Only 2.6% of restaurants have mobile-friendly websites
Restaurants are missing out on the opportunity to take advantage of prospective diners looking to book a meal on their mobile phone.
That's the claim from bookings website www.livebookings.co.uk, which said research showed only 2.6% of restaurants have a website optimised to take advantage of mobile, even though 23% of web browsing is now done through mobile phone.
The website said a revolution in smartphone usage had created a new type of diner - the MoDs (Mobile Diners) - that locate, research, book and review restaurants whilst on the move.
Other figures in the research showed that 36% of the UK population now own smartphones and PC searches were decreasing by 15% year on year
Livebookings presented the findings as it launched its new mobile platform, Pocket Diner, in a bid to help restaurateurs maximise all booking channels to drive footfall and profitability.
Andris Berzins, chief marketing officer at Livebookings, said: "Restaurants can't afford to ignore the power of mobile. Consumers today demand instant access to the services they want 24/7. As a result, the restaurant industry, like other service sectors, needs to respond to this changing consumer behaviour by embracing mobile technology to deliver a high-quality user experience."
Restaurant chains Strada, Giraffe, Masala Zone and Café Rouge have all already signed up to Pocket Diner. Stephanie Rice, marketing coordinator at Giraffe, said: "Pocket Diner is ideal for restaurants who understand the value of their online presence and want to optimise it to take advantage of the new generation of mobile web users."
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By Neil Gerrard
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