Wow Your Guests with Your Restaurant Food Delivery System

Restaurants have seen a rise in demand for takeout and delivery options. Fulfilling these orders is difficult on their food delivery system, leading to a rise in use of 3rd party applications which increase business but take high commissions.  Follow these steps to get the most from your food delivery system.

Tip #1-Make It Mobile

In the USA alone, CNBC reports 43% of all delivery orders are online orders. The delivery segment is expected to grow 12% annually over the next five years, growing to $76 billion industry by 2022.  A growing segment of those orders is conducted on mobile devices and few restaurants have updated their websites to reflect this.

Restaurant’s websites need to be mobile-friendly, especially when interacting with the menu. A PDF download creates a frustrating user experience where the text is difficult to read or the download is hard to access. Switching to an interactive menu with direct ordering will streamline the process for users and cut down on frustration. Discover how easy it is to integrate your customer data and kitchen operations.

The site itself also needs to be easy to navigate and read, such as:

• Pictures that resize according to screen size
• Easy-to-read font
• Simple menu options for navigation

Tip #2-Save On Commissions

The rise of the online food ordering aggregator platforms like UberEats, GrubHub, Eat24, Just Eat and Hungry House shows the public’s increased interest in delivery. However, these 3rd party companies, while great for raising awareness, can cause massive labor needs while still costing your business in high commissions.

Promote your own food delivery system in the restaurant and on your website. You don’t need to avoid these applications, especially when you’re first starting to offer a delivery option. Instead, raise awareness on these apps and offer incentives to join loyalty programs or to book through your own offerings.

Tip #3-Build Loyalty with Unique Offers

Create a discount or offer once-and immediately apply it to online orders. No need to keep track of different codes or input twice as many offers into your ordering system.

You can also use your restaurant delivery software to build your loyalty program. Integrate your customer order history and create unique offers relevant to their likes.  Fortune Magazine reported Starbucks built their program to 13 million coffee lovers with their app. A highlight of the app is mobile ordering, where people can “stand in line” on their way in and have their coffee ready when they arrive.

Tip #4-Speedy Delivery Times

Many factors impact delivery time-weather, traffic, availability of staff, etc. When you use a 3rd party delivery option like GrubHub, you can’t track those drivers. Give accurate and quick delivery estimates based on where your driver is located at the time of a call with your own system.

No one wants to wait longer than they have to for their dinner. Almost 60 percent of consumers consider speed of delivery a key factor in satisfaction. Give your driver’s the option to take over the route for the fastest delivery with their own app.

Another concern for restaurants is providing the experience a customer would have in your location, at their own home. If the customer has to reheat a bowl of soup in subzero temperatures or has a melted ice cream pint on a hot summer’s day, it creates a negative experience. It won’t necessarily harm their loyalty to a delivery service, but it will have a negative impact on their perception of your food. Quick delivery will be key to avoiding these circumstances.

Tip #5-Cut Out the Middle Man

When using 3rd party applications, things slow down. A direct integration of your online ordering tool with your food delivery system and your kitchen guarantees the shortest time between ordering and arrival. There’s also less opportunities for data to be lost or errors to occur.

Now, you have the option of creating your own app instead of outsourcing your orders. No coding knowledge needed. You can use a white-label option and have a connected app in no time.

And how are the biggest players on the market keeping up with the digital demand?

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The key to feeding these on-the-go customers is a great restaurant delivery management system and a solid strategy.

Discover how you can make the most of your food delivery software to increase your sales in a one-on-one webinar.

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