The online food delivery sector is big business. In 2020, the food delivery market reached a staggering £11.4 billion – growing by £3.7 billion in just five years.
With 2021 at a close, the online food delivery market is showing no signs of slowing down. Indeed, Brits increased their average spend per person from £452 in 2019 to £641 in 2021.
This all means that the UK takeaway and food delivery market is incredibly competitive. So how can you ensure your restaurant franchise stands out from the crowd?
We’ll take a look at three of the most important ways to improve your food delivery service, wow your customers and ultimately grow your business.
Recognising the importance of “on-demand” services
Whilst on-demand services are nothing new, it’s a trend that’s revolutionised the restaurant industry. For the first time, we are witnessing the amalgamation of services. For instance, Uber and Airbnb have taken full advantage of the on-demand travel and transportation opportunities. But of course, “Uber Eats” now manages on-demand food as well as travel!
The central aspect of your online food delivery strategy should focus on making your restaurant’s services available to as many customers, via as many devices and platforms as possible. Mobile traffic generated over 50% of all internet usage in 2021 – so working with key partners to appear on mobile apps and optimise your existing website is important.
On-demand relies on services being easy and intuitive. With so much competition, consumers won’t persevere if your website or menu aren’t immediately comprehensible.
So do some market testing and make sure ease-of-use is at the forefront of your food delivery activities.
Getting technical…
In the world of online food delivery platforms and on-demand services – it’s all about data and analytics. To improve your food delivery service, first identify the problems.
So what is it that you want to improve? Data will help you analyse the issues facing your ghost kitchen brand – whether that’s preparation time, order management, customer reviews or delivery speed.
There are many tech solutions for amalgamating your orders (such as Deliverect) – which further allow for in-depth data and analytics. Use this to track when people order (perhaps streamlining your staffing around these busy times), what they’re ordering (shaping your menu) and what locations customers are ordering from. Are there any areas you could build with targeted advertising or unique promotions?
Presentation and packaging
It’s all well and good having the most streamlined website experience, with plenty of payment options and stylish photography – but if your food and packaging aren’t up to scratch, customers won’t be happy!
Small details can really make a difference. Consider using high-quality sustainable packaging (to keep food fresh and warm) with personalised details such as thank you notes, branded napkins or even discount code stickers.
Food delivery optimization is vitally important, as not all menu items travel well. If a dish looks fantastic when it leaves the kitchen but arrives cold and misshapen – development is required. To test your systems, why not “road-test” your menu by ordering items to your own home!?
For more inspiration on improving your food delivery service, take a look at the Peckwater Brands blog. From connecting with your online customers to getting your kitchen delivery-menu ready and fantastic photography for ghost kitchen brands, there’s everything you need for running an amazing restaurant franchise.
Topics from this blog: Delivery Operations
