Contactless – The future of food ordering

With the rise of technology and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the trend towards contactless food ordering has become more prominent in recent years. A recent pilot study revealed that 43% of consumers desire restaurants to offer mobile or self-service kiosk ordering and contactless payment options. 

Contactless ordering refers to using a digital platform, such as a mobile app, to place food orders without physical interaction with staff. This new trend is changing the way we dine and transforming the fast-food restaurant industry as a whole.

The 3 reasons why consumers are calling to go contactless

  1. The convenience of contactless ordering is one of its main advantages. It allows customers to place their orders without physically interacting with staff or waiting in long queues, making the ordering process quick and efficient and, therefore, more enjoyable.  
  2. The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened public awareness of virus transmission and the role that physical contact plays. Therefore, contactless ordering has gained traction due to not requiring physical interaction with staff. 
  3. Another advantage of contactless ordering is increased accuracy. By using a digital platform to place an order, customers can view menu items, make selections, and specify preferences with greater detail and clarity. This eliminates the potential for miscommunication and reduces the likelihood of mistakes, resulting in more accurate orders and a better overall customer experience. 

How contactless will improve your bottom line 

It’s been shown that consumers who use a contactless self-service ordering platform have an increased basket size of, on average, 30%. Without the pressure of a cashier awaiting an order, customers can customise their order with available add-ons and upsell items, increasing the average order value.

Contactless ordering provides restaurants with valuable ordering behaviour and preferences data — insights that can help them improve their operations. By tracking customer orders and preferences, restaurants can better understand their customers, adjust their menus and promotions, and make more informed decisions. This can ultimately lead to increased customer satisfaction and improved profitability. 

The contact data also allows restaurant owners to communicate with customers, share promotions and new menu items, and open the lines of communication to give customers a chance to rate their experience for a wealth of priceless insights. 

The trend toward contactless food ordering reflects the changing times and the impact of technology on the restaurant industry. With its convenience, increased accuracy, and valuable data insights, contactless ordering is quickly becoming the preferred method of ordering for many customers. 

The YUMBI Difference

YUMBI recently launched two contactless ordering platforms — To-Go for takeaway customers and Dine-In contactless sit-down for patrons. 

In addition to all the usual benefits of contactless ordering, with YUMBI, customers can prepay for their order via the app or website using a saved credit card in their eWallet for swift and easy payments. They do still have the option to pay at the counter.

Moreover, repeat To-Go and Dine-In users can see their favourites, making the order process and the journey to their preferred meals even more convenient. 

For more on how To-Go and Dine-In can improve your customers’ overall experience and give your business even richer insights, request a free demo today at connect@yumbi.com.