Domino's has invested $1 billion in their online platform. Sweetgreen has a team of 50 engineers working on their website.
You have... a Facebook page that maybe gets updated once a week?
I'm Joe Scott, founder of Outbites. I've watched hundreds of local restaurants get absolutely crushed online by big chains. Not because their food is worse. Not because they don't care.
But because the fate of every business is being determined by its online presence, and most local restaurants are losing that battle.
Here's the brutal truth: When someone searches "best tacos near me" or "food truck Austin," Domino's shows up on page 1. You show up on page 3 (if you show up at all).
And by the time customers scroll past the big chains, they've already made their decision.
The Online Gap Is Getting Wider
73%
Of consumers make dining decisions online first
$1B
Domino's invested in online tech
Page 3+
Where most local restaurants rank
The 4 Ways Big Chains Are Crushing You Online
Let me break down exactly how big chains are winning the online battle, and why you're falling behind:
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1. High-Conversion Websites
Big chains have websites that actually convert visitors into customers. Mobile-optimized. Fast loading. Easy ordering.
You have a Facebook page or a basic Wix site that looks like it was built in 2015.
The Impact: Big chains convert 8-12% of website visitors.
Local restaurants convert 1-3%. That's a 4x difference.
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2. SEO Domination
When someone Googles "best pizza near me," Domino's ranks #1. They've invested millions in SEO, local listings, and content.
You're invisible. Or worse, you show up on page 3 where nobody looks.
The Impact: 75% of people never scroll past page 1.
If you're not there, you don't exist.
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3. Marketing Automation
Big chains send automated texts, emails, and push notifications. They have loyalty programs that actually work.
They re-engage customers automatically. You're manually posting to Instagram and hoping.
The Impact: Automated marketing drives 3x more repeat orders.
Big chains have it. You don't.
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4. Customer Data Ownership
Big chains own every customer interaction. They know who orders what, when, and how often.
You're renting customers from DoorDash and have zero way to reach them directly.
The Impact: Customer lifetime value is 5x higher when you own the relationship.
Big chains own it. You rent it.
The Comparison That Will Make You Sick
Let me show you the actual difference between what big chains have and what you have:
But Here's the Good News
You don't need $1 billion to compete. You don't need 50 engineers. You just need the same tools that big chains use,
without the massive price tag.
Here's what you actually need to fight back:
- A high-conversion website that works on mobile (where 90% of orders happen)
- Local SEO that gets you found when people search for your food
- Marketing automation that re-engages customers without manual work
- Customer data ownership so you can build your own customer base
The gap isn't in the quality of your food. It's in the quality of your online presence.
And that's something you can fix. Today.
How to Fight Back (Without Spending Millions)
I built Outbites specifically to solve this problem. We give local restaurants the same tools that big chains have,
without the $125M funding round. Here's what that looks like:
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High-Conversion Website
Get a mobile-first ordering platform that's built to convert. Your brand. Your colors. Your vibe.
No competitors listed next to you.
The Result: Outbites customers see 3-5x higher conversion rates
than basic websites.
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SEO That Works
Your ordering page is built for search engines. Fast loading. Mobile-optimized.
Shareable links that work everywhere. Get found when people search.
The Result: Customers start ranking on page 1
for local searches within 30-60 days.
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Marketing Automation
Free SMS alerts. Email automation. Re-engage past customers automatically.
All included. No $50/month add-ons.
The Result: 3x more repeat orders
from automated marketing.
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Own Your Customers
Every customer interaction. Every phone number. Every order history.
Export it all. Build your own customer base, not DoorDash's.
The Result: 5x higher customer lifetime value
when you own the relationship.
The Bottom Line
Big chains aren't winning because their food is better. They're winning because they've invested billions in online presence,
SEO, and marketing automation. And you haven't.
But here's what most people don't realize: You don't need billions to compete. You just need the right tools.
The same tools that big chains use, without the massive price tag.
The fate of your business is being determined online. Every day you wait, big chains get further ahead.
But every day you take action, you close the gap.
About the Author: Joe Scott is the founder of Outbites. He built Outbites after watching hundreds of local restaurants
get crushed online by big chains. Outbites gives local restaurants the same tools as Domino's, without the $125M price tag.
