Restaurateurs are always on the hunt for ways to boost their profit margin– and in today’s landscape, food delivery is a promising option. As a matter of fact, the global online food delivery market, valued at $106.1 billion in 2021, is anticipated to reach $223.7 billion by 2027.
In regard to food delivery service, you’ve got two options: outsource food delivery service or improve your existing service. While the former seems convenient, know that the customers are loyal to the platform, not your restaurant.
But if you improve your food delivery service, you will benefit the most from it. Forty percent of customers prefer to place takeout or delivery orders directly from the restaurant rather than third-party platforms, reveals a recent survey. Why not capitalize on the opportunity, then?
In this article, we will discuss a few ways that will help you improve your food delivery service.
Make it Easy for Customers to Order Food Online
A recent survey reveals that seventy percent of customers prefer to order food online. If you haven’t taken your restaurant online yet, you could lose a lot of potential customers.
In today’s hyper-connected world, building a website has become more important than ever for every business, and restaurants are no exception.
Create a website that is simple, professional, and captivating. With more than 55 percent of traffic coming from mobile devices, optimizing your website for smaller screens is equally important. Even better? Build a food ordering app to simplify the online ordering process.
Categorize menu items in a logical manner and provide clear labels so that users can find whatever they are looking for. Besides, add mouthwatering images for each item on the menu to lure customers to order from you. Research reveals that high-quality food photos on restaurant delivery apps can increase total food orders by over 35 percent.
Also, streamline the online ordering process so that customers can order food easily. Offer customization options such as selecting toppings, adding or subtracting certain ingredients, and choosing portion sizes. That way, customers will be able to tailor orders to their preferences.
Establish an in-House Delivery Fleet
While third-party delivery services are cost-effective, restaurants have no control over the delivery staff’s activities. There have been many instances when delivery executives were accused of delivering food too late or bringing cold food.
Such unpleasant incidents tarnish the restaurant’s reputation even when delivery executives are at fault. Moreover, customers won’t order from your restaurant again if they have had an unpleasant experience.
For this reason, it’s advisable to establish an in-house delivery fleet. One significant benefit of an in-house delivery system is that you enjoy complete control over the delivery process.
Further, you can enhance the efficiency of your delivery operations by using field service management (FSM) software with route tracking and planning features. By adopting software with a route-tracking feature, you can track the progress of your delivery executives’ routes and make adjustments if needed.
Integrating software with a route planning feature will also allow you to generate alternate efficient routes for delivering food during peak hours. That way, your delivery executives won’t have to navigate real-time hurdles like traffic congestion and road closures.
Optimizing delivery routes saves travel time, because of which your customers receive their orders on time.
Many FSM software allows businesses to keep tabs on their team via GPS tracking, so go for them. You will be able to see where your team is in real-time, which will give you peace of mind, writes Workiz.
Overall, this will contribute to better customer service, which will result in increased brand loyalty.
Pay Special Attention to Packaging
Providing top-notch customer experience doesn’t end with serving them delicious food or delivering them on time. It extends beyond that.
Try to deliver food in tamper-evident packaging so your customers know the food hasn’t been reopened after being sealed.
Also, make sure to use containers that preserve the texture and temperature of food during transportation. If that isn’t possible, provide your delivery executives with insulated food bags. That way, hot items will remain hot and cold items cold until they reach customers.
For ice creams and beverages, use dry ice to ensure they stay frozen and fresh throughout the ride. Make extra efforts to ensure the food doesn’t spill. If spillage occurs, the food will look less appealing and appetizing. To be on the safe side, make use of spill-free containers.
Wrapping Up
Improving your food delivery service can have a positive effect on your restaurant’s bottom line. It’s easy to see why: customers will get hot food delivered to their doorstep on time and in perfect quality.
You can enhance your restaurant’s food delivery service by making online food ordering convenient, establishing an in-home delivery fleet, and paying attention to packaging. This will result in happier customers, meaning they will keep ordering from your restaurant.
