Why should You Get a Mobile App for Your Restaurant

Every business needs a mobile app today. Restaurants are no exception. And since the start of the pandemic, people have resorted to online shopping. The same goes for dinner and lunches.
Due to lockdown restrictions and safety concerns, students, corporate workers, and even families during their get-togethers prefer to order online over dining in a restaurant.
Moreover, numbers suggest 60% of local searches on mobile convert into a customer in less than an hour. Amazing, isn’t it? In 2015, Starbucks conducted 16% of monetary transactions over the app.
Developing a mobile app for your restaurant is a one-time investment, but it serves you in the longer run. Here are some worth noting reasons and benefits to invest in a mobile app for your business.
- A Rapid Sales Boost
As it goes without saying, allowing your customers to order food online would result in a huge boost in sales. During COVID-19, online food delivery accounted for 13% of the total US restaurant market.(Statista).
Though the numbers above specifically account for the US, UAE is not an exception. The trend is pretty much the same everywhere else in the world.
From Europe to Asia, the Middle East, and African Countries where people love dining out, the online food delivery business experienced a surprising boom.
So if you want to grow your business, get noticed in your local area or city, you need a mobile app. You won’t just rely on walk-in customers but then have a second stream to get orders even when dine-in restrictions are imposed.
- No Dine-In? No Problem!
This is one of the biggest advantages of having a restaurant app to take online orders. Every now and then a new variant pops up and governments come up with new restrictions. What remains the same is that restaurants are barred from allowing people to dine in.
But if you have a mobile app, this won’t be a big problem for you. You would still be able to keep your business operational. And do you know, no dine-in can help you to cut down your operational costs and save you a ton of money in profit?
- Slash Your Operation Cost During Pandemic
You know what, you don’t need a staff to jot down orders when you have a mobile app. Instead, you can deploy the same staff in the kitchen and ensure 100% efficiency in work.
Normally, restaurant owners need resources to welcome people, take their orders, then there are chefs who cook food, and it’s finally served by the waters. This staff usually does nothing in the pandemic, when dining restrictions are imposed.
And when you have an app, you don’t need them. Downsizing won’t affect your work, and you would be able to save a lot of money every month.
- Run Killer Marketing Campaigns
Do you feel you are lagging behind your competitors? If that’s the case, your strategy for digital marketing in Dubai could be at problem. Maybe you don’t have a personalized marketing channel to engage with your audience.
A mobile app will be a problem solver for you in this regard. Not only will you be able to take orders and show your menu online, but also keep your audience aware of the latest deals.
People will rush to your restaurant upon learning about a new dish. Rolling out a new discount deal for birthday parties and anniversaries? Let your audience know via your app.
- Loyalty & Referral Programs
Well, this is true for all businesses, not just restaurants. A mobile app lets you roll out referral and loyalty programs, and they result in massive customer retention. The people who dine-in or order regularly from your restaurant would feel themselves part of an elite club or family.
Take the example of Pizza Ranch. On Black Friday 2015, they ran a promotion and gave double points to people who came in and bought from them that day. Do you know how much they earned with this small incentive? They ended up generating 67.6% more business for that day than they normally do!
People love to be treated with dignity, respect, and in a personalized way. According to research, 65% of customers are willing to download the restaurant’s app if they get an exclusive deal – it could be a free burger or steak, 50% flat discount on any meal, or perhaps their favorite ice cream!
- Expand Your Area Coverage
And what’s more, when you have a mobile app, you don’t remain restricted to your town only, but you get an opportunity to expand your business city-wide. Say you have a restaurant in Dubai, anyone can order now through the app.
You can target the people living in small towns or elite-class societies, engage with them, deliver food at their doorstep after getting an online order, and ultimately grow your customer base.
Final Words
So, are you ready to launch a mobile app for your restaurant? Get in touch with a mobile app development company to discuss your requirements and the type of company you are looking for. With a feature-rich and user-friendly app, you will find yourself a step ahead of your competitors!