Restaurant - Best method for processing orders

[tekspert]

Hello everyone,

I'm looking for advice with regards to creating a site for a restaurant which wants to have the capability of processing orders directly from their site.

I have already made the decision to do this in PHP... my question is what is the most effective method of delivering the orders to the restaurant?

maybe a computer logged in to the site with a special "recieve orders" account located directly in the restaurant?

simply via email order?

Any help or suggestions is welcome.
Thanks

[nataliemac]

I guess that your final decision would depend on the client.

Do they have a computer that they could check frequently for orders? If not, then this really isn't going to work. They almost need someone sitting in front of it constantly checking for incoming orders. Perhaps if they have a designated order-taker person who sits by the phone anyway, they could also have a computer in front of them.

I know that many times when I've used a Web site to place an order at a restaurant, the restaurant received a fax.

Do they already have a computerized ordering system? Could you set it up so your orders feed directly into their existing system and go directly to the kitchen to be prepared?

[tekspert]

I don't know anything about what the restaurant currently has in place.. Just giving them a very rough quote..

Can you tell me more about how the fax system works? My webservers are in the states.. and I'm in canada.. so is my client.. how would this work with regards to calling long distance?

[nataliemac]

I don't know anything about what the restaurant currently has in place.. Just giving them a very rough quote..

Can you tell me more about how the fax system works? My webservers are in the states.. and I'm in canada.. so is my client.. how would this work with regards to calling long distance?

I would say that knowing exactly how the restaurant would like to receive their orders, or at least knowing what options they were open to exploring would be vital to your ability to prepare an accurate quote. The client should be taking everything into consideration - if you are going to set them up to receive their orders via computer and then they need to go and buy a computer and pay for internet access, etc. that they do not have now, they should be warned about that. I think you need to talk more with your client before you decide what method would work best for them. They know more about what will work for them than you do.