The Impact of Online Food Ordering on Restaurant Management Success

This essay delves into the evolving landscape of the hospitality industry, specifically focusing on the impact of online food ordering on restaurant management and success. The essay begins by examining current food trends, particularly the rise of food trucks and the shift towards healthier eating options. It then presents a case study of a Malaysian food truck owner in Sydney, highlighting his journey and strategies for success, including the adoption of online ordering services and social media marketing. The essay further provides a critical analysis of the food truck business model, offering insights into the benefits, such as low initial investment and the ability to offer personalized services, as well as the challenges, including the need for financial planning and effective marketing. The essay concludes by emphasizing the importance of adapting to customer needs and leveraging online platforms to thrive in the competitive hospitality sector. The essay also references an interview with a front house executive to provide additional insights into the impact of these trends on the industry.

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Managing restaurant service
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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Introduction
With the technological advancement, the lifestyle of the people has changed to a great
extent. Now, the people can get their work done with just a click. Technological innovation
has enhanced the awareness of the people about the recent business trends adopted by the
industries. Technologies are one of an important means for maintaining the stability in the
relationship with the clients and the customers. As a matter of specification, technology is
assistance for the industries in terms of increasing the trafficking of the audience towards the
brand image (Williams, 2016). This essay narrows down the search to the hospitality
industry, especially restaurant for gaining an insight into their management strategies.
Therefore, the thesis statement of the essay is to assess the impact of the online food ordering
on the success of the hospitality industry.
Section 1
Food trend relates to the recent developments, which the companies and organizations
undertake for luring the clients and the customers. The type of trend adopted reflects the
approach of the personnel towards altering the dynamics and scenario of the business
services. Preserving the traditionalism in this context relates to the attempt of averting the
instances of customer turnover. On the other hand, altering the traditional organizational
structure can result in resistance to the changes. In case of Sydney, Australia, the story relates
to the hard efforts of the chefs in terms of catering to the specific appetite needs of the people
(Sinclair & Carr, 2018). Specific mention can be made of the transition from the fun to the
health focused. This transition has led to the introduction of healthy eating even in the TV
reality shows like Masterchef.
Among the list of the top ten food trends, riffs on the school favourites is one of an
important food trends. This is an initiative for luring the school children. In this, the chefs

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attempt to re-invoke the childhood memories of the favourite dishes into the modern
masterpieces. Reference can be cited of the Sydney café, Dutch Smuggler, which
manufactures innovative foods through the blend of Mi Goreng noodle fillings. Apart from
this, diet trends emerged as a result of the “wellness craze” among the people. Typical
evidence of this lies in the emergence of new breeds of healthy up, diet centric eateries.
However, the focus would be placed on the online ordering, which has expanded the scope
and arena of the Sydney restaurant service and the Hospitality Industry as a whole (Bbc.com,
2019). As a matter of specification, the preferred food trend would be the food trucks, which
is a one stop solution for the appetite cravings.
Food trucks are an innovative business idea, which have assisted the Australian
hospitality industry to enhance their fame and reputation. Mention can be made of the
introduction of online ordering services, which have enhanced the customer base for the
restaurants. The components of the truck include varieties of items, from which the customers
can select their preferred food item. The items include lunchbox menus, pasta, coffee, burger,
waffle, and noodles among others. Lucrative names are given to the menus on the truck for
luring the clients and the customers, especially those belonging to the foreign markets. The
customers are provided with the downloading option for the app, from which they can order
the food items (Mokhtar et al., 2017).
Section 2
Yang is a Malaysian Food Truck owner in Sydney. He started the business in
collaboration with the head chef, Alex Wong. The realization to choose the career of cooking
came to him much before. This realization compelled him to think of restarting his career
with strategic planning. Wong submitted his application in the health science at the Sydney
University, from where he was dropped out. In order to secure his future, he devoted the next

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five years in screenwriting, network engineer. Through this, he received a degree of Bachelor
of Theology. Before ceasing the screenwriting profession, he started the apprenticeship of
chef. During this period, he worked at China Doll, Rim Rock café in Whistler. After this, he
experimented with his skills, abilities and competencies in Chica Bonita in Manly, followed
by Queenies in Surry Hills (Sinclair & Carr, 2018).
Wong confesses that he longed for owing a food truck business. Venturing into the
threshold of USA, he found that food trucks are the cheapest modes of fulfilling the appetite
cravings. He takes pride in introducing Malaysian cuisine for the first time in the streets of
Sydney. Both Wong and Yang go into flashback when they used to write food blogs. In the
era of 2013, they went to spend vacation in USA with chocolate Suze. This was accompanied
by three weeks of gluttony, which added value to the Great Donut, Fried chicken and
American barbeque Tour. Getting inspired from a friends’ food truck business, he dreamt of
starting his own food truck. This dream was quite bizarre and unusual, as he was struggling
with the dream. This aspect reflects a “lack of confidence” in terms of fulfilling the identified
and the specified targets (Sinclair & Carr, 2018).
Perseverance, dedication and commitment are filled in the approach of Yang towards
executing the business activities. Advertising the food trucks in the streets of Surry hills,
Circular Quay, Wynyard and Zetland has helped him to identify the target audience, who can
add focus into the business. Along with this, mention can be made of campaigning at the Pitt
Street Mall, where the audience were informed about the online food ordering service. This
was a turning point in the life of Yang, as he was able to enhance the trafficking of the
audience towards the business. As a matter of specification, he uploaded the detailed
information about the food items on the social networking sites. This reduced the concerns
and worries of the customers regarding the nutritional value of the prepared foods (Sinclair,
& Carr, 2018).

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The option of rating the food and the purchase experience enabled Yang to map the
approach of the audience towards the levied strategies. This activity was a means for
expanding the customer base.
Interviewing a front house executive
(Refer to appendix 1)
Section 3 (critical analysis)
As per the arguments of Mokhtar et al., (2017), innovations are common in all of the
settings under the hospitality industry. Typical examples of this are the alterations in the
fabric and tapestry, generating fusion foods and adopting social media marketing. This
segment attempts to narrow down the focus on the introduction of the food trucks, which has
been incorporated by Yang for making the Australians familiar with the Malaysian cuisine. If
I had been in place of Yang, I would have used these trucks for delivering the orders to the
customers. Aligning with the arguments of Williams, (2016), I think that using these trucks
would have been a direct marketing method for reaching to the customers and gaining an
insight into their specific needs, demands and requirements.
According to my opinions, keeping diversified menu in the trucks would be an
innovative means for luring the foreign customers. Placing the trucks in the tourist spots,
offices and parks would be an innovative means for me in terms of attracting large number of
customers. Advertising the benefits in the social networking sites would generate positive
word of mouth among the customers. I think that this step would be effective in terms of
increasing the trafficking of the audience towards the business. However, before conducting
the marketing mix, I need to ensure that I have financial flexibility. Therefore, developing
budgets would enhance my awareness about the expenses behind each activity. Considering

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the software would help me to save time and efforts, which I can devote towards executing
the other operations. On the contrary, if I exert lackadaisical approach in marketing my food
truck, I would encounter negative results in the form of inadequate resources and capabilities;
higher prices of the raw materials; inflation, tax obligation among others.
I feel that food trucks are beneficial in terms of providing fusion foods to the
customers in a personalized manner. I can relate it with the independent business, which
individuals intend to conduct for enhancing their professional skills, competencies and
abilities. On the contrary, getting employed under the restaurants is accompanied with the
compulsion to act according to the rules and regulations. I also think that portability of the
food trucks is productive in terms of enhancing the knowledge regarding the different
cultures, customs and traditions. This is effective approach in catering to the appetite needs of
the people. I have learnt that food trucks need low initial investment, which makes it easy for
entrepreneurs like me, intending to start their own business with financially strong
foundations.
Low operational costs are one of the other reasons for which I have selected the trend
of food truck. Only cleaning of the trucks and the shelves is needed for keeping the food
items and the raw materials fresh until it reaches the customers. I can make mention of the
limitations related to the expenses behind gas supply, raw food ingredients and the labour
maintenance. In this case, the tax obligations are also meagre, which is an advantage in terms
of maintaining the balance between the operations.
The option of offering quality foods at low prices is a primary reason for which I have
selected the trend of food truck. Food trucks are pocket friendly, which the customers can
easily afford. In this, I can relate the concept of income and lifestyle of the customers before
planning the prices of the food items. According to my assumptions, incorporating the

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concept of sales forecasting would be beneficial for me in terms of estimating the supply
demand curve. This estimation is vital for assessing the market position in the competitive
ambience.
Hygiene maintenance makes the food trucks a preferable option among the customers.
On the other hand, buying foods from the street vendors is unsafe, generating diseases. I feel
that the craze for food trucks would help me to generate high profit margin in the time when
the people prefer healthy diets, which would energise them for bearing with the busy
schedule.
Food trucks are a convenient option for me in terms of expanding the brand image. I
can recruit a Marketing and Outreach Manager, which would be beneficial in terms of
enhancing the awareness about the expansion. Conducting offshore marketing would be
productive in terms of seeking an insight into the prospective clients, who would contribute
towards generating high revenue and profit margin. I feel that incapability of understanding
the accounting operations can result in failure of the food truck business. Therefore, strategic
planning is necessary in terms of averting the risks. In this, consideration of the risk
assessment matrix would be beneficial in terms of mapping the risks, which can hamper the
productivity. This matrix would help me to plan the marketing business accordingly. I think
that this risk assessment is necessary in terms of ensuring the wellbeing of the customers and
gaining satisfaction, trust, loyalty and dependence from them.
Section 4 (conclusion)
The main motto of hospitality industry is to serve the customers in a better manner.
Providing quality services is an effective means for reaching to the specific needs, demands
and requirements of the customers. Within this, food is one of the segments, which the essay
focuses on. As a matter of specification, insight is sought towards the new and innovative
trend of food truck, which acts as an agent for the entrepreneurs to start their own business. In

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this case, Yang’s story is an inspiration for the young entrepreneurs. Along with this, the
opinions of the Front House Executive are apt in terms of mapping the impact of food trucks
in the productivity of Bennelong, a food outlet in the Sydney Opera House.
Reflection regarding the utilization of food truck enhances the thinking skills and
judgemental capacity in terms of starting a business. Within this, opining strategic planning is
a productive step in incorporating cognitive and experiential learning towards attaching good
start to the business. Mention can be made of the risk management, which is crucial in terms
of gaining awareness about the risks, which hamper the business operations. Making use of
the matrix is fruitful for mapping their impact on the business.

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References
Bbc.com (2019). How online 'influencers' are changing the food industry. Retrieved 24th
April 2019 from https://www.bbc.com/news/business-36271043
Bennelong.com.au. (2019). About us. Retrieved 24th April 2019 from
https://www.bennelong.com.au/events/
Carr, B., & Sinclair, J. (2016). The “Tequila Effect” or “How the Taco Won Australia”: The
Appropriation of Mexican and Latin American Culture in Australia. In Australian-
Latin American Relations (pp. 67-84). Palgrave Macmillan, New York.
Mokhtar, R., Othman, Z., Arsat, A., & Bakhtiar, M. F. S. (2017). Brand equity and customer
behavioural intention: A case of food truck business. J. Tour. Hosp. Culin. Arts, 9(2),
561-570.
Sinclair, J., & Carr, B. (2018). Making a market for Mexican food in Australia. Journal of
Historical Research in Marketing, 10(2), 175-190.
Williams, R. (2016). Why We Love “Interruption”: Urban Ruins, Food Trucks, and the Cult
of Decay. Cities Interrupted: Visual Culture and Urban Space. London: Bloomsbury,
17-29.

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Appendix
1. For how long are you working as a front house executive in Bennelong~
 3 months
 6 months
 9 months
 More than 1 year
Answer- more than 1 year
2. What are the factors, which have led to the success of the restaurant?
 Quality products
 Diversity and variety in the flavours
 Cultural shows
 All of the above
Answer- All of the above
3. What are the changes, which have been infused in the operations recently?
 Clear view of the Sydney Harbour
 Redesigning the fabric
 Introduction of the food trucks
Answer- introduction of the food trucks
4. What impact has technology created on the business operations of Bennelong?
 Fastened the delivery time and speed
 Helped in managing the operations
 Improve communication with the customers
 All of the above
Answer- All of the above
5. How frequently do you conduct lab tests and quality controls for the prepared foods?

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 Daily
 Six weeks
 One month
 One and half month
Answer- daily
6. What are the results of introducing the food trucks on the productivity
Answer- Hike in the sales revenue and profit margin
7. What recommendations are you planning for enhancing the standards and quality of the
food truck business?
Answer-
 Revision in the selection and recruitment policies of the staffs
 Adoption of Social media marketing
Table 1: Interview questions for the Front House executive of Bennelong
(Source: created by the author)