| Restaurant owner, how well do you know your | | | | There is no disputing that we are living through a |
| customers? Or perhaps I should ask: how well do | | | | unique time in history. Businesses have to be |
| you know your potential customers? What you | | | | online to meet today's shopper in the place where |
| may not know about your takeout customers is | | | | they search. Whether you have experience with |
| that they have silently shifted location. They are | | | | online takeout services or not, it is now time for |
| still living in your community and in homes close to | | | | your business to get online! Surprisingly, this does |
| your restaurant. What has changed is where they | | | | not have to be overwhelming task. New takeout |
| go to find information about your restaurant. In | | | | portal web sites make "going online" very simple |
| the past, consumers turned to the yellow pages | | | | and easy to do. The only equipment you need is |
| or phone information services to find your | | | | a small printer that is very similar in size and |
| restaurant phone number and to call you for | | | | shape to a receipt printer. This, along with taking a |
| details on your takeout menu and to place an | | | | few minutes to add your business address, phone |
| order. Today, consumers search online for the | | | | number and menu online (a task easily done by a |
| information they want to know about your | | | | computer-savvy employee) is all you need to do. |
| restaurant, including your business location and the | | | | Here is what you can expect once you have set |
| menu you offer. If your restaurant information | | | | up online takeout ordering: Orders will come to |
| can not be found online, you are missing potential | | | | your business through the Internet. Orders will be |
| customers! | | | | much easier to handle than telephone takeout |
| Web technology has changed the way that the | | | | orders. You will probably receive more takeout |
| world works. Today's typical individual owns a | | | | orders than before because you will not lose |
| mobile phone that is armed with Internet access | | | | customers due to a busy phone line or by placing |
| and the ability to search for businesses online. | | | | them on hold. Orders will be clear and without |
| Increasingly, people are using Internet access on | | | | errors because they will be chosen from a |
| their mobile phones to place takeout orders on | | | | pre-printed online menu. The list of benefits just |
| the go! They can find full takeout menus online | | | | goes on. |
| for most restaurants, place an order through the | | | | There is a reason that some of the top |
| Internet and pick up what they have ordered. In | | | | restaurant chains have accepted online takeout |
| addition to this, most people have unlimited | | | | orders for many years now; stores like Pizza Hut, |
| Internet access in their homes and they leave | | | | Papa Johns, Dominoes, etc. It's because it works, |
| their computers connected to the Internet at all | | | | it is popular and it is highly beneficial. Now, there |
| times. Rather than make a phone call to get | | | | was a time when small restaurant owners were |
| information on your restaurant, customers now | | | | shut out of taking orders online simply because of |
| usually search online. This only makes sense | | | | the cost. It was expensive! This has all changed |
| because online they can not only get your | | | | and it is because takeout portal web sites have |
| business phone number and address, they can | | | | now made placing your restaurant business online |
| also view your menu... that is if you have put your | | | | affordable. |
| business information and menu on the Internet. | | | | |