Do I need a mobile application for a cafe or restaurant? How useful is it for catering owners and customers? Consider all the pros and cons, we find a middle ground.
Creating a mobile application is not cheap and not every business can allow it.
When it comes to catering, the question arises about the feasibility of using mobile applications. Now we are not talking about aggregators, where you can order food from a whole list of cafes / restaurants, but about the application of a particular restaurant.
The advantages of mobile applications for catering
1. Loyalty
The loyalty program is the main reason for installing the restaurant’s mobile application and it’s a sin not to use it! In aggregators, restaurants have to leave up to 20% of the order, while in your own mobile application you can make presents for your customers with this money. Bonuses, promotions, discounts - all this is encouraged by customers in the form of checks left on the tables.
The applications themselves are always with you. No need to carry numerous cards. It's comfortable.
2. Communication
Mobile application is a great opportunity to communicate with the client via push-notifications. Yes, it is recommended to send them no more than 1 time per week. You can notify about promotions and special offers.
3. Visibility
The design of a modern mobile application for Android and iOS allows you to reveal all the beauty of your offer - photos of dishes, photo reports from parties, reviews, photos of visitors. In addition, if you connect the application with the cards, the client will be able to build a route to your institution, without leaving the application.
Pay particular attention to how your icon looks on the desktop of your smartphone. It is important to choose the right colors, shapes, fonts, so that it is recognizable and understandable.
4. Payment
One of the chips of the mobile application is the ability to pay for the order in the mobile application itself. This is very useful in the case of ordering food from the restaurant to the house - there is no need to prepare a “sum without change” for the courier or to catch a connection with the bank in the case of a payment terminal.
5. Reservations
Oddly enough, but the era of booking tables on the phone will soon pass. Firstly, it is inconvenient to look for the phone, dial the restaurant (which is sometimes problematic), try to understand through the noise what the manager says, and the manager what the client says ... In general, remember how you ordered a taxi by phone, and now through the application . The same will be with restaurants.
Cons of mobile applications for catering
1. The high cost
A mobile application for restaurants is a serious financial investment. You should calculate what will be the profit and savings in the case of the introduction of the mobile application.
2. Inappropriate
Not all catering establishments need a mobile application. For example, a small coffee house near the house is enough that residents of nearby houses know about it.
Mobile apps catering establish regulars and travelers. If they are the ones who visit your cafe / restaurant, then the mobile app is a must have!
I want to order a mobile application!
