with utilizing mobile ordering apps is the lack of touchpoints such as interactions with a server, experiencing the ambiance, and the customer experience with the brand; those that come with dining in a full-service restaurant. This means that customers may judge the restaurant or the pub simply on their food and app experience.

Hence, restaurants and pubs now have to focus their efforts on developing a user-friendly functional mobile app, as well as improving the delivery experience for customers.

Indeed, mobile ordering apps revolutionized how restaurants engage with customers and vice versa. And the F&B industry has no choice but to adapt in order to stay afloat.

 

Conclusion

The possible success of an online ordering system in a post-COVID world is something no one wants to ignore anymore. Restaurant and pub owners have realized that investing in mobile ordering apps may secure their survival from the epidemic and advance their preparation for future needs. Convenience and safety are increasingly important for consumers in these pandemic times, which means they’ll be habituated to this system and prefer dining at restaurants and pubs that enable online ordering and doorstep delivery. Ordering online is the new normal.