Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Online ordering boosts check averages

Restaurateurs attending FSTEC in Long Beach, Calif., sang the praises of online and mobile ordering, particularly when it has the effect of hiking check averages.

  • Paul Valle, chief information officer for Papa Gino's, said orders placed online at its namesake chain run 70 percent higher than the chain's standard check average. At D'Angelo, another Papa Gino's concept, online checks are running 54 percent more than in-store checks.
  • Kenny Sullivan, senior director of operations and analytical systems for Brinker International, said in the past several months since Chili's and On the Border have begun to offer Internet ordering, he has seen online check averages running 30 percent to 40 percent above standard checks. He added that Maggiano's is expected to add online ordering later this year.
  • Geoff Alexander vice president and managing partner of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises's Wow Bao Asian concept, told attendees that online orders are running as high as $36 at one restaurant, compared with an average dine-in check of $6 to $7.
-- Paul Frumkin at pfrumkin@nrn.com.