Playbook

The direct ordering playbook for restaurants

Own the relationship: discovery, capture, menu layout and tactics that turn first orders into habit. Without racing marketplaces to the bottom.

The playbook, chapter by chapter

Five plays, in the order we roll them out with operators. Discovery first — without it, everything downstream fights confused traffic.

01

Google visibility and local discovery

Guests find you before they find a marketplace — if your digital footprint is deliberate.

  • Claim and complete Google Business Profile with accurate hours, menu links and trackable ordering links.
  • Use consistent name, address and phone across directories. Search rewards coherence.
  • Publish short location pages for each site with structured data where your platform supports it.
02

Email and SMS capture

First-party contact is the asset. Treat it as operational, not promotional noise.

  • Ask for email or SMS at checkout with a clear value exchange. Order updates, not vague “newsletters”.
  • Single opt-in copy that matches your brand voice; pre-ticked boxes erode trust and compliance.
  • Sync capture to your loyalty programme so second-order campaigns do not start from zero.
03

Menu layout tips that get more orders

Conversion lives in clarity, especially on a phone during a commute.

  • Top sellers above the fold; modifiers grouped logically. Long scrolls kill conversion on mobile.
  • Photos that match what arrives; mismatch drives refunds and one-star reviews, not repeat orders.
  • Pickup and delivery cut-off times shown before the customer reaches the cart. Surprise timing rules lose trust.
04

Promotions

Drive volume without teaching guests to wait for half off every time.

  • Run offers only in the quiet periods you choose. Not permanent discounts that train customers to wait for a deal.
  • Bundle high-margin items with stars. Margin stays healthy while the offer feels generous.
  • Track code redemption by channel so you know whether Google, email or paid ads drove the order.
05

Repeat order mechanics

Habit beats hero campaigns. Reduce friction and show value before checkout.

  • One-tap reorder for logged-in guests. Reduce friction on the second and third order.
  • Loyalty points visible in the cart. Guests should see points before they pay.
  • Post-purchase follow-up: thank-you plus relevant cross-sell after a cooldown, not same-day spam.

Run direct ordering on the same kitchen queue as walk-ins

Branded web, menu and handoff to the kitchen. Aligned with POS and loyalty.

Explore online ordering

Direct ordering strategy

What operators ask us before they sign.

    • Do we have to abandon marketplaces to grow direct?

      No, most operators run both. The playbook is about owning repeat guests and margin on channels you control while using marketplaces for discovery where it still pays. Shift volume over time with clear links, loyalty and staff mentions at handoff.

    • What is the first lever if SEO is weak?

      Start with a complete Google Business Profile, consistent name/address/phone across directories and accurate ordering links, then layer location pages. Without that foundation, paid and email spend fights confused discovery.

    • How do we measure whether direct ordering is working?

      Track direct share of delivery and pickup, repeat order rate from your own channels, refund rate after menu layout changes and redemption by promo code or tracking link. Compare before/after windows, not single busy nights.

    • How often should we change promotions?

      Prefer time-boxed offers on shoulder periods over permanent discounts that reset price anchors. Review monthly whether codes are training guests to wait for deals versus building habit.

    • What breaks most often in execution?

      Menu layout on mobile (long scrolls, unclear cutoffs), mismatch between photos and plates, and capture without a clear value exchange. Fix those before scaling ad spend.

    • Where does loyalty fit in?

      Loyalty should make second orders easier, visible points in the cart, one-tap reorder and segments based on real visits. If loyalty is only spray-and-pray email, direct ordering will not compound.

Model your channel mix

We will walk your menu, fees and guest flows with honest numbers. Bring one representative week of volumes.

Model my channel mixCommission calculator