The Evolution of Online Ordering Apps: From SMS to AI Integration

The way we order food has undergone a radical transformation in the last two decades. From handwritten notes and ringing telephones to AI-powered mobile platforms, the Online Ordering App has evolved into a cornerstone of modern restaurant operations. What began as a basic tool for convenience has now become a driver of growth, brand identity, and customer loyalty in the food service industry.

Let us take a look at how the Restaurant Ordering App has grown and where it is headed in the near future.

The Early Days: SMS and Phone-In Orders

In the late ’90s and early 2000s, ordering takeaway meant calling the restaurant, hoping that someone would pick up, and reciting your order down the phone. There were too many mistakes, and orders were slow to arrive. Customers didn’t get any visibility into what happened to their orders either. Restaurants used these manual systems and found them to be time-consuming and error-ridden.

The initial online ordering wave happened via SMS services. The user would order through text, and the order would be manually keyed into the POS of the restaurant. Although it seemed calm at the time, SMS ordering did not have real-time authentication, customisation, and convenient menu browsing.

The Web-Based Revolution

Web-based ordering systems arrived during the mid-2000s. Restaurants were now able to display digital menus on their websites, where visitors could browse and order online. Everything had changed, a game-changer that gave the customers control of the orders and allowed restaurants to process incoming orders more effectively.

While initial websites were generally cumbersome and needed to be accessed on a desktop, they were not designed for mobile phones and allowed little interaction, but they laid the groundwork for whatever came next.

The Rise of Mobile Apps

When smartphones became ubiquitous, the next step was the Online Ordering App. Restaurant ordering sites such as Uber Eats, Grubhub, and Deliveroo placed third-party marketplaces at the centre stage, allowing consumers access to hundreds of restaurants within one app.

Restaurants started developing branded Restaurant Ordering Apps, which permitted them to have more control over margins, customer data, and customer experience. These apps enabled customers to:

● View menus in real time

● Make orders personal with ease

● Saved favourite dishes

● Tracking delivery or pickup status

● Earned loyalty rewards

The switchover from browser to app not only made users more convenient but also allowed restaurants to establish a stronger brand identity through a completely personalised digital front-end.

Source: https://medium.com/@orderingdirect01/the-evolution-of-online-ordering-apps-from-sms-to-ai-integration-22bd696e1cfb