Online Ordering Isn’t Going Anywhere

Online Ordering Isn’t Going Anywhere: St. Louis Restaurants Double Down on Digital in 2025

ST. LOUIS, MO (StLouisRestaurantReview) If you thought the pandemic-era surge in online ordering would fade once dining rooms filled up again, think again. Across the St. Louis region, digital ordering has matured from a stopgap to a standing expectation. Guests reach for their phones to plan dinner during a Blues game, schedule a curbside pickup on the commute home, or send a late-night delivery to a dorm on the first week of classes. For operators, that means online ordering is no longer a “nice to have”; it’s part of the core service model, sitting alongside dine-in as a permanent revenue stream.

What’s powering the staying power

Three forces keep online ordering sticky. First, convenience has become a habit. Customers have grown accustomed to seeing real-time menus, selecting add-ons, and paying in just a few taps—no waiting on hold, no guessing about availability. Second, value-sensitive households increasingly compare the total cost of eating out. They’ll mix and match dine-in, pickup, and delivery depending on fees, time, and occasion. Third, restaurants themselves have become far more sophisticated. Menus are engineered for travel, quoting is more accurate, and pickup lanes and staging shelves are better organized than they were even a year ago.

In St. Louis, this phenomenon is most noticeable during predictable peaks. Neighborhood pizzerias and taco shops report higher pre-game order volume with scheduled pickup, suburban family restaurants rely on curbside to smooth the dinner rush, and smaller kitchens use online ordering to push bundle deals that keep ticket times in check.

Pickup climbs as the value play

As prices for everything from housing to utilities rise, many guests are doing the delivery-vs-pickup math and choosing to save on fees and tips by driving to the restaurant. That doesn’t mean the digital habit is fading—only that the last mile is shifting back to the customer in exchange for savings and speed. For operators, a “pickup-first” strategy can protect margins without sacrificing convenience.

Successful St. Louis programs share a few hallmarks:

• Clear, accurate ETA windows. Honest quoting reduces curbside congestion and “where’s my order?” calls.
• Dedicated staging areas. Labeled shelving near the host stand or a side door streamlines handoff and keeps the dining room calm.
• Curbside cues. Parking signs, SMS check-in, and runner roles help staff find cars quickly and keep service consistent.
• Value-forward bundles. Family packs, game-day wings and sides, pasta for 4, or soup, salad, and bread combos make pickup feel like a budget win.

First-party vs. marketplace: a smarter mix

The debate is no longer “should we be on delivery apps?” It’s “what’s the right mix?” Third-party marketplaces still provide reach—especially for new restaurants or those expanding into unfamiliar neighborhoods. They are powerful discovery engines for cuisine searches (“Thai near me,” “late-night burgers”), and for time-strapped diners, they lower friction to zero.

But St. Louis operators are increasingly treating first-party ordering—their own website or app—as the profit and loyalty engine. The reasons are straightforward:

• Better margins. Direct orders avoid some external fees, giving restaurants room to invest in portion quality, packaging, or rewards.
• Own the guest relationship. Email and SMS consent, order history, and preferences enable targeted offers, win-back campaigns, and better forecasting.
• Menu control. It’s easier to feature high-margin items, rotate specials, and test limited-time offers without waiting on third-party updates.

The most resilient programs use marketplaces for discovery and occasional delivery spikes, then encourage repeat customers to reorder directly with simple prompts in the bag, QR codes on receipts, and loyalty perks that only exist on the restaurant’s own channels.

Loyalty is the quiet difference-maker

With inflation pressuring discretionary spending, the restaurants winning online are using loyalty to close the loop. Even simple programs—like “Buy 10 lunches, get one free,” birthday desserts, or weekday bounce-backs—can turn a one-off order into a monthly habit. Over time, the data tells a story: which entrées travel best, what add-ons pair with which mains, and which time windows need volume.

A few practical moves:

• Personalize lightly. Rotate top sellers to the top of the digital menu and suggest add-ons that make sense for that item (extra sauce, side salad, garlic bread).
• Reward behaviors you want. Offer extra points on Tuesdays, or a free appetizer on pickup orders over a certain threshold.
• Use message cadence wisely. A single, well-timed text about a weekend family bundle will have a greater impact than daily blasts that often get ignored.

Delivery isn’t dead—just redefined

Delivery remains essential, especially for city apartments, office lunches, and late-night cravings. But the playbook has changed. The best-run St. Louis kitchens set tighter delivery zones to protect speed and food quality, run slimmer delivery menus emphasizing travel-worthy items, and price transparently so guests understand what they’re paying for. Some operators add “finish at home” options—such as par-baked pizzas, broth-separated noodle bowls, or dressing-on-the-side salads—to maintain high quality without overloading the expo station.

Packaging is part of the product

A great online menu falls apart if the food arrives soggy. Restaurants that treat packaging as part of R&D see the payoff in reviews and repeat orders. Quick tests—such as letting a sauced fry or a crispy chicken sandwich sit for 20 minutes—often reveal small fixes with a significant impact: vented lids to release steam, separate compartments for components, aluminum for heat retention, or a shift to items that hold better for delivery while keeping delicate dishes dine-in only.

Don’t forget the unboxing moment: neat labels, tamper-evident seals, and a short thank-you note can transform a routine bag into a branded experience that sparks a social post or a positive comment.

The digital guest journey: audit it like a diner

One of the easiest ways to improve conversion is to place a real mobile order like a first-time guest and document every friction point. Is the “Order Online” button prominent on Google and on your website? Do images load fast on cellular? Are modifiers clear—or overwhelming? Are fees explained before checkout? Can guests find curbside instructions without digging?

Trim steps wherever possible. Replace generic categories with a few high-traffic collections like “Best Sellers,” “Family Bundles,” and “Travels Well.” Use succinct, scannable descriptions. And don’t bury your star dishes—feature them high on the page with bright, honest photos.

Operations: where the margin lives

Online ordering only works if the kitchen hums. A few operational tweaks make a noticeable difference:

• Throttle intelligently. Adjust order capacity by 15-minute blocks during peak times to prevent backlogs that trigger cancellations.
• Create a make-line for digital orders. Even a small dedicated space reduces crossover with dine-in and keeps expo focused.
• Designate a traffic cop. One person watching quote times, bag assembly, and handoffs will catch issues before they spill into reviews.
• Train for staging. Clear labels, checklists, and a final “bag scan” (including entrée, sides, sauces, and utensils) ensure accuracy above 99%.

Marketing that actually moves orders

Gimmicks are out; relevance is in. St. Louis diners respond to timely, local hooks:

• Game-day offers. Wing and pizza bundles before puck drop or kickoff, pushed three hours in advance.
• Weather pivots. Chilly weekend? Promote soups, stews, and comfort-food trays. Heat wave? Lead with salads, wraps, and lemonade gallons.
• Neighborhood moments. Back-to-school, theater nights, festivals—set up prescheduled promos tied to local calendars.

Keep the creative simple: a clean photo, a clear value proposition, and a single call-to-action button that opens directly to the correct menu category. The less tapping, the more carts make it to checkout.

For independents, digital can level the playing field

National chains have big budgets, but independents have agility and a local voice. That shows up online as authentic photography, regionally informed specials (toasted ravioli packs, anyone?), and partnerships with nearby breweries or dessert shops on bundled orders. Many small operators find success by weaving their story into the digital experience—chef notes on a seasonal dish, a behind-the-scenes reel on packaging tests, or a quick explainer on why pickup helps keep prices fair.

A quick checklist to tighten your online ordering

• Make your “Order Online” button impossible to miss on your website and Google Business Profile.
• Feature 6–10 best sellers with strong photos at the top of the menu.
• Tag items that travel well and trim those that don’t from delivery.
• Offer at least two family bundles at attractive price points.
• Quote realistic pickup windows and communicate delays proactively via SMS.
• Standardize packaging and test it under real conditions.
• Use marketplaces for reach but invite repeat guests to order direct with loyalty perks.
• Review channel-specific feedback weekly and fix recurring issues fast.

The bottom line for St. Louis

Online ordering is not a pandemic artifact—it’s part of how the region eats now. The channel mix is evolving: pickup has become the value workhorse, delivery remains a premium convenience, and first-party ordering paired with loyalty is emerging as the profit center. Restaurants that align menus, packaging, staffing, and marketing to these realities are turning digital demand into durable, repeatable business.

For diners, that means better, faster, clearer experiences—whether they’re grabbing curbside on Olive Boulevard, scheduling a family tray in St. Charles, or tapping for delivery downtown after a long day. For operators, it’s an opportunity: treat the digital front door with the same care as the host stand, and online ordering will continue to pay dividends long after the final buzzer.