Buzz
According to information from the Vietnamese Restaurant Association, as of early 2020, there were approximately over 540,000 restaurants, bars, eateries... operating nationwide. Among them, more than 400,000 small restaurants, 80,000 independent eateries, and various others, including those within hotels with substantial investments.
However, this figure has undoubtedly undergone significant changes since the second half of 2020 when most of them were heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Many restaurants were forced to close, cease operations; a few struggled hesitantly, while the remaining ones had to innovate, restructure to survive and thrive post-pandemic.
In this article, PasGo addresses the services of Online Table Reservation and Online Food Ordering - two services that compel restaurants to quickly consider implementing to catch up with the overall shift to online, simultaneously increasing revenue, and cutting costs to align with the post-Covid-19 business landscape.
So why do restaurants need to quickly implement Online Table Reservation and Online Food Ordering services? Here are 4 main reasons:
1. Buying things online has become a trend in Vietnam
About 5-7 years ago, spotting someone holding a phone 'as big as a hand' swiping and tapping on the touch screen made many feel stylish, sophisticated, and admired.
But nowadays, in the midst of 2020, it's not hard to come across images of a sidewalk sugarcane juice vendor or a motorbike taxi driver using those 'hand-sized' phones to casually browse Facebook, watch YouTube videos, make video calls, all in a professional manner. Not to mention, they sit in one place and order things online, from food orders to restaurant table reservations, to shopping for trendy clothes and footwear, even buying shampoo, toothpaste, medical supplies, all can be conveniently ordered online.
This is enough to see that buying things online has become a consumer habit for many. It has become an essential trend of the current 4.0 modern technology era. Online Table Reservation and Online Food Ordering in the F&B industry also follow this trend.
If your restaurant has not transitioned to this online channel, could it be said you are falling behind???
2. The demand for takeout has never been HIGHER than in the current Covid period
The online trend, coupled with the high online buying power during Covid times, are reasons driving restaurants to urgently implement Online Food Ordering services today.
Isolation orders and social distancing have forced many diners to receive home-cooked meals from family or, more simply and proactively, use the online food ordering channel to have meals delivered by staff. Additionally, the ongoing uncontrolled spread of the disease has created a general reluctance for close contact, leading to a higher demand for online ordering.
Therefore, focusing on serving meals directly at the restaurant to maintain revenue but neglecting this online food delivery channel inadvertently means your restaurant is missing out on a very lucrative opportunity.
3. Expand collaboration with online table reservation services to increase revenue share
Due to the impact of the Covid pandemic, the majority of customers coming to dine in and make direct reservations at restaurants have decreased on average by 30-50% compared to before, and many restaurants have even experienced more significant declines. You can't just sit and complain or blame the common reason that the number of dining customers during the pandemic has decreased, can you?
To increase revenue share, as a manager or restaurant owner, you must think of ways to diversify channels for attracting customers. In addition to the restaurant's own customer acquisition channels, collaborating with professional online table reservation solution providers like PasGo is also a solution for you now. PasGo not only provides you with potential online table reservation customers but also offers valuable advice on optimizing resources and cutting costs.
Furthermore, Grabfood, Now, Loship, Baemin... are also other options you can consider, although these platforms are more specialized in providing online food ordering services.
4. Covid, no online means death!
Finally, summarizing all the reasons above. Now, in the second half of 2020, with the Covid-19 vaccine still not widely available, people in many countries (including Vietnam) have almost tacitly agreed to 'live with Covid.' If your restaurant has not adapted or transitioned to the online supply model, the potential decline in revenue in the coming months might be a predictable challenge.
