Click & Collect Fast Food Digital solutions Digital foodservice solutions

Fast food: 10 advantages of Click & Collect

September 16, 2024
alt
Share article

You thought Click & Collect was just a passing fad born of the pandemic? Think again.

By 2023, nearly 70 % from large restaurant chains in France offer a Click & Collect service.

Click & Collect represents over 30 % online ordering in fast-food restaurantswith an increase in sales of 15 to 20 % for major brands such as McDonald's and Burger King.

The volume of Click & Collect orders in the foodservice sector grew by growth of 18 % in 2023 compared with the previous year.

55 % of French consumers prefer Click & Collect to delivery services for takeaway meals, thanks to its flexibility and the absence of delivery charges.

And that's just the beginning: early figures for 2024 suggest an even brighter future.

How do you explain the popularity of this solution among both customers and restaurateurs, who are increasingly adopting it?

Increased sales, higher order volumes, customer loyalty and lower operating costs... Discover the 10 essential benefits of Click & Collect to boost your restaurant's performance.

What is Click & Collect?

Visit Click & Collect is a service that enables customers to order their meals online via a website or mobile app, and then collect their order directly from the restaurant without having to wait on site. 

This system combines the advantages of online ordering with the convenience of point-of-sale pick-up.This is a practical solution for those wishing to avoid queues or additional costs.

Requiring very little human interaction, this service has become indispensable, particularly in the food sector. fast food during Covid-19.

10 benefits of Click & Collect for the fast-food sector

1) Time savings for customers

Visit Click & Collect allows customers to order in advance and collect their order at a time that suits them, without having to wait on site. In this way, they avoid the queues often associated with rush hour. This convenience is particularly appealing to consumers in a hurry, or those who want to make the most of their lunch break.

2) Lower delivery costs

By opting for Click & Collect, customers don't have to pay delivery charges, which is a strong argument for those looking to save money. 

For restaurateurs, this means avoiding costly partnerships with delivery platforms, while maximizing the volume of takeaway orders.

3) Improving the customer experience

Customers appreciate the flexibility and control offered by Click & Collect. By being able to order at their own pace and collect their meal at the time they want, they benefit from a simplified, stress-free experience. This sense of control reinforces satisfaction and encourages loyalty (more on that later!).

4) Increase in average shopping basket

Orders placed via Click & Collect tend to include more items than those placed directly at the counter. 

Thanks to automated suggestions, such as the addition of extra menus or desserts, customers take more time to explore the menu, which encourages them to increase their basket. 

In France, this trend is reflected in an average increase of 20 % in the value of online orders in the catering sector. 

And when they pick up their order in store, 40 % of customers add additional itemswhich further reinforces the rise in the average basket.

The photo shows a glazed donut on a piece of brown paper, used as packaging. The photo was taken outdoors, the blurred background showing a bright outdoor environment.

5) Smoother operations

Click & Collect allows restaurateurs to better organize their processes by giving them greater control over the flow of orders. With orders placed online, teams can plan and prepare meals at their own pace, without the pressure of instant ordering at the counter. 

This anticipatory management improves overall kitchen efficiency, where each step can be optimized according to the orders already received.

6) Reduce errors (and thus after-sales management!)

One of the benefits of Click & Collect is the reduction in errors, particularly those associated with forgotten orders. As teams have more time to prepare orders in advance, they are no longer forced to process them in a hurry. This results in more meticulous preparation, reducing the risk of missing items in orders. What's more, when customers come to collect their order, they can check on the spot that everything conforms to their requirements. 

This double check, by both teams and customers, helps avoid complaints and considerably reduces the need to manage returns or adjustments via after-sales service. The result: greater customer satisfaction and less time wasted resolving avoidable errors.

7) Optimizing catering space

With the rise of Click & Collect, restaurateurs can rethink the use of their physical spaces. Fewer customers to serve on site means less need for order-taking and service staff, as well as a reduction in the surface area dedicated to reception. 

This can reduce real estate costs or increase preparation space for larger takeaway orders.

8) Better management of peak periods

Click & Collect enables restaurateurs to better manage peak periods thanks to the ability to program orders and manage workflow more efficiently. 

One of our most popular features is the ability to limit the number of orders per time slot. By defining a maximum number of orders to be processed in a specific time slot, teams can avoid being swamped in the kitchen during rush periods.

This system enables us to distribute our workload more evenly throughout the day. Rather than receiving 45 orders all at once at 12:30 p.m., the limit implemented enables requests to be smoothed out over upstream or downstream slots, guaranteeing a smoother, more controlled production flow. 

It's an ideal solution for providing an optimal customer experience, even during peak periods.

This photo shows a person collecting a Click & Collect order in a restaurant. The woman, seen from behind, is standing in front of a counter. Phone in hand, she is probably checking her order information.

9) Access to a broader customer base

Click & Collect opens the door to a new category of customers, notably those looking for a convenient solution without the constraints of delivery, such as fees or waiting times. 

By offering a fast, flexible alternative, this service appeals to a wide range of profiles: from families in a hurry, to professionals on the move, to people who prefer to minimize contact in a post-pandemic period.

10) Enhanced loyalty thanks to data

Click & Collect platforms enable you to collect invaluable data on customer habits: frequency of purchases, favorite products, ordering times, and even seasonal trends. This information is a veritable goldmine for restaurateurs, providing them with a clear and precise view of their customers' behavior..

Thanks to this collection, restaurants can fine-tune their marketing strategies by proposing new products and services. ultra-targeted offersbased on individual customer preferences. For example, by sending promotions on frequently ordered items or suggesting new products similar to past purchases. This personalization has become an essential lever in the foodservice industry, increasing not only commitment but also repeat orders.

In addition to personalized offers, data collection helps improve customer relationship management over the long term. By identifying their regular customers, restaurateurs can deploy customized loyalty programs that reward loyalty and reinforce the feeling of closeness to the brand. 

These actions not only improve customer satisfaction, they also help to build loyalty, which can further increase sales by 20 %

By offering a service that evolves with customers' needs and expectations, restaurateurs create a unique experience that encourages customers to return again and again.

Ready to boost your store's revenues with Click & Collect?

Click & Collect isn't just a practical solution: it's a real growth driver for your restaurant.

Whether you're looking to reduce delivery costs, better manage peak periods or expand your customer base, this method can be adapted to your needs, whether you run a small retailer or a large chain.

Want to go further?

➜ Discover how to keep traffic flowing during a fast-food rush

➜ Want to increase customer loyalty? Here are our top strategies for creating a highly attractive loyalty program

➜ Increase your sales with our 14 marketing ideas to boost your restaurant

And above all, our team is available to answer your questions and help you set up a high-performance Click & Collect service.

The future belongs to those who simplify their daily lives (especially at our side)

our other articles

alt

Restaurants: how to boost tips? 

Don't know how to reduce staff turnover? Don't underestimate the role of tips! Everything you need to know about tips, and how to increase them: it's here!

alt

Fast food: 7 tools to keep traffic flowing during a rush

A growing queue, impatient customers getting restless, and a kitchen team struggling to keep up. Orders pile up, mistakes multiply and tension mounts. Feeling like you've seen it all before? We've got 7 tools to help you keep traffic flowing during peak periods.