Ordering food online has slowly become an integral part of our daily lives. The quantity of restaurant food orders has tripled over the past five years! So that means an individual is now ordering five times more than previously. No doubt why our bank balances are so low by the month’s end! It is debatable whether to blame ourselves or the tempting food photos of Paav bhajis, Dosas & Biryanis on Swiggy & Zomato. After all, these two food delivery apps have become synonymous with online food ordering in India.
The competition on these platforms has increased tremendously over the past years. When people plan to order from these food delivery apps, not only do they have plenty of options to choose from they actively provide unique discounts & offers. While we foodies benefit from these discounts, the competition gets tougher for the restaurants.
The Indian restaurant industry is one of the most concentrated & competitive industries in India. So what can a restaurant do differently to be noticed on these food delivery apps? One thing that makes a restaurant stand apart is the food images they upload with the online delivery menu.
Importance of Food Pictures for Food Delivery Apps
Food pictures work exceptionally well with online ordering. They tempt people and make them hungry. These pictures are a great way to up your restaurant marketing game. And when it comes to food delivery apps, an appealing food picture speaks more than your menu description. People are likely to order from your restaurant if they like the pictures.
In fact, many studies suggest that restaurants have seen a 25% increase in conversion rates when they switched from text-based menus to image-based menus.
5 Tips to Click the Perfect Food Pictures for Zomato & Swiggy
So, some attractive food pictures in your food delivery apps menu can make customers drool and increase your sales. Seems like a great deal. Here are some tips to click those drool-worthy pictures.
1. Food Presentation
Get creative with dishes and tablewares to present your food items in the best way possible. A Dal Khichdi plate may not look appealing in a picture, but you can try a few simple tricks to turn it around, keep it in a ceramic bowl and garnish it with coriander and red chilli. Alfredo pasta won’t come out well in a white dish, but a black or deep blue plate can make all the difference. Arrange your cutlery and condiments artfully and garnish your food beautifully. Search the internet for more such ideas.
2. Framing
If you know anything about photography, you know how much framing matters. Leave some negative space, rather than letting your food plate take the entire space. While adding fun and quirky accessories like glasses, books, and mugs makes food pictures more attractive for social media, they may not be the best way to get your perfect frame for food delivery apps. In the case of these platforms, the pictures are presented complimenting the menu in small sizes, so some negative blank space with proper cutlery placing and the right lighting is enough to do magic.
3. Lighting
Lighting in good pictures is like sugar in sweets. You present the food well, and frame it properly but ignore the lighting, and the photo is ruined. Many people prefer natural lighting to get an honest and fresh image. However, you can try out soft grunge-style light fixtures and table lamps. More considerable contrast between light and dark will make the picture more dramatic. But stay away from overexposing shadows.
Experiment with different lighting techniques and angles to create the perfect food image for your food delivery apps.
Always remember to avoid flash photography altogether!
4. Editing
The importance of slightly tweaking your picture in today’s world to make them more glamorous goes without saying. Edit your pictures to balance the colour, sharpen the image and make the picture, and use saturation to make them warm and delicious. However, don’t make significant changes to the original photo and always avoid applying any unnecessary filters, stickers, or photoshop techniques. Overdoing it can make the food look fake.
5. Branding
The pictures you post on the food delivery apps offer an excellent opportunity to market your brand quietly. Your presentation, framing, and colours all glimpse your restaurant’s personality. Think about how you can subtly add your brand image to the food picture and choose the suitable dishes, garnishes, cutlery, and lighting accordingly.
Remember to keep experimenting with your approach, as no one wants to see photos from the same angle and lighting repeatedly. Well-shot professional pictures can make all the difference in your performance on online food delivery apps and boost your sales.
We hope this blog helps you post better pictures. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter for regular restaurant-related updates.
