A compelling online presence is a must for every restaurant today. With 73% of consumers conducting research online before deciding where to eat or what to order, your restaurant's web presence can be the difference between a bustling kitchen and a slow trickle of tickets. But while a strong website is critical, it won't drive much revenue if it doesn't allow online ordering.
According to Statista's Worldwide Restaurant Delivery Report, the restaurant delivery market worldwide is projected to witness substantial growth in revenue, reaching a staggering $153.8 billion in 2024. There's no better time to set up online ordering and capture this growing revenue potential. Read on to discover valuable tips for building an online ordering website that's functional, appealing, and profitable.
Key considerations for your online ordering website
When the time comes to build an ordering website, you'll want a site that checks all the boxes — from consistent branding to ease of use. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind when designing your online ordering website.
Brand customization: Use descriptive language to tell a story that sets your business apart, so that customers will remember your business long after they've eaten your food.
Appealing visual elements: High-quality photos of your restaurant's dishes can increase delivery volume on DoorDash by 15%. Food photos can help persuade customers to make a purchase in the moment and create a lasting memory that keeps them coming back for more.
Ease of use: A non-responsive website can reduce your restaurant's credibility and the likelihood that customers will return — making a well-functioning ordering website even more important.
Key information: Be sure to include basic business information such as phone numbers, menu prices, and hours of operation. Make ordering as easy as possible to prevent customers from getting frustrated and turning elsewhere for their next meal.
Mobile-friendly format: Considering that more than half of all global web traffic comes from mobile devices, not including tablets, it's worth investing in an online ordering website that's mobile-friendly.
Grow your revenue with an online ordering website
Now that you know the important elements of an online ordering website, how do you actually start building one? Luckily, you don't have to be tech-savvy to create a sleek and efficient online ordering website for your restaurant. DoorDash Commerce Platform allows you to easily build your online ordering business with the same technology that powers DoorDash. All you need is your existing DoorDash Marketplace account to set up Online Ordering with the Starter Package, and then after a few clicks, you can start taking direct, commission-free orders instantly.
"DoorDash Online Ordering is the best product ever. If you have a brand that people love, Online Ordering is an option for them to order from you for delivery at a much lower rate to you because they're already your customer."
Here are a few additional benefits of using Commerce Platform for your online ordering website:
A branded, search engine-optimized website
Grow your digital presence with a modern, search engine-optimized website that reflects your brand’s unique identity. DoorDash handles all the backend work for you – we build the site using your existing DoorDash assets and host it for you.
Easily manage online orders
With Online Ordering's seamless integrations, you don't need to manually enter customer orders on your POS, reducing the chance for human error. When Vincent Williams rebranded the website for his restaurant Honey's Kettle, he implemented Commerce Platform to make the ordering experience easier and more convenient for customers. Between 2021 and 2022, sales grew by 12% and Vincent saw an increase of more than 50 orders a week. "The online orders just took off; it got to such a pace that we were creating like a half an inch stack of tickets within 10 minutes," Vincent says.
Integrate with social media
Diners love scrolling through Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to discover their next favorite restaurant. By adding a link to your Commerce Platform site on your social media profiles, you can help people easily navigate to your ordering platform after finding a dish that piques their interest.
How to build your own branded website with DoorDash Commerce Platform
With DoorDash Commerce Platform, you don't have to spend hours learning how to build and manage an ecommerce site. You can set up commission-free delivery and pickup ordering on your website in a few easy steps:
Sign up for DoorDash or log in to your existing DoorDash Marketplace account.
Go to the Commerce Platform tab in the Merchant Portal and click “Get Started”.
Find the Starter Package and click “Start for free”.
Set up your Online Ordering page, choose your brand color and upload your logo.
Add your Online Ordering link to your website, social media, Google profile, email newsletters, and start receiving commission-free online orders. Delivery orders will be fulfilled by Dashers and pickup orders will be collected in your store by customers.
Start accepting online orders today
With so many people turning to the internet to find their next meal, you want to ensure you're capturing the sales potential of online traffic. With DoorDash Commerce Platform, you can launch your own branded website with Online Ordering — fast, simple, and commission-free. The Commerce Platform Starter Package is included in your Marketplace plan, but you can unlock more advanced tools to power your online growth and build a loyal fan base with the Boost and Pro packages.
Check out the available packages and schedule a chat with the team to see which Commerce Platform package is the right fit for your restaurant.
