How Online Delivery Orders Help Or Hurt Restaurants

Thanks to companies like Seamless, GrubHub, and Delivery.com, consumers have the ability to order meals that will be delivered to their door with their exact specifications, without ever having to communicate with a fellow human being. Not surprisingly, as a result, restaurant owners who offer online ordering are reporting a 32.3 percent increase in order volumes and improved service, according to HighTable.com.

According to Cornell University, 40 percent of all American adults have placed restaurant orders through an online platform, including both websites and mobile applications. As a direct result, about 10 percent of orders at restaurants come from online sources currently. The restaurants are also reporting that in addition to a significant increase in order volumes, the increase in order frequency is also climbing, making the online system much more reliable for restaurant owners.

Furthermore, High Table reports that 23 percent of restaurants included in their research report that their kitchens are becoming overloaded with orders, while 6 percent are dedicating a portion of their line solely to completing online orders.

With the constantly growing population of smartphone users, 16 percent of restaurants now offer a mobile app of some sort, but only 35.2 percent of those businesses offer an ordering system through their app. While it certainly makes sense for restaurants to offer online ordering through larger national services, like Seamless, GrubHub, and Delivery.com, the forecast seems to predict many more establishments offering their own services in the future.

Check out the visual break-down below, courtesy of High Table.