How diners are ordering now

Today’s diners may be more tech-savvy than ever, but most (77%) still tend to order the old-fashioned way: inside the restaurant, from an employee, according to Technomic’s Q2 2019 Consumer Update Report. That said, they do turn to tech at least sometimes. A significant portion of restaurant customers order online at least once a month (35%), the report found—including via third-party delivery services.

Click through to see how customers are ordering today, and where operators might want to consider investing in the space.

Among those who prefer ordering directly from a restaurant, 25% cited the ease of experience.

Source: Technomic Consumer Update Report, Q2 2019

Just 9% prefer to order directly from a third-party service.

Source: Technomic Consumer Update Report, Q2 2019

Just 7% said so of third-party deliverers.

Source: Technomic Consumer Update Report, Q2 2019

Seventeen percent say they use Grubhub’s mobile app at least once a month. And three of the top 10 most-used foodservice apps belong to third parties, with Uber Eats used monthly by 15% of consumers and DoorDash by 10%.

Source: Technomic Consumer Update Report, Q2 2019

Nearly half (49%) said so of FSRs. 

Still, these devices are not having a huge impact on traffic. Almost 80% of customers said they’d visit restaurants the same amount if they offered automated service. Just 9% said they’d visit more often, and 13% said they’d visit less.

Source: Technomic Consumer Update Report, Q3 2018