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We live in a world where consumers want everything faster, easier and at the push of a button.  Food is no exception and the survival of your restaurant depends on having a good online presence where potential customers can see your food, check out your latest offers, make a reservation and even order their food before they walk through your doors. 

Restaurant websites tend to have really high conversion rates, with one in 10 website visitors converting into a booking.  The internet is also the most common method of searching for a new place to eat, wherever you are in the world.  So it’s vital you create a website that makes it easy for your customers to reserve a table and order their food without having to pick up the telephone. 

Here are 5 of the best restaurant plug ins for booking and ordering online:

1. WebReserv Embedded Booking Calendar: this plug in allows you to create a website where customers can easily check availability and make a reservation online.  Whether you own a restaurant, hotel, guest house, spa or car hire business, this is an extremely functional bookings plug in.  Whenever a customer makes a new booking, an email is sent directly to the administrator.  A confirmation email is also sent directly to your customer to let them know their table has been secured.  You can also take upfront payment and customers can use discount codes.  Another version of this plug in is the WebReserv Sidebar Booking Calendar, which works in the same way but instead adds an online calendar and reservation handling onto your sidebar. 
2. Checkfront Booking Plug In:  Checkfront is a popular online booking calendar and reservation software that can be easily integrated into your WordPress website using this plug in.  It allows you to process payments, take reservations and display availability within your website.  If you already have a Checkfront account this is an ideal update to your restaurant website.
3. Booking Calendar:   another favorite for people wanting to create a website offering reservations online.  Customers can easily check availability and view any upcoming special events you are holding and reserve a place.  Perhaps your restaurant has theme nights or tasting sessions for loyal customers and this feature is perfect for generating bookings.  There is also integrated PayPal support so that your customers can make a payment upfront.
4. WP-Reservation:  this plug in has been designed to give you greater control over the booking and reservation process.  Ideal for restaurants, hotels and guest houses alike, it allows your customers to easily and quickly make a booking online.  They can also review what they have reserved, make a pre-payment and even make a customized order online.  This gives you the dual function of reserving a table and allowing your customers to make and pay for a pre-order.
5. MealClick:  this isn’t actually a plug in but an online food ordering system that you can use to complement your existing website.  Although it does come at a premium price (a flat fee yearly subscription of $975.00), it provides a complete online ordering management system.  The really good thing about it compared to other ordering systems available is that you are not charged per transaction, just a one off yearly fee. Then you know where you stand and what you’ll have to pay.  Customers have a number of features that really enhance their experience, including the ability to save their menus and favorites, ask for delivery or pre-order and pay for a meal at the restaurant.  You can also arrange different methods for the orders to be sent to you, including fax and email, so it’s not absolutely essential to have a computer onsite.  If you’re serious about creating an online ordering this is a system worth checking out. 

Finally, don’t forget that a key advantage of allowing your customers to reserve online is that you’re also creating an email database of loyal customers.  You can then send them email promotions, discount codes and news of your latest menu.  This is ideal for spreading the word about your restaurant and creating a loyal group of fans.  

For more advice on how to create a website for your restaurant, go to this article about WordPress for Restaurants and How to Create a Website that Sells Your Menu.