Ultimate Guide to Restaurant Online Ordering in 2025

Table of Contents

• What Is Restaurant Online Ordering?
• Essential Features for a Great Online Ordering System
• Online Ordering Trends in 2025
• Best Practices to Maximise Orders & Avoid Pitfalls
• Technology & Integrations You Must Consider
• Measuring Success: Metrics & Analytics
• Case Studies: Successful UK/Ireland Restaurants
• Future Trends in Online Ordering

What Is Restaurant Online Ordering?

Restaurant online ordering refers to any system where customers place orders via a website or app for delivery or collection. It removes the need for phone calls or in‑store ordering and gives restaurants direct access to customer ordering behaviour. Online ordering systems often integrate menus, real‑time inventory, payment methods, delivery tracking, and order confirmation.

In 2025, online ordering is no longer optional. It is expected by customers. For many restaurants, online orders make up a significant share of revenue and give operational flexibility. Good restaurant management systems allow restaurants to manage demand, improve order accuracy and create loyalty through features like saved customer profiles, reorder buttons, offers and loyalty rewards.Online ordering website

Essential Features for a Great Online Ordering System

To compete in 2025, restaurants need more than just a working website or app. Customers expect a seamless, fast, and frustration-free online ordering experience. Below are the essential features that every modern restaurant online ordering system should have:

Clear and Customisable Menus

Menus should be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and fully customisable. Use high-quality images, clear pricing, and intuitive categories. Enable modifiers like "extra cheese" or "no onions" to reduce confusion and increase upsell opportunities. Many UK and Irish restaurants benefit from showcasing bestsellers or "chef’s picks" at the top of each category.

Guest Checkout and Easy Reordering

Forcing customers to create an account before ordering is one of the top reasons for cart abandonment. Offer guest checkout, while giving returning users the option to log in for faster ordering. Add a “reorder” button for frequent users to repeat their usual meal in seconds.

Real-Time Stock and Availability

Nothing frustrates customers more than placing an order only to be told an item is unavailable. Sync your online ordering system with your inventory or POS so items marked as out-of-stock are removed or flagged in real-time. This helps improve trust and reduce refund requests.

Flexible and Secure Payments

Offer a wide range of payment options including debit/credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and digital wallets. Ensure your checkout is PCI-compliant and displays security badges to reassure users. Fast, one-tap payment options are particularly important for mobile users.

Mobile-First, Responsive Design

With the majority of takeaway and delivery orders coming from smartphones, your website or app must be optimised for mobile. Buttons should be thumb-friendly, text should be legible without zooming, and the interface must be smooth with no unnecessary scrolling or form fields. Having a mobile first experience is a vital to having a successful online ordering system.

Delivery Time Estimates and Live Order Tracking

Modern customers expect accurate, real-time updates. Clearly display estimated delivery or collection times at checkout, and if possible, allow customers to track the status of their order live. This helps reduce inbound customer support queries and builds confidence.

Loyalty and Promotions Integration

Offer incentives like “10% off your first order” or “your 5th meal free” to boost retention. Integrated loyalty schemes can automatically apply rewards, track customer points, and trigger re-engagement via email or push notifications.

Multi-Language and Multi-Currency Support

Especially in diverse urban centres like London, Dublin, Manchester, and Belfast, offering local language options or currency display can make the ordering experience more inclusive and professional. This is particularly valuable for restaurants in tourist-heavy areas.

Allergy and Dietary Filters

Legally and ethically, you should clearly display allergen information. Add filtering options for gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, halal, or nut-free meals so customers can quickly find options that suit their needs. This improves accessibility and trust.

Online Ordering Trends in 2025

• Restaurants in the UK report that about 27% of revenue now comes from delivery and takeaway, although that figure is slightly down year‑on‑year. Customer spend is returning to dine‑in, but online ordering remains a core element.
• According to IBISWorld, The UK food delivery market was estimated at £3.8 billion in 2024 and is expected to continue growing over the next few years with rising demand for convenience.
• Across both the UK and Ireland, consumer expectations are rising. Customers demand faster service, clearer pricing, more accurate delivery times, better digital menus and mobile compatibility. Restaurants that adapt see stronger loyalty and repeat orders.

Best Practices to Maximise Orders & Avoid Pitfalls

• Simplify checkout flow: reduce steps, avoid forcing registration, show basket contents clearly.
• Use high‑quality menu imagery and descriptive text to entice orders.
• Make loading speed fast: slow pages kill conversion.
• Be upfront about delivery fees and estimated delivery or collection times. Hidden costs or vague timing lead to order abandonment.
• Use promotions and loyalty wisely: first‑order offers, recurring customer rewards, personalised deals.
• Offer excellent support: easy to contact, responsive when issues arise.

Technology & Integrations You Must Consider

• Integration with your POS system so online orders sync with kitchen and front‑of‑house workflows.
• Inventory integration so items marked out of stock online automatically.
• Delivery partner integration or delivery logistics system if you run your own delivery.
• CRM or loyalty tools to capture customer data and remarket to them.
• Analytics dashboards to see which items sell, peak order times and other metrics.

Measuring Success: Metrics & Analytics

Key metrics to monitor:

• Conversion rate (percentage of visits that become orders)
• Average Order Value (AOV)
• Cart abandonment rate during checkout
• Delivery time vs promised time accuracy
• Repeat customer rate or loyalty usage
• Cost of acquisition per order (ads, promotions)
• Profit margins after delivery or commission fees

Regular analysis allows restaurants to spot weak points and continuously improve their online ordering funnel.

Case Studies: Successful UK/Ireland Restaurants

Iro Sushi

The UK-based Iro Sushi chain, which grew to 25 locations since partnering with Flipdish, saw major operational efficiencies by consolidating their technology through the Flipdish POS. By managing orders from various platforms, including Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat, all in one place. They achieved a remarkable 33% reduction in order preparation time, cutting the average preparation time from 15 minutes down to 10 minutes per order. This streamlining also led to a 25% reduction in customer complaints due to clearer instructions on tickets, alongside a 15% increase in online sales over six months

Rooster & Rice

Rooster & Rice, a Thai Chicken and Rice business operating ten outlets in Dublin, significantly boosted its digital sales after adopting the Flipdish platform. The implementation quickly resulted in the business generating $30,000 to $40,000 in sales per month exclusively through its Flipdish channels. Furthermore, Rooster & Rice observed a tangible 20% growth in online orders within just one month of using the solution. This rapid success helped establish steady sales growth and fostered a reliable base of regular customers

Future Trends in Online Ordering

The restaurant industry is moving faster than ever, and online ordering systems are evolving in real-time to match customer expectations, regulatory demands, and operational challenges. Here are the key trends shaping the future of restaurant online ordering in 2025 and beyond:

AI-Powered Personalisation

Artificial Intelligence is now being used to tailor online menus, recommend dishes based on order history, and customise promotions. For example, a returning customer who typically orders vegetarian curries on a Friday evening could automatically be shown the latest plant-based special as they visit your app.

Platforms like Flipdish are integrating AI-driven features that optimise menu layout for each user, boosting conversion rates and increasing average order value. This level of dynamic personalisation is no longer a luxury — it’s fast becoming standard for high-performing restaurants.

Integration with Delivery Drones and Robotics

While still in early stages, drone and robot delivery pilots are gaining momentum in parts of the UK and Ireland. These technologies promise faster, lower-cost delivery and are particularly promising for areas where human delivery is costly or unreliable.

As infrastructure improves and regulations catch up, online ordering systems will need to be compatible with autonomous delivery logistics, enabling real-time tracking, secure handoff points, and status updates that sync directly to the customer interface.

Voice Ordering and Smart Devices

With the rise of smart speakers and voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant, voice-activated ordering is on the rise. Customers will soon be able to reorder their favourite meals hands-free, just by speaking to their device.

For restaurants, this means ensuring that your online ordering platform is accessible via voice search and optimised for conversational AI. This opens up new touchpoints for customer engagement and can lead to increased frequency of repeat orders.

Sustainability and Eco-Friendly Ordering Options

More customers are making food choices based on environmental impact. In response, future online ordering systems will likely offer filters like “low carbon footprint” meals or “sustainable packaging only.” Restaurants that include these options in their menus and checkout process can appeal to a growing eco-conscious audience.

Some platforms are also beginning to show CO₂ impact per meal or let customers opt out of cutlery and napkins, giving them more control over their environmental footprint.