Rice & Noodles goes all in on digital self-service
At the end of 2019, Örebro-based Rice & Noodles opened its doors in the city district of Almby. An Asian dining concept with a diversified and comprehensive menu. All food is prepared from scratch with a great deal of quality and care. In 2020, owner Philip Luu opened a second establishment across town, in Västhaga, as part of a cluster of restaurants.
A simpler way for takeaway
The Västhaga restaurant receives at least 80-90% of all its orders as takeaways, while in Almby the percentage reaches as high as 95-98%. At lunchtime, however, physical attendance is higher in both locations, rising to nearly 30%. During the pandemic, the app made things much easier for Philip’s business. As customers were actively seeking to avoid contact, the app made things easier and, despite the drop in attendance, Rice & Noodles did well thanks to its takeaway service.
“We were eager to make it possible to receive orders remotely. As a result, the number of orders placed by phone has gone down. This became noticeable right away, as soon as we started using the app”.
Philip Luu, Rice & Noodles
Shorter queues and less stress
Keeping distance from each other and avoiding queues was made easier by the app. Since customers are able to see the estimated prep time via the app, there’s no need for them to wait in close proximity to others. They can just sit back and patiently wait. A push notification tells them when their food is ready to be picked up. In addition, this benefits the restaurant staff and reduces their stress levels. They can work undisturbed without stressed customers rushing in to get their food.
– Our customers really appreciate not having to wait and being able to pick up their food without any delay. Since the payment has already been made, the pick-up time is very short.
Philip and his colleagues at Rice & Noodles have been using the app since its launch in April 2018. Currently, it is only accessible for takeout orders. However, the idea of offering digital self-service to walk-in customers at the restaurants is being considered.
– I’ve been giving some thought to the possibility of allowing customers to order through the app right at the venue and having them pick up at a delivery station. This way, people can jump straight to a table and don’t have to wait in line to order”, Philip explains. We are also working on implementing Swish as a payment method to further improve our customers’ experience,” he continues.
A natural fit for the business
Rice & Noodles identifies multiple benefits in a takeaway app that makes life easier for both customers and employees. And the solution is definitely here to stay. The challenge lies more in fruition and getting the customer to get a sense of all the benefits. Philip notes that young people are quick to use the service. However, he’s also aware of the fact that the older generations may need a while longer to get used to it. What is clear is that it streamlines the process for everyone involved.
– For us, it is a natural fit for the business and one we are happy to have at our disposal,” Philip concludes.
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