Most Americans prefer digital ordering over face-to-face.
Koala, a leading provider of premium, customizable apps and websites for restaurants, today unveiled the findings of its “Customer Ordering Preferences” survey, which examined how Americans want to interact with ordering at a restaurant. The survey of more than 600 American consumers ages 18+ revealed similarities in preferred ordering mediums, indicating a profound dependence on convenience. For restaurant brands, the results clarify consumers’ preferential engagement with digital ordering and where to focus on-site investments for the digital-first consumer.
“The profound shift to digital we’ve seen in order-ahead and delivery over the last 18 months is visible on-site as well, with 70% of survey respondents preferring to order via a device versus from a human when in a restaurant.” said Nat Trienens, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Koala. “As brands invest in their digital ecosystem, it’s important they consider the on-site experience alongside order ahead and delivery. That on-site, digital offering needs to meet consumer expectations of being accessible on their own device, easy to use, and integrated with the loyalty and rewards program. “
The following are the key findings from the survey:
- On-Site Digital Preferences
- 70% of people surveyed prefer to order digitally over in-person.
- When ordering digitally on-site, 80% of those surveyed prefer to use a personal device to order over restaurant provided devices.
- General Digital Preferences
- When ordering digitally in general, 66% of people prefer to use their mobile phone as a medium.
- When ordering from a mobile phone, 62% of people are drawn to rewards programs. Nearly 50% of respondents are drawn to reduced wait times and previously saved orders.
- 77% of people choosing an online ordering system, kiosk, or mobile app cited convenience as the primary reason.
The findings also revealed that of the consumers that prefer to order in-person, 71% prefer to do so because of the ability to ask questions about the menu. As digital menus become more advanced the need to ask questions will diminish, which may lead to even more consumers preferring digital ordering.
“This survey shows that 98% of consumers used digital ordering in some form in the last 18 months, and that they overwhelmingly prefer that experience to the alternative. It’s pretty clear that the shift to digital is here to stay,” concluded Trienens. “Restaurants with strong digital ordering experiences will surpass those without.”
Founded in 2019, Koala is an industry-leading platform that creates premium, customizable apps for restaurants to offer digital ordering. Every restaurant deserves a premium experience, and Koala provides that experience for more than 4,000 restaurant locations nationwide. Digital orders with Koala lead to higher conversion rates than a white-label solution and an increase of up to 20% in average order value. For more information, visit www.Koala.io or follow Koala on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/koala-io/.
