Nov 15 2011
The secret sauce – Swiss Chalet’s Order Taking Engine
Swiss Chalet – An excellent online ordering system
Ah, Swiss Chalet! Well known for its mystery red dipping sauce – tangy, barbequey and ketchupy all in one shot. Swiss Chalet’s claim to fame is their rotisserie barbeque chicken and ribs – with only five locations in the Metro Vancouver area, it could be a bit of a grind to access all of that slightly but deliciously charred, juicy chicken. But people feel that it’s well worth the trek.
A few years ago, Swiss Chalet expanded their phone pick-up service to include an internet ordering engine. To date, I can comfortably say that this engine should be the standard to which all online ordering engines should follow. It’s easy to set up, easy to use and deliveries are fast and efficient.
To place an order for the first time, you would log onto www.swisschalet.ca and click on the big, easy-to-find Order Online button on the top right hand side of the page.
Next, click create account and enter in your information. After that you would click Place order.
You have a choice here. You can either click on delivery (which is free) or order ahead to pick up the food (also free)
On the next screen the website checks to see if orders could be accepted. Alternatively you can set up a pickup for a future date.
Swiss Chalet uses a simple picture based shopping cart. You select the dish you want by clicking on it and it’s added to your cart.
The nice thing about the site is that it allows for a heavy amount of customization. For example, the website makes it easy to choose white meat or dark meat, what kind of sides (fries, or heaven forbid, veggies etc.), kind of bread (white or brown) etc.
Before checking out, the website also makes suggestions on other things to order. In this case, the website suggests to order a side of perogies, salad and a dish of lemon pie or chocolate cake, and a some soda. It’s interesting to note that I have ordered all of these items on previous orders.
The website finishes off with a review of the order, along with an Estimated Time of Arrival for your food.
After ordering from this website at least 15 times in the past few years, I have noticed that the delivery person usually drops the food off 15 minutes before the stated time (usually 45-50 minutes).
When you’re satisfied with the offer (and add the coupon code if you have one), it sends you a confirmation screen and an updated estimated time of arrival.
In my opinion, Swiss Chalet’s ordering website is clear, efficient and effective in getting you to order online. Its suggestions engine alone has expanded the waistlines of many a customer! If all restaurants could follow their example, they will most likely increase their sales and provide a safe, reliable mode of customer service for their clients.
So What’s the 411?
- Swiss Chalet: A well known rotisserie chicken restaurant chain with an excellent ordering engine on their website.
- Website: http://www.swisschalet.ca
- Locations – 5 in the Metro Vancouver area
- Definite must eat: Their red dipping sauce. Try dipping everything in the sauce – Chicken, barbeque ribs, french fries… everything! It comes with every entree.