In an increasingly on-demand world, customers are turning to food delivery services in order to get their favorite meals brought right to their couch. If your restaurant is getting ready to start a delivery service, the tips below will help you succeed.
Dedicate a Space for Delivery
Believe it or not, delivery doesn’t easily mesh in with current food service processes. It helps to have it in its own space separate from in-house service. That way staff members know where they can find everything for putting delivery packages together. It’s also a spot for orders to be assembled, organized, and double-checked before going out the door.
This space can also be used for pickup orders. That way, customers can come right in and pick up their food quickly. It’s beneficial for delivery drivers too. They need to be able to get food out of your restaurant and into the customer's hands quickly, so placing a designated pickup area near a convenient door can help speed up this process.
Update Your Technology
If you don’t have an online ordering platform for your restaurant, now is the time to set one up. This spot will make it easy for your customers to view your menu, place their orders, and pay. Using an online platform can help cut down on the time spent taking orders by phone, which will allow your staff to focus on preparing and packing the food.
However, if you choose to take orders both by phone and online platform, make sure you have an online ordering system that is integrated with your point of sale. You want everything to sync in real-time and get updated in a timely manner to avoid overwhelming your team and ensure orders don’t fall through the cracks.
Have Designated Team Members Responsible For Takeout Delivery
Although your current staff might be able to juggle a lot of things at once, delivery service is another matter. There are takeout boxes to prep, phones to answer, and orders to double-check. Having a dedicated staff member for delivery will make sure that orders are properly arranged and ready to go.
You might also decide to use delivery drivers, so they need to be hired and trained. Using your own drivers ensures that they know where to pick up their orders and who to communicate with if there are delays. They’ll also be familiar with your restaurant so they can answer customer questions too.
Avoid Using Third-Party Vendors
Although third-party vendors eliminate many of the steps mentioned in this article, they are not always the best option. One of the big drawbacks is that consumers will think of the third-party vendor before your business, which will lead to the lack of brand loyalty and visibility. That’s hardly ideal when you’re trying to establish your restaurant in the market.
Another negative aspect of using outside vendors is that it removes part of your control of the consumer’s dining experience. Even though your restaurant has control over preparation and packaging, once it’s handed over to the delivery driver, it is out of your hands. If you have your own delivery team, your business will be responsible for interacting with customers at all times, which can be both challenging and rewarding.
Third-party delivery vendors are known for treating their contractors poorly. For instance, DoorDash has faced backlash from its workforce regarding pay rates, which led to negative press. Apart from raising ethical concerns, you can’t expect those contractors to be reliable. If you have your own team, you know they can be depended upon.
Make the Right Investments
Aside from setting up a delivery process within your restaurant, you also need to consider the little things that go into making it a success. One marketing opportunity that is often overlooked is food packaging. Even though food containers are meant to seal in food freshness, the exterior is a great spot for placing your logo, contact details, and promotional offers.
In order to keep delivery and service times quick, consider a limited delivery menu. This can streamline the cooking process for delivery orders and make your chefs’ lives easier. If it helps you avoid giving your customers soggy food, offering limited options is a small price to pay.
Adding a delivery service to your restaurant is great for expanding your customer base. As more people turn to home delivery, your restaurant will be able to keep pace by executing the steps above.
Posted on Mon, Jun 28, 2021 @ 08:06 AM.
Updated on July 5, 2021 @ 4:28 PM PST.