41% of Restaurant Customers Say Online Ordering Ability Would Boost Spend

Restaurateurs who hesitate to modernize ordering and payment processes may miss an opportunity to boost sales among two out of five of their customers.

According to Digital Divide, a PYMNTS and Paytronix collaboration based on a survey of 2,403 U.S. adults who regularly purchase food from restaurants, about 40% of restaurant customers believe online ordering or payment features could incentivize them to make more purchases from a restaurant. Just 14% of all consumers report that technology would not incentivize them to purchase.

Read more: Digital Divide: Technology As A Catalyst For Restaurant Purchases

When presented a list of nearly 20 features that could influence their purchasing at restaurants, respondents selected an average of five offerings that would boost their purchasing.

Among the technologies that encourage purchasing, online ordering is most popular. PYMNTS found that 41% of respondents indicated that the ability to order online would encourage them to make a purchase.

Other technologies that encourage purchasing include online payment ability (cited by 40% of respondents), fast lane in-store pickup (39%), loyalty and reward program (39%) and drive-thru pickup (38%).

Respondents who said there were more than nine technologies that would encourage them to purchase are classified by PYMNTS as “technology enthusiasts.”

Restaurants should focus on these technology-incentivized customers because the survey found that they purchase from restaurants more than other customers. These frequent diners are restaurants’ most engaged audience and may be their best prospects for maintaining stable sales if pandemic-related commercial restrictions once again curtail in-person dining.

Technology enthusiasts are the most likely to dine multiple times per week. In fact, 16% of these patrons eat food from restaurants three times a week or more, and another 36% do so once or twice a week.