Boost online orders with UpMenu and Star
As consumers become increasingly accustomed to online and table ordering, restaurants are able to take advantage of reduced costs and increased revenue. By adopting an ordering and delivery management solution offering a variety of intuitive features, orders and payments can be processed with ease.
One such solution is provided by UpMenu. The online ordering system enables customers to order food directly from a restaurant website, Facebook or via a customised mobile application. In turn, restaurants can receive requests and accept or reject orders on the centralized platform as well as handle table bookings, create promo codes etc.
The system also supports remote orders in restaurant chains, allowing restaurants to manage digital sales across the entire chain. One online ordering application is available for Android or iOS devices with customers simply choosing the restaurant from which they wish to order. The order is accurately printed at the correct restaurant by a dedicated order printer that is connected directly to the system.
Businesses can build white-label mobile applications and websites with customizable elements so as to create and edit menus with categories and subcategories based on similar food ingredients. The feedback system automatically sends targeted forms to collect customer opinions and ratings for the received food orders. In addition, marketing tools allow restaurants to create and distribute targeted emails and SMS as well as send notifications to customers.
UpMenu comes with an application programming interface (API) that enables restaurants to integrate the system with several third-party POS, delivery, payments, marketing and CMS solutions. Furthermore, the loyalty program operates both online and offline and allows customers to collect loyalty stamps and points. 
Marek Truskolaski, Partner, UpMenu comments: “The ordering system helps to limit food delivery portal costs by up to 70% allowing restaurants to become independent and increase revenue. What distinguishes the UpMenu online ordering system from other restaurant ordering apps is its wide selection of additional tools that support the ordering process from the second the customer orders food online to the moment they receive delivery and provide feedback.”
Table booking app
The table reservation system can be easily installed on a restaurant website and allows customers to book tables online with ease, enabling businesses to better manage staffing and stock levels as well as reduce the number of no-shows thanks to a pre-ordering option. In fact, the additional features of an online table booking management system can be used to handle all reservations in a restaurant including those made over the phone or in the restaurant itself, saving valuable time by streamlining the reservation process.
Mobile ordering app
The customizable mobile ordering app with integrated payment features can be an extra sales channel to the website online food ordering system to further boost sales. One restaurant using this channel comments: “We have been working with UpMenu for quite a long time and are very pleased with the ever-growing number of orders. Recently, our decision to launch a mobile app has proved to be absolutely spot on.” Jakub Bujak, Owner, Tre Orsi Pizza.
Marketing tools and loyalty program
The UpMenu ordering solution provides a range of marketing tools including a newsletter database automatically facilitating SMS and email campaigns to inform customers about new offers and events. Businesses can also create promotions, discount vouchers or restaurant loyalty programs such as a point-based rewards program or a digital stamp card, helping to not only build customer loyalty but also improve the quality of food delivery and takeaway services.
The loyalty program enables a restaurant to collect and store data about processed orders and awarded discounts, vouchers, points etc. This information is used to generate extensive reports that will help determine the best course of action to build a loyal customer base, improve retention rates and identify where improvements can be made.
As Marek Truskolaski adds: “The loyalty program feature is built into the online food ordering system, making promotion management so much easier. By building a dedicated client base there is the potential to increase profits thanks to elevated traffic and newly earned up-selling and cross-selling capabilities. With the UpMenu promotion engine it is possible to set up a loyalty program in a matter of clicks.”
All data regarding earned points and discounts is conveniently stored in the system, easily accessible in the management panel and to customers in the mobile app or through an account panel on the restaurant website.
“A great solution that we have recently implemented has been a loyalty program, thanks to which we build our customers’ loyalty, attract new guests who, in turn, can exchange collected points for rewards.” Oleksandr Petryshyn, Owner, Pizzeria Umberto.
Website design
UpMenu provides an extensive solution to organize a well-designed ordering system with free SSL certificate and hosting as well as SEO-friendly templates. Detailed product sales reports are automatically generated by the UpMenu system with actual data regarding customer experience on the restaurant website and online food ordering system. As a result, relevant changes to the website design on desktop and mobile versions can easily be made in real-time. Moreover, by integrating the UpMenu system with Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager, businesses can improve website design based on valuable customer behaviour data.
Star CloudPRNT™
UpMenu software is compatible with the Star TSP654II CloudPRNT™ printer and Star’s stylish mC-Print™ series. Offering a compact design, front opening, simple paper loading and outstanding functionality, the mC-Print3 features multiple interfaces as well as Cloud connectivity. It is unique in that it also delivers data and charging to iPads as well as data and Power Delivery to USB-C models of Windows and Android devices. 
Furthermore, with Star’s unique patent pending SteadyLAN™ technology, tablets can be directly connected to the router via the mC-Print printer using the same Lightning or USB-C cable. This eliminates the need for the tablet to connect via WiFi and ensures continuous network access and reliable connectivity. The mC-Print also includes hub functionality with the ability to connect a USB customer display, scanner, RFID device or other supported HID enabled peripherals directly to the printer for a single integrated system.
With Star’s CloudPRNT technology restaurants can integrate a flexible ordering system to seamlessly incorporate online purchasing into their offering, while eliminating the need for an extra tablet to send an online order to the printer. Instead, the ordering service is able to communicate directly with the printer to create print jobs as well as receive the status of the printer.
