10 Ways to Optimize Your Restaurant Delivery

Guest Blog Submitted by Central Restaurant Products

Restaurants are adapting to changes in the industry by expanding their delivery service. While your restaurant should be offering delivery, not all delivery services are created equal. We discuss how to optimize your restaurant takeout and delivery to ensure satisfaction.

 

If you offer delivery in your restaurant, have you taken a look at your delivery times and ratings? These are important factors in evaluating the success of your delivery.

How Can I Optimize My Restaurant’s Delivery Service?

 
  1. Trim your menu – Your restaurant may have an expansive menu for dine-in options, but consider trimming it. A smaller menu for delivery allows your kitchen to quickly make food for orders. Consider only offering items that will travel well and stay fresh to reach your customer.
  2. Invest in delivery bags – Quality insulated delivery bags are essential to keeping food fresh and hot/cold. Bags allow delivery people to comfortably tote around food while delivering on a bike, in the car, or any way else.
  3. Research partners – New to offering delivery? Consider using a third-party delivery service to start out. Research all of the big names in food delivery and see what works best for your establishment. It can be overwhelming to start offering delivery with your own people, and services can provide expertise.
  4. Utilize technology – Make sure to use your website, delivery apps, or ordering apps to offer a seamless ordering and tracking experience. A benefit of utilizing third-party delivery services is their already-developed apps that offer tracking, ordering, and reviews all in one.
  5. Offer leave at door service – During times of uncertainty, offering “leave at the doorstep” service is convenient and offers peace of mind for customers not wanting to accept deliveries face-to-face.
  6.  Get the kitchen ready – Work on preparing kitchen staff to quickly process delivery orders and get them packaged for pickup. Develop a system alongside your POS system that works for your kitchen.
  7. Keep costs low – Costs and fees can rack up when charging customers for delivery. Make conscious decisions when choosing menu items, third-party services, and more. Upcharge for delivery can be up to 30% and that can drive customers away, especially in the beginning.
  8. Split delivery – If you have the capacity, consider implementing your own delivery service alongside a third party. Offer in-house delivery during slower times at first to work out the kinks and use third-party services during busy times. Their expertise can teach you to optimize better for delivery times.
  9. Stock a station – Set up a station for quick packaging of delivery items. Include takeout containers, cups and lids, bags, and anything else you need in your delivery bags.
  10. Advertise – Be sure to tell your customers about offering delivery! Utilize social media to communicate with customers about delivery specials, offers, and how to order online.

Note from New Age Industrial:

The New Age Industrial Order Pick-Up Station is perfect for online and mobile order operations. It provides a point of pick-up for customer take-out, third party delivery services or orders waiting for in-house delivery drivers. The optional label holders encourage effective order organization. As an added benefit, adjustable shelving is showcased in this unit. Also, the mobility of these units offers additional flexibility for use in other areas of the business. The solid aluminum construction is easy to clean or sanitize and comes with a Five-Year Guarantee against material/manufacturing defects as well as a Lifetime Guarantee against rust and corrosion.

New Age Industrial is the leading aluminum extruder and fabricator of foodservice equipment in the United States. We design and manufacture heavy duty, yet lightweight aluminum products to meet your exact needs. We work with various industries including foodservice, supermarket, and material handling. For more information, feel free to visit our website or contact us today, and our team will help find you the perfect product that fits your needs.