Chinese food is often synonymous with takeout. People love to order and enjoy Chinese food in their homes. Most Chinese restaurants know this and shape their business around takeout and delivery. But with a growing number of restaurants offering takeout, the landscape has become more competitive. As customers have more options, Chinese restaurants need to adapt to keep up.
If you operate a Chinese restaurant and want to keep customers calling you for their takeout orders, here are a few ways to keep up with changing technology and customer demands.
Follow these steps to drive more takeout orders at your Chinese restaurant.
#1) Offer online ordering.
One of the best ways to increase the number of takeout orders at your Chinese restaurant is to set up online ordering. Customers now expect to be able to quickly place orders through their phones or computers. Don’t rely on call-in ordering only. Online ordering appeals to customers who want their food quickly. Customers easily place orders and pick up their items with no fuss.
Plus, through online ordering, customers can customize orders with add-ons which may make them spend more through upsell suggestions. For example, you can use your online menu to promote your specialty egg rolls or highlight a combo meal that comes with a drink and an extra side dish.
There’s another benefit to using an online ordering system that can directly affect your profits. Setting up your own system means you won’t be reliant on apps like UberEats and DoorDash for pickup and delivery. Restaurants often lose 15-30% of their profits on pickup and delivery orders through these apps. With an online ordering system, all of that revenue stays in your restaurant.
#2) Set up self-ordering kiosks.
Along with online ordering, you can also increase the number of takeout orders at your Chinese restaurant by placing a food kiosk near the entrance of your location.
Customers who weren’t able to order online before they arrived can still look through a digital menu and place an order without needing to walk up to the counter. This gives customers more time to read over ingredients and choose what they want.
Kiosks don’t need to be bulky or expensive. Self-ordering kiosks can be set up using handheld iPads on counters or tables.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Using Self-Service Restaurant Kiosks
#3) Win over customers with quality photos.
While Chinese food continues to be incredibly popular across the United States, many customers are only familiar with a few dishes. They might not understand the full scale of your menu – including some of your best items.
Take time to carefully photograph your menu items so you can showcase them in their best light. You can promote these items on your social media channels, upload them to your website for online ordering, and add them to your self-ordering kiosks.
By using images through your digital systems, you can speed up the ordering process. The human brain processes images significantly faster than text. When looking at your menu, your customers will pick out items they want through your pictures and click to order them.
Adding quality images can also increase your profits. You can showcase items that have the highest profit margins to encourage customers to order these dishes. Even if your average ticket remains the same, your overall revenue will increase.
#4) Process takeout orders faster with a synced POS system.
Customers order takeout because they want convenience. They want to quickly place and receive their orders. It may be difficult to deliver that customer experience if your kitchen is backed up with orders coming in from multiple places. That’s where a point-of-sale (POS) system comes in.
You can manage a stream of takeout orders being placed at the counter and through the phone, online ordering, and kiosks all through one Asian restaurant POS. At Lavu, we developed our POS system to help you fulfill orders faster and keep customers happier. You can set up a system so all orders are sent to the kitchen as they come in from multiple sources.
Lavu’s restaurant POS comes with more than 200 features. You can use it to not only take orders and process payments, but you can also use it to manage employees, inventory, sales data, and so much more. Plus, the Lavu team sets up your system for you so you can quickly get it up and running with all the tools you need.
Related: 8 Restaurant POS System Features You Must Have
Drive More Takeout Orders at Your Chinese Restaurant
Takeout is getting more competitive than ever before. Chinese restaurants can’t simply rely on customers coming to them when they want an easy dinner option. Use these tips to upgrade and update your takeout processes to better appeal to customers.
By following each of the steps listed here, you can improve your processes and market your business better. You can bring more customers through your doors and give them a positive experience so they return.
To learn more about taking these steps to drive more takeout orders at your Chinese restaurants, schedule a demo to get a tour of Lavu’s Asian Restaurant POS. Or, download our free ebook, How to Create a Successful Restaurant Menu for more tips on creating better menu and ordering experiences.
