Today’s consumer expectations have changed, and nowadays, they want more convenience from restaurants than ever before. Ordering food delivery through third-party apps like GrubHub or UberEats has become immensely popular, causing restaurants to scramble as they begin to adapt to these new consumer demands.
Many restaurant operators are wondering if they should jump on the third-party delivery train. Here are a few things to consider:
As so many trends these days seem to go as quickly as they came, some restaurant operators still aren’t adopting third-party delivery because they believe it’s another fad that will quickly die out. But according to a consumer trend report, digital ordering has grown rapidly in the last five years. In fact, digital ordering represents 53% of all delivery orders, up from 33% in 2013. That dramatic growth makes it clear that delivery won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.
Delivery can help you collect data
Restaurants have always tried to collect data from customers through in-store surveys or email campaigns, but third-party delivery is offering a whole new way for restaurants to gather data. Huge brands like Starbucks, Panera Bread, and Domino’s are all using their digital orders and deliveries to collect customer data that can help them create better online offers and better satisfy their customers.
One thing restaurant operators need to be aware of is that if something goes wrong with a third-party delivery order (if the driver is late or the food is cold) then customers typically blame the restaurant. Service Management Group found that 44% of consumers who encountered a problem with a delivery service ultimately blamed the restaurant. That’s why operators should do their homework before signing up for a delivery service. Figure out whether it’s right for your business and which of the many services you want to make your partner. And finally, operators should decide if they have the systems to support the increased complexities that third-party delivery brings into their business.
It may seem daunting to some restaurants, but thankfully, capitalizing on the third-party delivery trend isn’t so overwhelming when you have an intelligent forecasting system helping you every step of the way!
With advanced forecasts, restaurants can gain visibility into labor drivers by category, plus start sales forecasting by revenue centers to ensure that their locations are properly staffed to leverage a third-party delivery service effectively. This will allow managers to optimize labor costs and increase sales.
