Special interview
Written by: Kwong Yueting
2020-10-12 07:00
Last update date: 2020-10-12 07:00
Many people use OpenRice, a food review website, to find restaurants and make reservations.
But in fact, OpenRice, which has been established for more than 20 years, is by no means just a convenience for everyone to "snap food". It also offers services such as self-collection for takeaways, catering coupons, and restaurant management systems.
Despite the epidemic, the business of reservation services has fallen, but the number of new restaurants and orders for takeaways have recorded at least double-digit growth every month, helping OpenRice survive the "epidemic market."
The company’s managing director Huang Fengming said in an exclusive interview with "Hong Kong 01" that the epidemic has greatly increased the acceptance of technology by restaurants and consumers, and has accelerated the pace of technological transformation in the catering industry. He also pointed out that OpenRice, as a food technology company, will respond to market needs. Change, turn around flexibly.
To plan to launch fixed-point delivery services, dine-in to table ordering and payment, overseas restaurant reservation services, etc., to continuously improve products and customer experience.
The food review website OpenRice was established in 1999. The website started in Hong Kong and currently has 6 million monthly active users.
(Respondents provide pictures)
The catering industry is one of the hardest-hit areas affected by the epidemic, and Hong Kong people’s "food platform" OpenRice knows best.
Huang Fengming said that the raging epidemic and the Hong Kong government’s ban on dining have led people to reduce eating out. The business of restaurants in downtown and busy areas and working areas has been greatly reduced, including buffet restaurants, hot pot restaurants, bars and large Chinese wines. The impact of the building is more obvious, because these restaurants focus on gatherings for many people, the store area is larger, and the rent is relatively high.
Gathering restrictions have caused the restaurant's occupancy rate to plummet, making it difficult to "cover".
Therefore, OpenRice waived the restaurant's use of the self-pickup service from February to June this year, and only resumed in July.
"Seeing that the restaurant was running very hard during the period, so I wanted to waive the takeaway fee, hoping to attract the restaurant to switch to the takeaway business. We also used email, push notifications, social media and other channels to help him do it. It’s free to advertise and offers users discount codes or discounts.”
Huang Fengming pointed out that during the epidemic, buffets, hot pots, bars and large Chinese restaurants were the "severely hit areas" in the catering industry.
(Data Picture / Photo by Yu Junliang)
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Consumers want to eat well and demand more for takeaways
Taking a multi-pronged approach, during the period, the number of OpenRice self-pickup restaurants and the number of orders will increase at least by double digits each month. Huang Fengming believes that the epidemic has caused citizens to switch to cashless transactions and ordering food, and some restaurants are turning to takeaway business. It can be "not hurt", and even takeaway shops expand against the market.
"Previously, you don’t know how to take out food. It’s easy and quick to make a good meal. Yijia takeout has become a part of your life. Everyone wants to eat well. There are even kaiseki dishes, expensive Japanese restaurants, hot pots, and expensive Chinese restaurants. All food restaurants do takeaway!" She estimated that the local takeaway market still has great potential for development in the future, so OpenRice will launch a fixed-point delivery service and plan to "share a slice" of it.
OpenRice's designated delivery service will focus on office areas. The company will cooperate with commercial building developers in these areas to deliver food to office workers, and initially will provide different discounts to attract customers.
However, there are already many "giants" in the food delivery market. Why are they entering the food delivery business now?
Huang Fengming said frankly that the company will compete vigorously with other food delivery platforms to expand the food delivery market.
In order to maintain the quality of service, the company will maintain close contact with the delivery company and closely monitor the user experience. If complaints are received, they will follow up quickly.
OpenRice launched the "Online Reservation Thank You Festival" from late September to November 15th. Users can snap up 50 restaurants for 20 yuan, including chicken stew, oysters and seafood.
(Respondents provide pictures)
Plow the Hong Kong market and refer to the successful examples of Meituan and other industries
New economy stock Meituan (3690) has recently become the focus of the market. OpenRice's development direction is similar to Meituan. When asked whether the company is targeting Meituan, Huang Fengming said that Hong Kong, China and overseas countries have had success in the food review and takeaway industries. For example, all are the company's reference objects. At present, OpenRice has 6 million monthly active users, mainly Hong Kong users, and only a few overseas users.
The company will understand the user's habits, and then continue to improve the user experience and products, and increase the restaurant's exposure and business.
"We used to think that I would dabble in different places. Instead, Yijia wanted to deepen the local market in Hong Kong. From picking restaurants, ordering food, paying money after eating, and writing reviews, I hope to improve the entire dining experience of the public!" When Hong Kong people travel to Japan, if they want to dine in well-known restaurants, they usually have to book a few months in advance. Therefore, OpenRice is planning to launch an overseas restaurant reservation service. The company will cooperate with Japanese partners. Details will be announced later.
In previous years, the peak season for the catering industry was usually Valentine's Day, Christmas Day, Mother’s Day, and summer vacation. Huang Fengming believed that if the epidemic began to ease and the Hong Kong government lifted the ban on food, the public would resume eating out and the catering industry would recover. She expects that the epidemic will not completely disappear in the short term. Therefore, the public should still take preventive measures and be as careful as possible. After eating, they wear masks before chatting with others and doing their part. "As long as we work together, we are confident that Hong Kong can survive. This time it’s difficult!"
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OpenRice Catering Industry