Native restaurant delivery is starting to catch up to the popularity of third-party apps, according to a recent study by SMG. During the last three months, 23 percent of U.S. consumers said they ordered food directly from restaurants using their own delivery platforms compared to 24 percent that ordered food through a third-party app. One reason those numbers are so equally balanced is that customers are realizing the benefits of ordering direct can outweigh the convenience of third-party apps.
Consumers were not only more satisfied when ordering natively, they were more likely to order from that restaurant again. As restaurant owners know, owning your delivery isn’t without its difficulties, but when you have the right equipment, it makes it much easier to be successful. Utilize these Cambro products to provide quality, consistent service that will make your customers continue to be loyal to your delivery.
According to SMG’s study, customers blame third-party apps for slow delivery and cold food, and these two issues have the biggest negative impact on reorders. Capture your customers by providing hot, fresh food on time. You have two major factors on your side compared with using drivers hired by third-party apps. First, you can equip your drivers with high-quality and temperature retentive Delivery GoBags. These heavy duty bags will hold up to consistent use while keeping food at safe and enjoyable temperatures until it’s delivered to your customer’s door. You’ve likely seen the type of delivery bags that third-party app drivers carry around—if they’re using a bag at all—they are flimsy and don’t bring much to the table.
In addition to how the food is transported, native delivery gives you more control of the timing. When an order is ready, your driver immediately packs it and is out the door. Third-party app drivers are working with other restaurants and don’t necessarily have the timing of your delivery as their highest priority.
While customers reported more missing items when ordering from third-party apps, they were 1.6 times more likely to blame the restaurants when it happens. Order accuracy is huge for customers and while it might seem unfair, they’re blaming you for the error no matter how they get their food. Restaurants have an opportunity to take control of their delivery packaging processes to ensure order accuracy and provide the highest possible customer service.
In addition to checking orders thoroughly, using a StaySafe Tamper Evident Label on your food containers give customers a peace of mind to know no one has touched their order since it was packaged. If third-party app drivers are pilfering your containers, this will stop them dead in their tracks. Make it a habit for employees to check orders against their receipts before putting a StaySafe Tamper Evident Label on as the finishing touch.
Both restaurants and customers rejoiced when numerous states agreed to continue allowing to-go beverages. Restaurants get to increase their revenue and customers get to enjoy their favorite margarita at home. Now, the challenging part is delivering that margarita in the same condition that customers receive it at the restaurant. To remedy this problem, we created the Cam GoBox Beverage Holder. Constructed with the same durable expanded polypropylene insulation as our extremely popular GoBox line, Cam GoBox Beverage Holders provide the option to hold cold or hot beverages in increments of three. The results of SMG’s latest delivery study reveal great news for restaurants.
While restaurants were already hesitant to pay third-party apps a high percentage of their profits, this study shows that it’s not really worth it to do so. If you’ve been using third-party apps to reach a wider audience, taking control of your delivery can actually make your customers more satisfied and retain their loyalty. Use this newfound knowledge and your Cambro products to understand and better your customers’ delivery experience. Contact your local Cambro sales rep today to get started.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ADRIANA DESIDERIO IS THE DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER AT CAMBRO.
Categories: Delivery, Food Safety