How we get online ordering added to our Web site?
Thanks
I use Hunger Rush. I’m sure there are plenty of options out there a simple google search will turn up.
The steps to getting online ordering added to your website are complicated for the beginner but simple once you understand all the steps.
The first step is to find a platform that will handle your orders and processing. There’s several out there but you want to pick one that has been around for a while. (We deal with a great online ordering platform if you’re interested). The reason I say you want to make sure they’ve been around for awhile is because we’ve dealt with companies who’ve disappeared after just a year in business and it’s not good for the restaurant when their service provider disappears.
After you pick a platform, the company you’ve picked pretty much creates the online ordering side of your website. Most times it’s stored on their servers, all you need to do is create a link that goes over to their website, which if done right, will look to the user like they’re still on your website.
Then you need a gateway and process. The gateway verifies with the processor the credit card purchases and relays that information back to the online ordering platform. You could get a gateway that’s separate from the process, or I’ve also seen credit card processor companies handle obtaining a gateway for the restaurant since they’re already holding their account.
Once that’s set up, you should be good to go.
The devil is in the details though. How you receive your orders is important so you don’t miss any. Some online ordering platforms only deliver orders via email, text, phone call, while others are more powerful and can send an order directly to a restaurants receipt printer so no order gets left behind.
Also, the power of online ordering isn’t only through making it convenient for patrons to order from you, but it’s really about obtaining customer information so you could send those customers promotions on a continuous basis. Collecting and obtaining customer information is the most important thing about online ordering because in the long run, will bring your marketing dollars down.
If you’d like to discuss this further, feel free to email me. walid@yourcommunityinsider.com
The credit card entry section of your checkout is not secure, do you realize that? It transmits credit card information in clear text (unencrypted).
What platform is your website built on?
Website was built using wordpress!
As stated above. You need an SSL certificate for your website ASAP.
Meh. Silence.
“No outside fees ever” - except lawsuit and fines levied for non-PCI compliance when someone has their data stolen. 
Isn’t this the financial equivalent of leaving raw chicken out on your cutting table overnight?
Hahaha
Alright, non-secure options aside, here’s another that aims to get your restaurant up and running in an hour or so for roughly half the cost of the bigger guys.
https://emenuexpress.com/restaurant (This will explain in detail and link to a demo.)
Setup time depends how large your menu is as that’s usually the most time consuming portion.
Order transmittal via:
[LIST]
[]real-time dashboard viewable on any computer’s or tablet’s browser
[]fax
[*]text
[]email
[]POS integration is underway to create the orders on your POS systems as well. Clover is functioning in development and others are on the way.
[/LIST]
Very easy configuration of payment process. Only takes a couple minutes to create a way to have access to your funds immediately upon customers ordering. No waiting weeks or months. Or waiting days/weeks for typical gateway and merchant account set up. When you finish the set up process (an hour or two), your menu is online taking orders and funds from the orders are being immediately directed to you.
Tons of other features, but don’t want to turn this into a big ad. I just noticed the other option so figured I’d at least share a secure option.
Feel free to ask for more information and/or comment here, or contact me at mike@eMenuExpress.com.
Thanks and good luck all.
** Edit: Almost forgot, there’s a special “Pizza Builder” field for items of your menu. It allows for a different ordering process which allows customers to choose halves/double for toppings.
POS integration is the key for me. If I still have to have someone notice an order pop up on the dash and then enter it in, that takes away a large feature that makes online ordering so attractive - less time spent on entering orders.
Which POS system do you use? Honestly the reason you don’t see the integration with many online ordering options is because it’s extremely challenging tying into all the different systems. Plus many want to charge a fee.
It looks like we may have Clover up and running on the live site in a couple weeks, perhaps having it be a completely free feature. Some other POS systems though, it may run 30 cents per order transmitted via the POS. Think the feature is worth the 30 cents per transaction?
I use Point of Success. Asking if the cost is worth it, I would have to see all the features and the total cost of using it to determine if it’s worth it. That just happens to be a feature for me that I would like to have and ranks high on my list.
If you say your service is “roughly half the cost of the bigger guys” but you don’t offer all the features of the bigger guys, then it would have to be considered on a case by case basis. Not saying it’s not a great service. I really don’t know that. Just giving you feedback on a feature that I think is important. It might not be to others.
Thanks, I appreciate the info. Based on feedback we’ve gotten, it is a feature many restaurants are interested in. Which is why we’re currently implementing it. I’ll look into Point of Success and see what that may cost/entail. Other than Clover we’re working on: Micros 3700, Aloha, Speedline, Breakaway, Andromeda.
As far as the other features and pricing, if you’re interested and have a minute to take a look: https://emenuexpress.com/restaurant
Any feedback and/or criticism is welcome. Feedback from actual owners/managers drives our development. We aim to offer at least the same level of features and some they don’t, all while being cheaper.
Pricing is, well, to put it nicely - expensive. $19.99 +7%? Yikes.
In May one of our stores did $25,376 in online orders. That would be about $1,800.
I think I’d rather pay HungerRush $79. 
Wow, congrats on the good numbers! Thanks for the info and I’ll admit, you had me worried for a minute there. However we’re comparing apples to oranges here.
HungerRush seems to be tightly coupled to a certain POS. I just looked quickly and it seems you can still use HungerRush if you don’t use that particular POS, but integration with your POS is non-existent really at that point. Looks like they just fax the order to the restaurant in those cases. No dashboard or other notification options. I could be wrong as I just did a quick search, and this is the info I found.
Plus the price you quote of $79 does seem unrealistic. There must be other fees. For example the cost of sending a fax is roughly 7-12 cents for most services out there. So based on your numbers from May, if the average order was $30, even figuring each fax costing 7 cents, that’s $60 just to cover fax fees. Not to mention, I believe they have setup fees. Sorry, but like most options out there, they don’t make the pricing readily available, so I’m not exactly sure what the costs are.
We don’t like the idea of surprising restaurants with costs/fees. We’d rather be up-front and clear about any and all costs. Which is why they’re readily available on the site and in marketing emails.
This is not to say that if your POS does have an online ordering solution that you shouldn’t use it. Many do, and if they’re good, you should use it. Heck, I would. It just wouldn’t be the only service I use because again it’s mostly limited to one POS. Most customers are looking to go to one site or install one app for ordering food. They don’t care what POS system a restaurant uses. Doubtful customers would bookmark different sites and install apps for each restaurant/POS they order from.
However a more “apples-to-apples” comparison here would be with the online services that aren’t tied to POS systems. The ones (I won’t name but do hundreds of millions in profits annually) that charge 12.5% to 20% per order and have added fees for options like being returned higher in search results.
This is where we come in. Offering the features they do plus some they don’t (immediate access to funds, the above mentioned POS integration soon) for much lower rates.
Do people still use fax?
The easiest (and best IMO) way to “transmit” an order to a store (excluding POS integration) is to simply print the order on one of their existing ticket printers, or any other network attached printer in the store.
Yup they sure do. Gets even worse in some cases. My favorite pizza place here in Jersey, which is responsible for at least 20lbs on my waistline, doesn’t even have a fax machine, let alone an ip enabled printer.
I went there figuring I had an easy signup. But even with all the order notification options we offer, none would do.
Order Dashboard: Nope, no computer or tablet and he doesn’t like them.
Fax: nope
Email: nope
Text Message: Surely he has a cell phone right? He pulls out a flip phone.
I’ll get him though. Even if it means buying him a smart phone. Annoys me every time (like 4 times weekly) I order from him. His Sicilian pie is awesome!