Three ways to take orders online
| Option | Advantage | Drawback |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery platform | Ready customers and riders | Commission on each order; the customer belongs to the platform |
| Your own ordering website | No commission; works on any phone without installing | You bring the customers and arrange delivery |
| Your own mobile app | Loyalty points, notifications and repeat orders | Higher cost; customers must install it |
These are not exclusive. Many restaurants stay on a platform for new customers and move regular customers to their own channel.
Start with a QR menu
The simplest first step is a digital menu opened by scanning a QR code on the table. It costs little, prices can be changed at once, and it can later become a full ordering system.
Features of a good ordering system
- Menu with photos, prices, and options such as size and spice level.
- Items that can be switched off when they run out.
- Dine-in, takeaway and delivery orders.
- Payment by eSewa, Khalti, QR or cash on delivery.
- Order status sent to the customer by SMS or notification.
- Delivery areas and charges.
- A kitchen screen or printed order ticket.
- Daily sales and best-selling item reports.
When your own app makes sense
- You have regular customers who order every week.
- You run several branches or a cloud kitchen.
- You want a loyalty programme and offers sent as notifications.
For a single small restaurant, an ordering website usually gives better value than an app.
Connecting to billing
Online orders should flow into the same billing system as counter sales, so that stock, VAT bills and daily totals stay correct. Entering online orders by hand a second time is where errors start.
Practical points
- Good food photographs matter more than design effects.
- Give an honest delivery time.
- Decide who answers when an order goes wrong.
- Collect customers' numbers with their consent, for future offers.
We build ordering websites and Flutter apps for Android and iOS. Mobile apps start from NPR 80,000. See mobile app development, Flutter versus native apps and pricing.
