Restaurants Embrace the App

More foodservice establishments are using digital ordering and mobile apps.

March 01, 2017

CHICAGO – Digital ordering and mobile apps are nothing new, but for more and more restaurants, this capability is becoming a must-have, Nation’s Restaurant News reports. “Digital ordering is growing by double digits in a market that’s not growing at all,” said Bonnie Riggs, an analyst with The NPD Group. 

Digital ordering grabbed 3% of total restaurant traffic—or around 1.9 billion visits, according to NPD. Although it’s primarily major chains (most notably pizza chains) that are using mobile ordering, NPD sees huge growth opportunities for the technology.

“It’s probably going to be chain-dominated, but they are all going to have to do it,” Riggs said. “If you don’t have it, [consumers] are going to go someplace else they can use it.”

NPD found that dinner is the most often ordered meal via digital ordering (50% of digital order), and families are using digital ordering the most (35% of digital orders include those with children). Above-average users of digital ordering include those under the age of 35, those with higher household incomes and African-American customers.

Most consumers still place orders online, but mobile app ordering is growing by leaps and bounds. “It really is all about the mobile app,” Riggs said. “You have to have a mobile app if you’re going to play in this sandbox.”

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