Digital Food Ordering Now Essential for Long-Term Success of Restaurants and C-Stores

• Guests using a first-party app return more often, tip better, spend more, and rate restaurants higher.
• Digital orders now consistently make up about a third of all orders, a 50% increase from pre-pandemic era.
• There is no more generational divide when it comes to technology: Baby Boomers make the best online-ordering customers.

Newton, MA, May 18, 2023 – Paytronix, the leader in guest engagement for restaurants and convenience stores, today published the Paytronix Online-Ordering Report 2023, which finds online ordering is now a must-have for restaurants and convenience stores and that two distinct channels, delivery and takeout, have emerged. Each has unique audience segments that differ by generation, income, and even brand. To meet the growing demands on the fast-changing online-ordering market, the next wave of online-ordering technology is offering both ingrained channels and greater alignment with the overall guest engagement platform.

Download the Paytronix Online-Ordering Report: 2023

“The digital-ordering channel is no longer just a way for a customer to place orders. It’s part of the ongoing conversation between brand and guest. This is a key reason why brands must have their own first-party mobile app,” said Andrew Robbins, CEO of Paytronix. “Our clients are finding that their most valuable digital customers are their most loyal, meaning that the entire guest engagement ecosystem needs to be in sync to achieve the greatest value.”

Among the findings is the need for brands to communicate directly with their digital guests. Brands saw a profound shift in guest behavior when reviews received a response, even when the response was generated by artificial intelligence. When guests hear back, even those who leave negative feedback order 23% more and leave higher ratings.

“When we hear directly from guests and respond to their complaints, we see a positive effect on our overall ratings. Within a year of starting that process, our online ratings went from high threes to high fours,” said Joanna O’Neill, Managing Partner of Johnny’s NY Style Pizza, a 64-unit franchised brand. “People just want to be heard and responded to and to know that someone is listening.”

Topline Paytronix Online-Ordering Report findings include:

• Digital orders now consistently make up 25–30% of all orders, as opposed to less than 10% in late 2019. Moreover, those placing digital orders are increasingly members of that brand’s loyalty program.
• Baby Boomers are, hands down, the best online-ordering customers. They tip better, return more often, and leave better reviews.
• Inflation has strained guests, forcing them to return less often, tip less, and leave worse reviews.
• Guests using a first-party app return more often, tip better, and spend more.
• Brands that respond to a review see a 23% increase in orders and a 22% higher rating from guests.

Learn more about Paytronix Online Ordering.

About Paytronix

Paytronix is the leader in Digital Customer Engagement for restaurants, convenience stores, and other retailers who seek to build lasting guest relationships. Paytronix continually advances digital guest engagement by developing technologies that uncover new insights about guest attitudes and behaviors that create brand preferences. For more information visit Paytronix.com.

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