The demand for food delivery hasn’t waned and in fact, our fast-paced economy has seen increases in the demand for take-out and delivery dining.
Delivery options are no longer limited to Chinese food and pizza. Present-day fast-casual restaurants, casual dining restaurants, and even fine dining establishments are all tapping into the possibilities and benefits of take-out and delivery services.
For restaurants and businesses alike, having a food delivery service is reported to be a great way to increase revenues, sales, and profit margins at your restaurant. Thanks to technology, digital ordering has completely changed the way traditional restaurants function.
The idea that with a few taps, you can get any food at your doorstep within minutes is one that isn’t only comforting but equally functional. For restaurants, there’s no better time to join the food delivery system, as the benefits become increasingly impossible to ignore.
Various statistics show that take-out can increase your business without significantly raising operation costs or forcing you to expand your facility.
However, there are a few things to consider before jumping into food delivery services alongside your restaurant business, and they are highlighted below in this article.
Delivery Charges
Determine if you will instill a minimum order charge for deliveries. Some restaurants require a minimum order of $10 or more for delivery.
Decide if you will offer free delivery. Many restaurants offer free delivery as a means of promoting their services. Decide if this is something you can afford across the board, or if you will charge a delivery fee beyond a certain mile radius.
Hire and train delivery drivers. As ambassadors for your restaurant, your delivery team is more than just a set of hired drivers. Your staff must be thoroughly trained, personable, honest, and embody the quality of service your restaurant provides for all of its customers.
Decide how you will market your delivery services to the surrounding areas. It might benefit you to promote these services for banquet events or business luncheons. Your delivery services will be much more profitable when you know how to properly market and promote them.
Technology and Food Delivery
Incorporate technology with your delivery services. With the increase in mobile ordering, more restaurants have moved beyond simple telephone orders. Papa John’s Pizza, for instance, now accepts SMS or text message orders from customers’ cell phones or devices. Advances in food ordering technology such as online ordering and more can provide greater convenience and speed for hungry customers.
Online ordering has quickly become the most preferred medium for ordering food; it’s only right that you join in.
To begin, you could set up a delivery website, or social media account where orders can be taken and effectively communicated to the staff in the restaurant. Make sure that your website is SEO optimized with simple instructions on how to successfully order food from your restaurant.
The other option involves employing the services of a good food delivery company that provides a great deal of flexibility in their services delivery. Flexibility is essential to choosing a food delivery company as it all you to serve your customers based on your preference and class of service.
Regardless of the option you choose, you still need to have a presence online, which can be achieved through a website, a mobile app and/or social media accounts.
With Online Ordering service, it is essential to choose a POS that can effectively collate the orders placed through your various online ordering services. This integrated payment system will automatically calculate all orders daily, saving you the hassle of manually computation and analysis.
It’s no secret that efficient use of technology can drastically improve your restaurant business for both you and the customer.
Have A Fantastic Online Menu
Part of the pros of integrating online ordering into your restaurant business is that you need to have a dedicated online menu. It can be tempting to want to keep this menu simple and easy to turnover, but the truth remains that if your customers wanted something regular, they probably wouldn’t have chosen you.
Spice up your online menu with various delicacies and cousins. Ensure that this online menu is crisp, appealing, unique to your brand, and worth your customers’ time. This menu can go on your website, social media accounts, or on the account and website of a delivery company you choose to work with.
Outsource Your Deliveries
Outsourcing Delivery Services If you’re a take-out or delivery customer, websites like Seamless and Grubhub are a marvel. Type and click your order, and you’re done. But if you’re a restaurant, outsourcing delivery services to these websites can be costly. The more business brought in, the more commission fees can skyrocket, and often there are additional charges such as monthly marketing fees.
On the other hand, outsourcing delivery can be extremely profitable for several reasons. Streamlined delivery services that represent, market, and place orders for a variety of eateries may be cost-effective for you since the actual delivery is provided for. Therefore, your staff may be retained for in-house labor rather than delivery work.
Delivery services often cover a greater area and distance, making it convenient for customers to order from you. While each company will have its fees, outsourcing generally means you do not need to purchase any delivery vehicles. The delivery service will also manage a delivery phone line or online service for you, removing the hassle of interrupting normal service to take an order.
When time is money, this may be the best option for fast-casual operations looking to reach a high-volume of customers.
Insurance
No matter how responsible your staff is, accidents will happen. It pays to be as prepared as possible. Although all restaurants ought to have liability insurance and workers’ compensation, establishments that run vehicle delivery services—no matter if they are company-owned or worker-owned—must invest in automobile insurance.
If you have not yet done so, before considering a delivery service, be sure to speak with an insurance expert or attorney to discuss how much and what kind of insurance you can afford to protect your restaurant against lawsuits or damages.
Do not run the risk of facing a lawsuit or other damages if one of your drivers gets into an accident. Insurance affords your workers, the public, and your business the protection and peace of mind you need for a successful business.
Providing Great Service
Excellent service delivery, coupled with remarkable customer experiences, shouldn’t be limited to physical customers at your restaurant only. Your delivery service is an extension of your brand, and it should portray it effectively.
Ensure that you employ the most capable hands who are dedicated to the values you embrace as a company and are willing to uphold those values anywhere they go.
However, while it’s essential to have the best hands-on deck, your product delivery has to be stellar too. Always make sure that food delivered is hot- hot food portrays freshness, and freshness builds trust while leaving a positive impact on your customers. You want to keep them ordering from you, so ensure that each experience is better than they’ve had.
All these details are to be considered when using a delivery company as well. Make sure you have terms of agreement with the delivery company and always follow up to certify that they keep to their end of the bargain.
With all the above on check and in place, your delivery service is sure to kick off on a good note. From then on, it’s up to you to ensure that your service delivery doesn’t damper or wane.