Online Strategy For Limited-Menu Fast Food Joint?

[thunderbird]

Hope to get feedback on this. Someone with a fast food joint wants a website. It is primarily take-out, with a few places to sit. People line-up, choose what they want on their sandwich, pay, take-out or sit down and eat.

Basically, they just want "a simple website" to broadcast their fast food joint. They also want a video with interviews on it! But, they don't have a video, and from what I gather it would be something they want they'll want the website creator to put together. With me, they're lucky if that's what they want. I have access to the resources for that, with film studio, director, cast, crew, etc. whenever I need it, but to keep it within a small budget is another question (doable, if challenging).

I'm trying to get my head around the right strategy for such a place. It seems odd to offer an opt-in form. Sign up for news on latest sandwich toppings? It's already pretty cheap, so coupons seem odd, unless for bulk purchases or something. Sign up for joint venture downloadable coupons?

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

[dv8]

Originally Posted by thunderbird

I'm trying to get my head around the right strategy for such a place. It seems odd to offer an opt-in form. Sign up for news on latest sandwich toppings? It's already pretty cheap, so coupons seem odd, unless for bulk purchases or something. Sign up for joint venture downloadable coupons?

I disagree. People LOVE coupons! So it wouldn't matter too much if they are already cheap.

Find out what their slow days are. Then send out an email to their list with special deals only available on the slow day.

Get their custoemrs involved. Have offers ONLY available to people who sign up for their email list. This builds their list. Then they can interact with their customers. Ask them about the business, what they like, dislike, would like to see offered, etc.

You could aslo do the typical "Collect 10 and get a free sandwhich" thing. Obviously you can use whatever number you want. You basically just hand out a card/stamp/whatever everytime someone purchases. When they get enough they get a free sandwhich/special offer/whatever.

[CLcrax23]

Online ordering with payment integration is key for this IMO. Think about it...guys sitting in an office...want lunch...instead of hovering around a phone with a busy sandwich guy on the other end, they can review the menu at their own pace sitting at their desk then input their order, pay with a credit card and then they have their options. They can deliver (if the place does that), the buyer can pick it up, or they can send the new guy to go get it. Don't have to worry about giving correct change to everyone in the office either...thats a nightmare.

[Traffic-Bug]

Originally Posted by thunderbird

I'm trying to get my head around the right strategy for such a place. It seems odd to offer an opt-in form. Sign up for news on latest sandwich toppings? It's already pretty cheap, so coupons seem odd, unless for bulk purchases or something. Sign up for joint venture downloadable coupons?
Any suggestions?
Thanks.

If you are looking to just build a website that offers only a 'digital presence' on the internet, then simply put up the menu and contact address etc. But if you are looking to build clientele through the website... It somehow seems odd for a small-scale neighborhood restaurant to aim for traffic and sales via the internet, because people in that area already know about that kind of website and that kind of restaurant.

[Maria Gudelis]

Video testimonials rock - and to save them on costs - a simple flip video is all they need to record customer testimonials and get them to you or you go there with a flip (I know - professional vids are great - but for them - 'reality rocks' - and a flip video is great!

check out how Naked Pizza uses twitter - great stuff (twitter.com/nakedpizza)

the site should be simple -

yet you can make it fun for them and their clients via also twitter - and coupons -everyone loves coupons - heck - you can even do contests for them - feature a customer video of the month...

creates buzz so they'll buy from them vs mcd's or whatever else is around. I'm sure you can increase their sales by doing some of those simple steps..

now the real question is though..

What is their budget? Therein lies what u can do for them!

[JohnMcCabe]

Originally Posted by Traffic-Bug

If you are looking to just build a website that offers only a 'digital presence' on the internet, then simply put up the menu and contact address etc. But if you are looking to build clientele through the website... It somehow seems odd for a small-scale neighborhood restaurant to aim for traffic and sales via the internet, because people in that area already know about that kind of website and that kind of restaurant.

1. The OP said the business does not yet have a website and wants one.

2. There is always turnover in any neighborhood. People move out, new people move in.

3. Many small shops like this one fly under the radar, even for long term local residents. I've lived in my area for almost four years now, and we're constantly finding new places to try.

4. With this type of restaurant, there are a lot of profits available even from existing customers by concentrating on making it easier to do business. The idea of online ordering and payment is one good way to do it. Simply offering a PDF of an order sheet with a fax number and space for credit card details is another

5. Having the means to communicate easily with the people who already know about the restaurant can help even out business by offering "micro-specials" during slow times. That strategy has worked on me for oil changes, meals, haircuts, etc.

6. Building relationships builds loyalty. Have you ever had someone mention a business to you and thought, "gee, are they still around?" Out of site , out of mind. Out of mind, out of business...

[thunderbird]

Update: So far, so good. Oral agreement and handshake. Written agreement should be signed and check in my hand Friday. This feedback has helped tremendously. Thank you all.

[Dan C. Rinnert]

Make sure they put a complete menu on the site, and keep it current.

You know, there are a lot of fast food places, national chains. And, sometimes when figuring out what to get for lunch, we go to their websites.

It is surprising how many of these multi-million dollar corporations can't seem to put a complete menu on their site. Granted, things may change by region and so forth, but, as a customer, I don't care. You'd think they'd have these things figured out.

Some, for example, might have their menu, but don't list their combos or value meals. Sometimes, we end up changing our restaurant selection because our first choice didn't have a full menu online, so we went with the one that does.

When you work in an office, and you send someone out to pick up lunch, you don't have the luxury of saying something like "Get me that combo with this and that." There's no time for them to look through the menu and try to correctly guess what everyone in the office wants.

So, whatever it takes, they need a complete menu online, so when the "lunch manager" gets sent out to pick up lunch for the office, they can have a list prepared with what everyone wants: the #1 combo, a #5, etc.

People do check out fast food websites before going to get their order. Sometimes, it is to see who has what or who has something new to try. And, it's also to have the lunch order prepared before sending someone out to get it all.

A nice feature, too, is to have order forms online that you can print out and check off the things you want on your order. However, the owner or manager of the place need to make sure that employees are trained in how to use that order form. Seriously. No matter how simple it looks, some of the people that work at fast food places will look at it like they've been handed blueprints for the space shuttle and need to figure out how to build it with a pocket knife, a rubber band and a loaf of bread.

There is one national chain that has such an order form on their site. Yet, we don't go there anymore because whenever we fill out those order forms (which are mind-numbingly easy to figure out) and take them there, the people working the fast food counter have absolutely no idea how to figure it out.

[thunderbird]

Originally Posted by Dan C. Rinnert

It is surprising how many of these multi-million dollar corporations can't seem to put a complete menu on their site. Granted, things may change by region and so forth, but, as a customer, I don't care. You'd think they'd have these things figured out.
<snip>

I've noticed that too. Do you happen to have any examples of fast food sites that do it right? Thanks.

[Dan C. Rinnert]

Originally Posted by thunderbird

I've noticed that too. Do you happen to have any examples of fast food sites that do it right? Thanks.

Wendy's does a pretty good job. They even let you go through and pick out your combo items.

Arby's (which is owned by Wendy's) does a decent job too, though not at Wendy's level.

[thunderbird]

Update: Landed the sale, checks signed and handed to me.

Thank you everybody for you valuable feedback. Yes!

[trapp120]

I see you've already landed the deal, but hopefully you'll still be looking for ways to help market their site inexpensively.

Focus less on the website "presence" initially and focus on repeat business. As you and other people have mentioned, coupons are a great tool for repeat business. I would personally employ an email based newsletter and offer signups both in the restaurant and online - possibly offering a discount for first-time signups. This way you're collecting emails from all available sources and helping to create rapport with patrons.

Listen, a restaurant placed in a decent location anywhere will get customers at least looking to try it out, and if you apply the 80/20 rule to this business (which you should), your focus is getting those 80% to come back more regularly - email and discounts will help accomplish that.

[dv8]

Originally Posted by thunderbird

Update: Landed the sale, checks signed and handed to me.

Thank you everybody for you valuable feedback. Yes!

Nice work!!