How Your Website Can Support The Reopening Of Your Restaurant
COVID-19/Coronavirus has profoundly impacted the food and beverage industry, and restaurants across the country have been forced to take action. Many cities and states required restaurants to close their dine-in business, which has caused significant financial impact on the industry. However, many restaurants quickly adapted, moving their operations online. As restaurants begin to reopen, a restaurant website is a great tool to communicate with guests, keep them updated on the latest news as well as driving alternative revenue to protect their bottom line. These are a few easy ways to use your website as you begin to reopen your restaurant.
ADD HOMEPAGE POP-UP ALERTS TO YOUR WEBSITE
Add a pop-up alert to your homepage to let guests know that you’re open for service again. This is an opportunity to display adjusted hours, safety measures and how operations may have changed. Another great use for pop-up alerts is for promoting eCommerce options such as online ordering for pickup and delivery. Over 80% of diners plan on ordering online for pickup and delivery post-COVID-19. Creating a simple call-to-action to order online will help drive additional revenue through your website, especially when lower headcounts from occupancy caps are mandated.
SEND AN EMAIL NEWSLETTER ABOUT REOPENING
If guests have subscribed to your e-newsletter, ordered anything from you in the past or submitted a “contact us” inquiry form, your website collects your guests’ important contact information. This is particularly helpful as your restaurant begins the process of reopening to the public. If your website uses a platform like BentoBox, you can download your customer database from the backend and send out an email informing guests of your reopening plans and procedures. This is also a great opportunity to further promote online orders for pickup and delivery.
DEDICATE A WEBSITE PAGE TO SAFETY & OPERATIONS
Add a dedicated page to your website where people can read more in-depth about how your restaurant is staying safe – and keeping your employees and customers safe – as you reopen. We’ve written some sample language if you need help getting started.
Sell Gift Cards
Driving consistent revenue is crucial to your business. Selling gift cards is another way you can continue to positively impact your bottom line as your restaurant begins to reopen. Offer a discount on gift cards using promo codes to encourage guests to dine with you. Remind your guests that continuing to purchase gift cards to their favorite restaurants helps keep their business afloat as they re-open. If you offered dining bonds, now is the time for guests to visit and cash in on their purchase.
CONTINUE TO PROMOTE ONLINE ORDERING
Even as businesses begin to reopen, many people are still working from home. Why not continue to give them access to your restaurant via online ordering? There are many options in the marketplace for online ordering, so although you may need to quickly implement a solution, it’s still important to carefully weigh your options for online ordering. Find the option that is the best fit for your business needs.
Get Creative with Ecommerce
Sell meal kits, baked or packaged goods for local pick-up through the merchandise store on your website. Keep local laws and regulations around this in mind, but if it is legally permitted and your restaurant offers non-perishables of any kind, you can promote and sell them through the store as well. Restaurants are even selling wine at cost through their stores, in states that allow the sale of alcohol online from restaurants (please consult your legal advisors on what is permitted for your business in your state). This is a way to give the community more options for purchasing needed items if they’re staying indoors and this provides steady cash flow to your business.
These are just a few ways that you can keep guests updated online as your restaurant begins the phase of reopening to the public. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at BentoBox, whether it’s our services for your digital presence or our team who is always willing to lend an empathetic ear, we’re here to support you.
About BentoBox: BentoBox powers website design as part of CHECK® Business Tools. BentoBox recognizes that the current status of COVID-19/Coronavirus is directly impacting the restaurant industry in a major way. With your website being a restaurant’s digital front door and storefront, it is a vital way for restaurants to broadcast important messages to their customers.
With the industry shifting to takeout and delivery, BentoBox Online Ordering allows guests to place orders through your restaurant’s website. To support US Foods customers during this time, BentoBox is offering one free month of online ordering (transaction rates apply) to new and existing BentoBox customers. US Foods customers new to BentoBox will also get one free month of a new website when they sign up for any BentoBox plan.
US Foods customers can get a demo of BentoBox, including Online Ordering, and have a full online store in less than 5 days.