Group Ordering
Group ordering is an easy way for a group to order food together, where every participant can choose their own food, from their own desk/PC or mobile phone. It allows everyone in the group order to choose, customize, and if required, pay for their portion of the order while sitting at their desk or on their mobile phone!
When you start a group order, everyone you invite is sent an e-mail with a link to join the order directly, you will be given a link to provide to those you wish to invite. In this manner, Group ordering allows for flexible order scheduling, separate or combined billing, and even order tracking.
It can be broken down into three easy phases:
Phase 1: Start your order
Phase 2: Place your order
Phase 3: Track everyone else’s order(s)
...and receive your food!
Group Ordering Flow
Read below for a step-by-step walkthrough of the group ordering process.
Phase 1: Start your order
To begin a Group Order:
Step 1: Go to yoursite.com
Step 2: Select 'Start Group Order'.
Note: If you are already a registered user of the site, you can log in prior to starting the order (Users are required to sign-in, or create an account before starting a Group Order).
Step 3: Select the service type for your order - I.E. “Pick-Up” or “Delivery”
Note: If you select “Delivery” you will be prompted to enter your address after selecting your Order Type.
Step 4: Search for the store by city/state, or zip code.
Step 5: Select 'Start Order' for the returned location.
Step 6: Choose your Group Order's ready date/time.
Note: You can select the order be ready as soon as possible, but depending on how large the order is, upon check out the system may prompt you to approve a later ready time based on how long it will take the location to have the order prepared (Prep Time).
Step 7: Choose "Who is paying?" - Will you cover the cost for the invitee orders, or will everyone have to pay.
Guests will pay view…
I will pay view…
Note: If you selected to pay for the order, you can specify a spending limit for yourself and invitees by selecting 'Set Custom Spending Limit'.
Step 8: Select the invitation method
Note - You can use both in the Group Order Details screen.
I will share a link with all guests. - You will be provided a URL to send invitees in order to take part in the group order. This sharable URL Will be visible on the Group Order Status Screen once you have approved your credit card information.
I will add guests manually. - This will allow you to type invitees' email addresses. Afterward, an invite link will be sent to them via email.
Step 9: Add emails (If you opted to add guests manually and click the plus sign to confirm the guest in the list.)
Step 10: Once your email list has been added select 'Start Order'. You will now reach the 'Start Group Order' page.
Note: If you opted to have guests pay for their own meals, this page will simply be for reviewing the time/location.
Step 11: Confirm time and location and click Continue to Next Step.
Step 12: Confirm Special Instructions and click Continue to Next Step.
Step 13: The user must fill out all of the necessary fields and agree to the pre-authorization terms.
Note: This is where you will submit a credit card for pre-authorization of the Group Order's spending limit. This card will be pre-authorized (Held) for the Total Spending Limit that was selected on the Group Order Details screen to ensure that funds are available should all invitees choose to participate up to the selected spending limits. Once the Group Order is complete, the pre-authorization will be removed and replaced by the order total.
Step 14: Proceed through the 'Start Group Order' page and submit payment, if needed.
Phase 2: Place your Order and Track everyone else’s order(s)
Once you proceed with the order, you will be brought to a screen where you can manage the entire Group Order. This will also be the page where you can find the link to provide for guests.
Step 1: Upon selecting 'Start Group Order', you will be directed to the "Group Order Status" page (Shown below).
Step 2: From here, you can make revisions to the Group Order's guest list…
email the join link
Add Member - Add guests to the order
Manage Slots - Manage Slot Quantity the number of Guests who can order
Refresh - Refreshes the screen and totals
Change Limit - Changes the spend limit
Resend Email - Resends the email link to users that have been added to the Guest List
Remove From Order - Removes guests from ordering
Step 3: Click 'Build My Plate' and proceed with placing your order.
Step 4: The Guest will proceed to Cart by clicking the Cart Icon.
Step 5: Then click Checkout.
Step 6: From the checkout screen the user can view what they ordered add special instructions, apply a promo code and then click Place Order. Which will redirect you to your receipt. From here
Step 7: After checking out from the Your Receipt screen, you can choose to return to the above "Group Order Status" by clicking the Group Order Status Button. From here you're able to keep track of the invitees' status (Pending/Ordered/Opted-out/etc.)
Note: If a guest did not receive an email to join the group order, tell them first to check their Spam or Junk Mail. If it is not there, click their email under 'Guest' and click Resend Email. A guest can choose not to place an order by opting out from the email. If they have opted out, it will display 'Opted Out' under the 'Status' field next to their email. The originator will also receive an email alert letting them know that opted-out guest does not wish to participate in the order.
Step 8: For an order to be added to the Group Order everyone must Check-Out by the cut-off time. The order will be sent to the store automatically after the cut-off time has been reached.
Phase 3: Receive your Order!
Once everyone has placed their orders, you are done! If the location receives their orders via a computer, they will see a pending group order once you start the order and have completed Phase 1. The order will send to the store once the group order has reached it's cutoff time.
Once the order has been approved an email will be sent to the guest who placed the order.
Group Order Statuses
Click on the Gear icon>Orders Tab>Choose the Location. This will take you to the screen where orders can be approved and reviewed. See below for a list of statuses and their definitions.
Order In-progress
The customer is still in the process of placing their order Confirmed, waiting for finalization/ / The group order’s cut-off time has not been Waiting for finalization Paid, waiting for finalization: reached, the order can still be edited by the originator.
Unacknowledged/Paid, waiting for acknowledgment
The customer has successfully placed their order, and the order waiting to be ‘acknowledged’ by the location.
Acknowledged/Paid, waiting to be filled
The location has ‘Acknowledged’/’Accepted’ the order (the location is now aware of the order).
Held/Held until preparation time
The order is being ‘Held’ until the NovaDine servers inform the location’s agent of when to release the order (preparation time is calculated prior to the ready time).
Complete/Paid and filled
The order has been successfully picked up/delivered to the customer.
Admin Hold
There is an error preventing the order from being handled over the POS. The order is set to a ‘Hold’ status until the error is resolved.
Canceled
The order can be voided/canceled (customer no longer wanted the order)