Easy entry into the delivery market
If you’re not currently offering delivery, then aggregators can offer you an easy way into the food delivery market by shouldering all the cost and logistical challenges associated with hiring delivery drivers, building online ordering platforms and managing payments.
Increased visibility for your restaurant business
Delivery apps are already investing huge amounts into their own marketing activities, as they compete with one another to attract consumers. They have big customer bases with lots of traffic visiting their websites – meaning a lot of potential new customers for your restaurant. Piggybacking on their customer base is likely to be far more cost-effective than trying to reach new customers on your own.
Drive increased spend by upselling full meal or combo deals
Did you know that a whopping 80% of growth of the quick service or fast-food restaurant sector is driven by complete menu orders (i.e. main + drink + extra)[1]? Make sure your menu is made up of more than just mains, by offering a selection of drinks and desserts, such as ice cream, to allow customers to create custom combo deals. Meal deals that offer the customer a saving for purchasing more can help to drive sales too.
Create an easy customer experience during the ordering process
People use delivery apps for convenience, so make sure you’re making it as easy as possible to order from your restaurant. Keep your menu short and easy to navigate by dividing your menu items into clear categories.
Make the most of the fact that consumers are acting on impulse when they place a food order online:
A treat is the main driver of placing food orders via apps, and 43% of consumers make the decision to do so less than an hour before placing the order. 24% also spend more than they originally plan too – all suggesting that delivery apps can offer good upselling opportunities if you’ve got the right product range.[2]
Make your menu stand out
Starting with mouth-watering photography. Menu items with photographs next to them will grab more attention, and help customers to more immediately understand what you’re offering. Branded images of products such as Ben & Jerry’s can help too: if you’re selling ice cream, it helps that it’s from a brand that consumers know, recognise and trust.
Find ways to make your brand memorable with the end customer – and encourage them to leave a positive review
According to research, customers are more motivated to order specific cuisine or food types via delivery apps (28%) than they are to order with a specific restaurant brand (22%)[3]. This is good news for independent businesses but, if you want the customer to come back for more, then try to make yourself memorable. It could be as simple as using branded packaging, dropping a note or postcard into the delivery bag or including a small freebie. This might also encourage them to leave a positive review – which can boost sales by up to 18%[4].
They will take a percentage fee for each order, so pick your partner(s) carefully
Some aggregators will also charge one-off set-up fees to cover hardware installation and the onboarding process. It’s also worth considering whether you’re willing to be tied into contracts for better rates, as some partners will offer this in exchange for exclusivity. These decisions should all be thought through based on what you believe is best for your business.
Getting seen on aggregator platforms can be costly
Aggregators will request extra money for premium listings or placements at the top of search results. Whilst expensive, being seen is what drives sales – so try to balance what you spend and when carefully. Consider paying for premium listings during your slower days or off-peak hours, when you have the capacity to deal with extra demand.
Sources
[1] “Dining out at home: How meal delivery is transforming foodservice”, Kantar, November 2022
[2] “Foodservice delivery: Defining customer missions”, IGD, January 2023
[3] “Foodservice delivery: Defining customer missions”, IGD, January 2023
[4] https://blog.grubtech.com/6-winning-tactics-to-improve-your-ranking-on-food-delivery-apps
