online ordering/delivery

1-13-04, 01:11 PM

I was wondering if anyone knew how sites like dominos.com processed online orders. Do they have a server that telephones the store with an automatic message? Thank you for your time.

Michael

1-13-04, 01:21 PM

If faxing orders to the restaurant is the way its done, is there a way with powweb and php to fax?

**BerksWebGuy** · 1-13-04, 01:21 PM

I'm sure its like an email or a fax...or most likely its integrated into their little fulfillment system. It basically acts like its a register...and everything else is normal.

Of course...I don't know exactly how they do it...maybe someone here worked there

**BerksWebGuy** · 1-13-04, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mhellman
If faxing orders to the restaurant is the way its done, is there a way with powweb and php to fax?

Don't think so...never heard of it...you would need somekind of middleman to actually fax it (since modem or VoIP is required).

I really think its done by just treating it like another register...once it knows what location to send it to.

Pig · 1-13-04, 02:24 PM

I have heard of this being done as:
form > PHP > email > fax
There is some kind of software that will convert an email into a fax, but I don't know what it is.

user00265 · 1-13-04, 03:35 PM

http://www.callcustomer.com/

That seems to be something usefull for what you are discussing here.

-Samuel

1-13-04, 07:32 PM

callcustomer.com is an automated bulk dialer. It only allows one generic message to be used for all of your calls. This would not work for an online delivery system because the restaurant needs to know the customers order.

bdoc · 1-13-04, 09:48 PM

You would think that those types of systems use something fairly generic - essentially all of the major pizza places employ something of this sort....

Jeff321 · 1-13-04, 10:28 PM

They probably use something like these:
http://www.faxaway.com/about.shtml
http://www.ourfax.com/howto/

**snowmaker** · 1-13-04, 10:45 PM

the domino's in my area doesn't have online ordering, but there is a papa john's that does. they have a facility in kentucky that processes the online order, then forwards it to the store. whether by fax, phone, email or carrier pigeon, i don't know.

http://www.software602.com/

this company has an email to fax server. the five user version is free. i have this software running on a windows xp box. i used to run the server pretty unsuccessfully on a win98 box too, but i think that had to do with the config of that pc, not the server. there are similar servers for *nix os's also.

-b

there is also services online that process orders. one such is http://www.ezwaiter.com/

another edit: http://efax.com is another email to fax service, not related to any online restaurant ordering.

**BerksWebGuy** · 1-14-04, 08:46 AM

I don't see how any national (or even small) business could use fax as their primary means of sending orders. Anyone who uses faxes knows they get lost easily (out of paper, not enough toner, broken connections). Its just one of the most un-reliable means out there.

I work for a medium size business on the east coast. When an online order comes through, each store has a seperate computer just for online orders. They physically go get that order, ring it through a special register next to that computer (to tell inventory and managers it was an online purchase), then ship it.

It basically hits a SQL database and it saves each status along the way (ordered, picked, waiting for shipping, shipped).

1-13-04, 01:11 PM	#1
mhellman Guest Posts: n/a	online ordering/delivery I was wondering if anyone knew how sites like dominos.com processed online orders. Do they have a server that telephones the store with an automatic message? Thank you for your time. Michael

1-13-04, 01:21 PM	#2
mhellman Guest Posts: n/a	faxing If faxing orders to the restaurant is the way its done, is there a way with powweb and php to fax?

1-13-04, 01:21 PM	#3
BerksWebGuy Mod Squad Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 6,972 Reputation: 243	I'm sure its like an email or a fax...or most likely its integrated into their little fulfillment system. It basically acts like its a register...and everything else is normal. Of course...I don't know exactly how they do it...maybe someone here worked there __________________ www.GoLightMedia.com

1-13-04, 02:24 PM	#5
Pig foo Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Seattle-ish Posts: 2,597 Reputation: 106	I have heard of this being done as: form > PHP > email > fax There is some kind of software that will convert an email into a fax, but I don't know what it is. __________________ webhead.cc

1-13-04, 03:35 PM	#6
user00265 Most Wanted Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hatillo, PR Posts: 899 Reputation: 24	http://www.callcustomer.com/ That seems to be something usefull for what you are discussing here. -Samuel __________________ "poke mjp and tbonekkt every chance you get" --(jj)

1-13-04, 07:32 PM	#7
mhellman Guest Posts: n/a	re: callcustomer.com callcustomer.com is an automated bulk dialer. It only allows one generic message to be used for all of your calls. This would not work for an online delivery system because the restaurant needs to know the customers order.

1-13-04, 09:48 PM	#8
bdoc Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Perhaps Posts: 1,222 Reputation: 5	You would think that those types of systems use something fairly generic - essentially all of the major pizza places employ something of this sort.... __________________ <?php echo "this is PHP in a signature"; ?>

1-13-04, 10:28 PM	#9
Jeff321 Customer Since 2001 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: IL, USA Posts: 1,880 Reputation: 14	They probably use something like these: http://www.faxaway.com/about.shtml http://www.ourfax.com/howto/ __________________ -- Jeff There's no place like 127.0.0.1.

1-13-04, 10:45 PM	#10
snowmaker   Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Solomons Island Posts: 3,119 Reputation: 318	the domino's in my area doesn't have online ordering, but there is a papa john's that does. they have a facility in kentucky that processes the online order, then forwards it to the store. whether by fax, phone, email or carrier pigeon, i don't know. http://www.software602.com/ this company has an email to fax server. the five user version is free. i have this software running on a windows xp box. i used to run the server pretty unsuccessfully on a win98 box too, but i think that had to do with the config of that pc, not the server. there are similar servers for nix os's also. -b there is also services online that process orders. one such is http://www.ezwaiter.com/ another edit: http://efax.com is another email to fax service, not related to any online restaurant ordering. Last edited by snowmaker; 1-13-04 at 10:51 PM..*

1-14-04, 08:46 AM	#11
BerksWebGuy Mod Squad Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 6,972 Reputation: 243	I don't see how any national (or even small) business could use fax as their primary means of sending orders. Anyone who uses faxes knows they get lost easily (out of paper, not enough toner, broken connections). Its just one of the most un-reliable means out there. I work for a medium size business on the east coast. When an online order comes through, each store has a seperate computer just for online orders. They physically go get that order, ring it through a special register next to that computer (to tell inventory and managers it was an online purchase), then ship it. It basically hits a SQL database and it saves each status along the way (ordered, picked, waiting for shipping, shipped). __________________ www.GoLightMedia.com