Online Business Ideas for the Restaurant Niche

Online business ideas for the restaurant niche involves helping the late comers transition online via YOUR services (website development, marketing and ecommerce). I have had (7) different customers come to me with this idea in the last month telling me about this niche in detail. Think about it, you don’t even need to know how to create a website thanks to freelancers who can build the site for you.  The idea tech skills or not is that you are the middle person.

WHY: OK lets talk about WHY they want to create online business opportunities.

Explain to their business that a website that takes orders solves two problems.

The easier they can get orders online the better they can have them prepared. Here is a great example a restaurant that has a business lunch crowd could save time and pickup their order and skip the line.

Another plus would be their ability to ship food long distance like my favorite pizza place Giordanos in Chicago. I am from Chicago but living in Dallas (company based in Las Vegas). And I will tell you that the fact that they deliver to Dallas or anywhere in the USA is GREAT! If you know of a restaurant that is famous in your area they may want to consider this option depending on the type of food they offer.

The Plan: OK now you know what problem you are helping them solve so how do you reach them? Unfortunately there is no one easy answer to this. And if some one claims there is then RUN. Because get so called Guru is trying to take your money. The following online business ideas are some realistic suggestions. Keep in mind that you should target small business vs. corporations unless you have a connection to working with that model. Small business are usually more apparent.

Find out if your bank or banks in your target area are doing any training for business. Offer to introduce them to several online business opportunities by offering a free service i.e. a FREE website setup and hosting for a year if they purchase an option to setup their e commerce system through you.

• Trade shows: Another great way to get people interested.
• Chamber of Commerce events: great opportunity to share your online business ideas with other members and non members.
• Local Business Associations: i.e. a restaurants association.

You have to formulate what services you are going to offer them and always present them with at least (3) different choices of packages and a fourth choice can be  custom package. The average package I saw between all (7) clients seemed to be on the low end $1200 USD on the high end $6,000 USD.

The variation also depends on the type of business. Remember a location that has more than 70% business sales is more than likely to spend more because they see the money if their smart. But if it s  business that get mostly residential patrons then make the price low and work with them.

PS UPDATE: I had to show you a a great link case study. This is how you can show potential clients how they can generate MORE customers from the internet! Thanks AJ for alerting me of this post.