The Hidden Trap on Your Restaurant’s Website That’s Costing You Money
The craziest thing happened the other day—I went to Nike to buy some new Air Force Ones, clicked the “Order Now” button, and it took me to Amazon.
Psyche! That didn’t happen. But guess what? It’s happening to restaurants like yours every single day.
I’m Matt Plapp, Chief Energy Officer of America’s Best Restaurants, and today, we need to talk about eliminating friction on your website. Because right now, your online ordering process is probably doing the one thing it should never do—sending your customers somewhere else.
Your Website Should Be Your Strongest Salesperson
Your restaurant’s website is the second-most-visited place your brand has—right after your physical location. But here’s the problem: your website is probably not intuitive. Your customers aren’t just comparing you to other local restaurants. They’re comparing you to Amazon, Nike, Walmart, Chick-fil-A, and Chipotle. None of those companies send their customers out the back door to a third-party platform. None of them make ordering confusing. But too many restaurants still do.
Top Tips to Make Online Ordering Seamless
If you’re serious about keeping more customers and making more money, you need to fix these issues ASAP.
1. Keep Customers on YOUR Website
When was the last time you walked into a grocery store and saw a back door leading to the competitor down the street? Never. But restaurant websites send customers away all the time—to GrubHub, Uber Eats, or some other third-party ordering platform.
Stop being lazy. Invest in technology that lets you own the process. Capture the customer’s data. Own the relationship. Keep the sales in YOUR ecosystem, not theirs.
2. Make the “Order Now” Button Stand Out
I was on a restaurant’s website the other day, and I swear I thought I was in the woods hunting deer. Why? Because I couldn’t find the “Order Now” button. It was hidden, buried under fancy wording that fit their brand aesthetic but made no sense for a hungry customer trying to place an order.
Here’s a reality check: Your customers don’t want to solve a puzzle. They want their food. Make the button big, bold, and obvious. “Order Now.” “Click Here to Order.” Keep it simple.
3. Optimize for Mobile First
This is the device your customers are using—not your fancy desktop. And yet, so many restaurant websites are built for a laptop first, only to have a frustrating, clunky experience on a phone.
Here’s what you need to do: Constantly refresh your website on mobile and make sure the user experience is smooth. If it’s not intuitive, people will leave and order from someone else.
BONUS TIP: Constantly Check and Adjust
Website platforms update all the time. You could have a great layout today, and a month later, buttons and elements shift. I’ve had this happen on my own websites.
Review your digital assets weekly. Go through the process like a customer would. If something feels off, fix it immediately.
Test Your Own Ordering Process
One of my favorite restaurants has a website that drives me nuts. I click “Order Now.” Then I pick my location. Then I click “Order Now” again. Then I click “Pickup.” Then I confirm my order. Then I confirm pickup again. Then, finally, my order goes through.
Go to Amazon, look up a pair of shoes, and click “Buy Now.” Boom. It’s done. THAT is how your online ordering should work.
The problem is, most restaurant owners never test their own system. When I went through one of our marketing funnels recently, I was shocked at how many unnecessary steps we had. We fixed it immediately. You should do the same.
Take Back Control
I get it—third-party platforms are easy. They handle the ordering for you. But they’re also taking your customers, your data, and a huge cut of your profits. Why would you willingly send people away?
Your website should be friction-free. It should make ordering easy. It should make it as simple as possible for customers to give you their money.
Amazon figured this out. Nike figured this out. It’s time you do, too.
If this hit home for you, do me a favor—like, comment, and subscribe. And check out MattPlapp.com to see how we’re helping restaurants take back control and dominate their marketing.
Let’s make it easier for customers to do business with you!
