A customer orders food from your restaurant through a marketplace, enjoys the meal, and opens the same app again when they want to order. At first glance, everything seems to be going well.
But does the restaurant have a way to stay connected with that customer after the transaction ends? This is why building a restaurant-owned customer channel matters.
Marketplaces help new customers discover restaurants, but restaurants also need their own channels to develop long-term customer relationships.
Consider a restaurant that receives dozens of online orders every day. Sales look strong, yet the team struggles to reach customers when announcing a new menu item or offering a special promotion.
Much of the customer information and transaction activity stays within the marketplace platform. High order volume, therefore, does not necessarily mean a restaurant can build a loyal customer base.
An online sales strategy should not focus solely on generating transactions. It should also give customers reasons to return.
Why Can Relying on One Platform Limit Customer Relationships?
Marketplaces make it easier for restaurants to accept orders without building their own sales infrastructure. However, relying on one platform for almost every transaction limits how directly a restaurant can manage customer relationships.
For example, a restaurant may know its order volume and best-selling menu items without having direct access to contact customers after their purchases.
Restaurants must also follow each platform’s terms, fees, and promotional rules. When sales depend heavily on marketplaces, changes in policy or promotional competition can affect business performance.
This does not mean restaurants should abandon marketplaces. Instead, they should understand the role of each channel and build a more balanced strategy.
Marketplaces Still Matter for Acquiring New Customers
Before developing their own channels, restaurants should recognize the role marketplaces play in the customer journey. These platforms help people discover food options by location, category, price, and reviews.
For a growing restaurant, a marketplace can introduce its products to a wider audience. People who have never heard of the restaurant may place an order after seeing menu photos, reading reviews, or finding a promotion.
The challenge begins when the relationship ends as soon as the order is completed. The restaurant may have acquired a first-time buyer without a way to encourage the next purchase through its own channel.
Explore Restaurant-Owned Customer Channels
So, which channels can a restaurant use? It does not necessarily need to build a dedicated app. Several simpler options can be adapted to the business’s capacity.
A website or direct ordering link lets customers browse menus and place orders without going through a marketplace. It can bring product information, prices, service options, and ordering methods into one place.
WhatsApp can also serve as a communication channel. Customers can ask about menu items, place orders, or receive information relevant to their needs.
However, customer communications must respect consent and applicable privacy rules. Membership programs and customer databases are other options.
Membership can offer benefits such as points, exclusive deals, or access to selected menu items. A customer database can help restaurants understand purchase patterns, menu preferences, and visit frequency.
Read also: The Secret to a Fully Booked Restaurant: Integrating Online Orders with Google Maps
Gradually Encourage Marketplace Customers to Use Direct Channels
Once a restaurant has its own ordering channel, the next challenge is encouraging customers to use it. This shift should happen gradually, with a clear reason to order directly rather than a simple request to switch platforms.
For example, a customer might first order ayam geprek through a marketplace. After receiving the food, they learn that the restaurant also offers a direct ordering website for future purchases.
Restaurants can introduce their channels through packaging, social media, communications customers have agreed to receive, and promotional materials permitted under platform rules. Every approach must comply with the relevant marketplace policies.
Customers who have already ordered directly can be offered a convenient reorder link. This gives them another option whenever they want to buy again.
The goal is a natural transition. Direct channels should offer a better or more convenient experience for customers, rather than simply serving as a way for restaurants to avoid marketplace fees.
Give Customers a Reason to Return
Having a direct channel does not automatically mean customers will use it. They still need a good reason to come back.
Convenience is one example. Customers should be able to see the latest menu, check prices, and place an order without searching across multiple platforms.
Restaurants can also introduce loyalty programs. Repeat customers may earn points or rewards under clearly stated rules. The incentives should be planned with contribution margins in mind so promotional costs remain manageable.
Exclusive menu offers can be another incentive, such as family bundles, seasonal dishes, or packages available only through direct ordering.
Do More Than Collect Customer Phone Numbers
A customer database can be a valuable business asset. However, the number of contacts collected does not necessarily reflect the strength of customer relationships.
Imagine a restaurant with 5,000 WhatsApp contacts that sends the same promotional message almost every day. Some recipients may find the messages intrusive and block the restaurant.
Customer data should therefore be collected for a clear purpose. Useful information may include transaction history, favorite menu items, purchase dates, and ordering channels.
Data collection and use must be transparent, based on appropriate consent, and consistent with applicable personal data protection requirements.
This information can help restaurants provide more relevant experiences. For instance, customers who frequently order coffee might be interested in a new coffee variety.
Measure Whether Repeat Purchases Through Direct Channels Increase
Restaurants should evaluate whether building their own channels actually generates repeat purchases or merely increases the number of customer contacts.
One useful metric is the repeat order rate: the percentage of customers who purchase more than once during a defined period.
A simple formula is: Repeat Order Rate = (Customers Who Made Repeat Purchases ÷ Total Customers in the Period) × 100%. For example, suppose 200 customers ordered through the restaurant’s direct channel in one month.
If 60 of those customers ordered more than once, the repeat order rate would be (60 ÷ 200) × 100% = 30%. Restaurants should also track direct-order volume, average order value, purchase frequency, and promotional costs.
Compare these results month by month. It is also important to distinguish first-time buyers from returning customers, so the restaurant can tell whether its channel is improving retention or simply attracting new orders.
Read also: Want to Boost Revenue? Understand Customer Retention and Its Benefits First!
An Example Customer Journey: From First Order to Repeat Purchase
To put this approach into practice, restaurants can map the customer journey from first discovering a menu item to ordering again.
For example, a customer discovers a restaurant on a marketplace, views food photos and reviews, and places an initial order. With the delivered meal, they see information about the restaurant’s direct ordering website and membership program.
A few days later, the customer wants to try another dish. They visit the website, browse the menu, and place a direct order. After completing the purchase, they earn points under the restaurant’s loyalty program.
Later, the customer receives information about a new menu item through a communication channel they have agreed to use. After a positive previous experience, they place another order on the restaurant’s website.
This journey shows that a restaurant-owned customer channel depends on a consistent experience. Food quality, service, ordering convenience, and customer benefits must all meet expectations.
FAQs About Restaurant-Owned Customer Channels
1. Should restaurants stop using marketplaces?
No. Marketplaces remain useful for reaching new customers. Restaurants can develop their own channels alongside them to strengthen relationships and encourage repeat orders.
2. What is the easiest direct ordering channel to set up?
A website with an ordering link and WhatsApp can be practical starting points, depending on the restaurant’s needs and operational capacity.
3. Can a customer database be used for promotions?
Yes, provided the data is collected and used transparently, with appropriate customer consent and in accordance with applicable data protection rules. Promotions should also be relevant and not excessive.
4. How can a restaurant measure the success of its direct channel?
Track direct-order growth, repeat order rate, purchase frequency, average order value, and promotional costs. Review the results regularly to assess progress.
Conclusion
Marketplaces can help restaurants gain visibility and attract first-time orders. However, long-term growth also depends on maintaining relationships after each purchase.
Building a restaurant-owned customer channel does not mean leaving marketplaces behind. The two can complement each other: marketplaces expand reach, while direct channels offer more opportunities for convenient ordering and repeat purchases.
To support this strategy, restaurants need a practical and well-organized ordering process. ESB Order can support direct online ordering through the restaurant’s own digital channels.
