The rise in online food ordering in recent years has meant that restaurateurs must offer the ability to order online if they want a shot at competing for attention and dollars at all.
Opening up a new revenue stream is crucial, and implementing the wrong choice can be costly. So what are the best online food ordering sites?
Some of the more popular built-in online food ordering features offer common functions such as: POS integration, customized and branded menus, geo-coded delivery and marketing management.
But it’s not enough to go with a standalone online food ordering site.
Instead, we recommend picking a restaurant POS that has a built-in online ordering feature, or one that offers integrations with other online ordering sites.
The following restaurant POS with online ordering features were shortlisted according to the user ratings on Software Advice, and presented alphabetically.
Epos Now: Connects your online retail shop to your POS
Online ordering platform: Integrates with TableUp Online Ordering
Epos Now is a cloud-based retail management software for small to midsize businesses. It offers features such as sales reporting, integrated inventory management, customer management and retail accounting. It functions on several different operating systems, including Windows, Mac, Android and iPad.
Epos Now is suitable for restaurants that want to connect their online shop with their POS while enabling delivery, pick-up and dine-in.
- Provide online food ordering through custom apps
- Enable options for delivery, pick-up or dine-in
- Capture customer data and preferences
- Order scheduling, group order management and delivery
How it works:
(Epos Now and TableUp Online Ordering)
Lightspeed Restaurant: Plays nice with most online ordering sites
Online ordering platform: Integrates with various online ordering platforms, including Ask Emma, BPL Digital Online Ordering, Chowly, City Hive, Growzer, Inventivio, Mobi2Go, Mobikon, Orderlord and UEAT UNOapp
Lightspeed Restaurant is a cloud-based POS used by quick service and full-service restaurants, bars, cafes and nightclubs.
Lightspeed Restaurant is suitable for small and medium restaurants that want the choice and flexibility of choosing which online ordering platform to integrate with.
- Ability to order via Facebook/Facebook Messenger (Ask Emma)
- Build multiple customer segments for campaigns (Inventivio)
- Integrated with multiple payment gateways (Mobikon)
- Deliverers get info about quickest route to customers (Orderlord)
How it works:
(Lightspeed partner Orderlord’s online ordering)
Revel Systems: Offers white label ordering app and flexible integrations
Online ordering platform: Has its own online ordering platform and integrates with other online ordering platforms
Revel Systems’ iPad POS is a platform used by businesses across various industries, including restaurants. It offers features such as creating customizable discounts, the ability to setup and process gift cards as well as loyalty programs.
Revel Systems is suitable for restaurants either looking for a white label online ordering app to integrate with their current iPad POS or integration with other online ordering platforms.
- Build a customized and branded online ordering platform
- Integrate your online ordering platform with your POS
- Sync CRM, gift cards and loyalty program across platforms
- Integrates with third-party partners like Apple Pay and QuickBooks
How it works:
Revel System online ordering
ShopKeep: Integrates deeply with a specific ordering platform
Online ordering platform: Integrates with BigCommerce
ShopKeep is a cloud-based iPad POS used by small retailers, restaurants, bars and quick-serve businesses.
ShopKeep is suitable for restaurants who are looking for the ability to integrate with eCommerce platform BigCommerce to create an online ordering website.
- Ability to sets up customizable website
- Uploads inventory items from ShopKeep to BigCommerce
- Sync in-store items with online website between ShopKeep and BigCommerce
How it works:
ShopKeep and Big Commerce online ordering
Square POS: Customizable solution for managing multiple locations
Online ordering platform: Has its own online ordering system, which is integrated into Square
Square POS is a mobile phone app that enables small and medium businesses to manage online payment processing, sales reports, inventory and digital receipts.
Square POS is suitable for restaurants who are seeking customization (making multiple menus, floor plan customization, staff permissioning) and wanting to manage multiple restaurants from one account.
- Build a customizable website
- Access to mobile app to check sales, inventory and make edits on the go
- Online payment and credit card processing
- Integrates with a wide range of eCommerce providers for online payments
How it works:
Square online store
Next Steps
This serves an introductory guide for buyers looking for restaurant POS systems offering in-built online ordering or integrations with online ordering.
For more information on these restaurant POS service, you can visit their profile pages on Software Advice:
To really figure out which of these are a fit for your restaurant, schedule a vendor demo and be ready to ask questions.
Our software industry specialists are also available to provide you with free, no-obligation advice at (844) 687-6771. They will take you through the various restaurant POS software with online ordering features that can best address the needs of your restaurant and what you want to achieve.
