Driven by the social isolation imposed by Covid-19, both the investment in digital resources by restaurants and Brazilian consumption habits have changed. “This means a greater propensity for consumers to adhere to the amenities of online shopping, in addition to gaining confidence when consuming on digital channels”, comments Paulo Mezzalira, co-founder of new business in consultancy MarketingChef.
As for the entrepreneur, he points out the opportunities that online brings to add value to the brand. “For example, with ads, videos, reels, lives and attractive descriptions on digital menus.”
According to the research “The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on small businesses”, by Sebrae, 72% of companies in the food service sector already have online sales.
For Mezzalira, the transition to digital should be seen as an opportunity to expand the reach of the business. “Marketplaces are there to help establishments have a digital flair, at low cost, as there is no need for a team to develop an app or form a team of delivery people”, he points out.
Digital Menu iFood
To increase the visibility and sales of partner establishments, the iFood Digital Menu appears in response to the needs of entrepreneurs at this time of digitalization of society.
Launched in June this year, the tool allows restaurants to digitize and publish their menu, with its own link, to be published on messaging apps or social media profiles. “In this way, the establishment increases its chances of prospecting and converting orders”, he states Luiza Aly, Strategy and New Business specialist at iFood. The novelty has been well received: as of August 2021, the foodtech registered 14 thousand partners across Brazil using the resource.
Not restricted to the iFood application, the Digital Menu works as follows: with the digital menu link, customers place the order directly with the establishment, which is responsible for the entire advertising, delivery and support process. The functionality is free of commissions and fees. Only after passing 100 orders within the month, made via Digital Menu, the monthly fee is R$24.90.
For influencer and delivery specialist João Barcelos – better known as “João do Delivery” -, the iFood Digital Menu It is a means of democratizing online access to restaurants, also expanding the business' target audience. “It allows people of all ages and with different technological contact realities to access and order their products. The customer wins and so does the entrepreneur, as they don’t need to spend the day responding to consumers on the messaging app”, he commented, during the live “Webinar Digital Menu – iFood beyond the app”, promoted by iFood.
Watch the live in full.
Keeping an eye on the consumer experience
“Purchasing processes must be simplified: consumers are too sensitive to issues that make learning and completing orders difficult. It is necessary, using the resources available, to be creative when communicating and engaging the public”, explains Mezzalira, from MarketingChef.
The importance of being aware of the target audience and the context in which the restaurant is located are also highlighted as fundamental by Micha Menezes, CEO of digital marketing agency Pinguim. “Entrepreneurs need to be aware of their surroundings. There may be many restaurants in the neighborhood, but there are few that do their marketing well. When you learn how to use the iFood menu, you’ll come out ahead,” he says.
New features
Until the first months of 2022, the iFood Digital Menu will make new features available. According to Luiza Aly, Strategy & New Ventures specialist at iFood, items such as online payment and Pixel are in testing phases for launch. “For those who asked so much, Pixel, a tool that allows entrepreneurs to find more people who consume a certain product, will be available,” she says.
To know more, access here the iFood portal page for Partners.
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