A Cornell University study of 470 internet users found that a little less than half of respondents have ordered food online via mobile app or text message. The top reason? Hungry patrons liked the convenience and control they had over the ordering process, while those who have never taken advantage of online ordering preferred to speak to a live person.

It’s probably no surprise that pizza is the most commonly ordered item online. In fact, on Super Bowl Sunday (one of the top five pizza sales days annually), Dominos pizza drivers will cover about four million miles.

The number of people looking to place their orders online is inevitably going to rise, so it’s time to start thinking about how online ordering can enhance your business—especially if you own a pizzeria.

Now included in Restaurant Pro Express™, the online ordering functionality allows diners to enter their orders online through the restaurant’s website, designate whether it’s pickup or dine-in, pay with a credit card before the order is prepared and send the orders automatically to the kitchen. The online ordering capability is restricted based on a restaurant’s operating hours.

The system takes the guesswork out of waiting around for the order to be ready by notifying the customer how long it will take to prepare or deliver their order. Diners may also specify what time they would like the order to be delivered or prepared.

Implementing an online ordering system means reduced overhead for the restaurant and a better customer service experience for patrons. They have more control over the ordering process and can peruse the menu at their own pace, securely process their payments and never waste time on hold or redialing when there’s a busy signal.

For more information about implementing online ordering for your restaurant, please contact a pcAmerica account manager at 1-800-722-6374.