The National Restaurant Association has created an infographic to show what restaurateurs can expect about the increasing importance of online ordering, websites and electronic payment. 

What customers have to say:

• 61% say they have visited a restaurant website.
• 36% say they have placed an order online.
• 46% would use a restaurant’s smartphone app if available.
• 36% of customers have looked up nutrition information online.

What restaurateurs have to say:

• 48% of restaurateurs say that smartphone apps will become more popular.
• 82% of quick service restaurants say online and smartphone ordering will become more popular.

And about social media:

• 9 of 10 restaurateurs say social media will become more important marketing tools.
• Virtually all restaurateurs (95%) say they will be of Facebook in the next two years.
• 78% say they will be on Twitter.

NetWaiter provides an easy-to-read mobile website to every customer, along with a QR code that takes users to the site. NetWaiter was also the first online provider to offer those who order takeout the opportunity, when purchasing online, to automatically post their purchase to their own personal Facebook page. This also creates an automatic link for Facebook friends to go directly to that restaurant and order online, too. Call NetWaiter today at 866-638-9248. We can have you up and operating on your own mobile site in less than a week. 

According to a recent article from Restaurant Hospitality, 30% of all traffic to your website comes from a mobile device.  In reality, that figure may be a lot higher, but 30% is still significant.  Here are some dos and don'ts for promoting your restaurant to mobile visitors and customers:

1. Create a mobile-friendly website.  Pssst... NetWaiter automatically creates a mobile site for your restaurant.  It's easy to use and folks love it, but it’s also a good idea to have a mobile friendly version of your existing homepage.  Provide customers easy navigation and show your critical information.

2. List your mobile site on sites such as Yelp, Urbanspoon, and Foursquare.  Your regulars may know where to find you, but others may be looking up your restaurant on their mobile device using one of these sites.

3. Keep it simple.  People care more about ease-of-use and functionality when it comes to mobile websites.  They just want them to work - so forget fancy graphics that take forever to load.  Keep it simple and easy to navigate.  Note: A mobile NetWaiter site is fast and easy to navigate.  

4. Make it easy for customers to find you.  Use a QR code on all your signage and spread the word that you have a mobile site and mobile ordering.

With more than 90 million internet-accessible Smartphones in the United States, mobile ordering and accessibility is something you don't want to miss!

A recent article from Nation's Restaurant News provided some conflicting data about the health of the economy and the fate of upcoming Holiday restaurant sales. 

Here at NetWaiter, we looked into our crystal ball and the answer we got was – “If the upcoming Holiday Season is going to be good for your restaurant, it's because you worked hard and started planning early enough.”

Here are a few tips to help you work smarter:

•    Start Promoting Early - The Holiday Season can be busy for many people and offering them convenience during such a hectic time is really beneficial.  Consider posting signage to remind people your restaurant offers online ordering through their mobile device.  "Pick up dinner on the way home from the mall."  Also, work with your wait staff to spread the word.  These tips help keep business coming in well after the Holidays.

•    Print Advertising - Do you have a regular ad in a local paper or magazine?  Make sure your custom online ordering site is part of the message.
•    A Little Motivation - What about a Free Appetizer or Dessert for online orders during the Holidays?  Try offering something special that you don't offer any other time of the year.
•    Special Promotions - Launch an Email campaign letting customers know they can rely on your convenient takeout system during the Holidays.  Creating an online category for Special Holiday Promotions can also work great. 

Without a doubt, you have probably noticed a new phenomenon in print – those funky squares that look like scrambled crossword puzzles. They are QR Codes (Quick Response Codes).

QR codes are popular with today's mobile culture. They read like bar codes when scanned and return information to the user based on how the QR code is setup. Their use in the U.S. catapulted 1,200% during the last six months of 2010. In Japan, where QR codes were developed, it is estimated that 86% of consumers scan at least four QR codes a month.

The best reason to embrace mobile technology, such as QR codes, is to make it more convenient for customers to do business with you. Many restaurant customers have Smartphones. You probably see them "checking-in" to your restaurant using location-based services such as Foursquare or Facebook. As customers continue to embrace Smartphones, mobile marketing will become increasingly important.

To help restaurants promote their mobile site, NetWaiter has configured a unique QR code for every restaurant on the NetWaiter Network. They can be easily accessed from a restaurant’s NetWaiter Management Console. When customers scan a restaurant’s QR code, they are immediately directed to their mobile NetWaiter site and menu.

TIP: Print some NetWaiter QR codes and post them around your restaurant to promote your mobile site and menu to customers. If your restaurant does not have a NetWaiter account, you can activate your account today, at NO CHARGE, and get immediate access to your restaurant's NetWaiter site and unique QR code.

Restaurants across the country offering online ordering through NetWaiter can now offer the same service to diners using their Internet-enabled Smartphones.  The service, launched in early November, automatically became available to restaurants using NetWaiter, and their customers.

Mobile Ordering.pdf (132.37 kb)

As of early November, all NetWaiter clients have their own custom mobile site.

Restaurants across the country offering online ordering through NetWaiter can now receive orders from customers using Internet-enabled smartphones.  The service, launched earlier this month, automatically became available to NetWaiter clients and their customers.  Analytics from NetWaiter already show a brisk business from this new mobile capability.

NetWaiter’s technology is able to determine when a customer is accessing a client’s site using a mobile device.  Customers can simply access any NetWaiter site from a smartphone (i.e. iPhone, Android) and the system will automatically recognize the mobile device and display the appropriate mobile site, making navigation simple.

Based on conservative estimates, there are more than 50 million smartphones operating in the U.S.  Knowing that most smartphone owners quickly adapt to everything they do, including online ordering, NetWaiter expects this capability to be huge for clients and their customers.

Nothing is required by restaurants to enable this new feature.  Mobile accessibility is part of every service package at no additional charge.