The restaurant industry is changing. That’s okay, because that’s what things do—change. In this case, it’s the growing presence of delivery companies that chew into the day-to-day business of restaurants, bars, and pretty much anything that sells something edible. Dine-out experiences might be impossible to replicate, but they’re being overshadowed by the obnoxious ease it takes to have that same quality delivered to your door. The delivery wave is real, and we’ve got some tips on how to ride it.
To start, you have to 86 any resentment you might be harboring toward this new normal. The apps aren’t going anywhere. In fact, they’re expanding to a level that people are merely wondering which one they should use. Delivery aggregators are walking into restaurants and pitching things like “incremental sales growth” and “acquisition models,” forcing brands to decide what kind of relationship they’ll have with these third party services. The simple truth is that hungry people use these platforms to discover new places to eat, and it’s the restaurant’s job to close the deal. Having a plan to make a connection with new customers is crucial.
The Packaging Opportunity
Your only shot at leaving an impression with a customer, outside of the food itself, is how you send the food home. In the same way you create a specific ambiance at your restaurant to complement the meal, think of the way you package your to-go orders up as an opportunity to really elevate the experience. Something as small as separating bread from entrees to keep them away from soggyville can go a long way. Slap some branding on your bags and boxes, throw in some stickers (people love stickers for some reason), make your customers think of you the next time they have friends over and want a bite.
Invite Them in for the Real Thing
If you’re not getting the chance to connect with customers on a human level, maybe you can create that chance. We’re talking about an old-school, no-nonsense invite to dine in your fine establishment. Okay, you’ll probably need a little nonsense. A strong incentive to make the trip to your restaurant could be the difference between a one-off delivery customer and an every Friday regular. Will it take 20% off their first meal? Maybe—but once they’re sitting in your restaurant, anything is possible.
The DIY Model
This would be the most entrepreneurial route to take, but the benefits are rather juicy. What’s so juicy, you ask? The data. Being able to gather insight into your customer base’s behavior can shape the way you run your restaurant in the future. If you have a good relationship with one of the delivery apps, you may be able to ask them for data access, but creating your own model gives you unfiltered ownership over all the goods. And there are inexpensive platforms that can help turn this lofty idea into a reality (OLO, just for one example). It’s 2019, so you’re going to need a way to fulfill online orders—doing it yourself might just be the answer.