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How to Optimize on-Demand and Home Delivery services?

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COVID-19 is spreading around the world and its impact on restaurants has been strong. From Argentina to Montreal, cities in North America are forcing restaurants to close their lounges so that people can exercise social distancing and slow the spread of the coronavirus.

However, in many areas, restaurants and grocery stores can continue to operate by filling orders through takeout and home delivery services.

For restaurants to survive these difficult times, they must do everything they can to ensure the efficiency of their takeout and home delivery processes. We share tips so you can optimize your restaurant's delivery services and take-out options to weather the storm.

We give you some ideas that can help you.

In this article, you will see the following:

  • An overview of takeout and home delivery options for your restaurant, from customers who come to order in person, to those who order by phone.
  • Tips for optimizing takeout and home delivery operations during the coronavirus outbreak.

Above all, remember that the safety of your customers and your staff must be paramount.

Restaurant Pickup and Home Delivery Options Overview

Perhaps COVID-19 is inspiring you to implement home delivery services and take-out options in your restaurant for the first time. Perhaps these are already established revenue streams for your business and you want to make sure you are available to customers through every possible channel.

Either way, restaurants are paying more attention to takeout and home delivery options as a way to manage the decline in activity from social distancing and COVID-19.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Before implementing changes in your restaurant, check the local regulations. You must ensure that you are authorized to offer these services, and that you follow security protocol to decrease the spread of COVID-19 while continuing to operate your business.

Order in person

In-person orders are those in which customers come to your restaurant, look at the menu you offer to go, place an order, pay for it at the counter and wait inside the restaurant until it is ready (or they can return a few minutes later), and then take it home.

Technologically speaking, the only thing the takeout system requires is a point of sale system.

If you choose to continue with this modality, there are some considerations that you should take into account:

1. Designate an area for people to wait, so that germs do not spread, and encourage them to distance themselves from your team (two meters is recommended).

This not only protects diners, but also protects your equipment and keeps the premises cleaner, a vital aspect at a time like this. If you regularly offer takeout, you may already have a flow in place that you can optimize. Identify the area, establish physical boundaries (for example, block the way with chairs) and make it clear where customers can wait while preparing their order to avoid getting too close to staff.

If this is a new practice in your restaurant, since many businesses are choosing to offer takeout service right now, all of the above tips apply as well, but you'll want to consider how this flow works. Is the kitchen at the back of the restaurant? You may want to assign someone to bring orders to the front of the store (even to the door) and drop them off in a designated area to prevent people from entering.

2. Limit the number of people who stay in the store at any one time and avoid crowding and the spread of germs.

This mixes well with the previous point: if you have a small section for people waiting for their take out order, you should limit the number of individuals waiting there. We saw this idea of limiting the number of people in a sector at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, when restaurants were operating at half capacity.

You can put signs on the door to indicate to your guests exactly how many people can enter at the same time, or choose to close the doors and bring orders there.

Businesses in Colonia Roma in Mexico City are already making take-out meals their only modality, have adjusted their logistics, hygiene measures and even implemented social programs to support the community and reactivate the economy.

Orders by phone

Customers can also phone to order. This method requires customers to search for a menu online or refer to one for the food they already have, and then call your restaurant to order.

If they want to go through the order, they will stop by your restaurant to make a payment and collect it. If they want it delivered to their home, they will indicate their address and delivery person or that of an external service will be in charge of delivering the order and collecting it.

Allow customers to text their orders and make it even easier to order from their smartphones. Create a free Google Voice phone number and let your customers know that they can write to you at that number to place an order.

When it comes to phone orders for takeout or delivery, try to collect over the phone to limit contact. If diners will pay on site when they pick up their order, set up payment terminals in a certain area to minimize contact with counter staff. Encourage contactless payments whenever possible (more info below).

Offer to order online from your restaurant's website

If you have the technical ability, you can receive orders directly through your restaurant's website. This option allows customers to view the menu, order online and pay from the website, as well as choose to pick up the order or have it delivered to their doorstep.

Using an online ordering application that integrates with your point of sale system will facilitate your operation, so that the kitchen automatically receives the order ticket.

Order online through third-party applications

Restaurants also allow customers to order through third-party applications such as Uber Eats, DidiFood, Rappi, among others. Some of these platforms have reduced or canceled their commissions to help restaurants get through this moment.

Through these applications, customers place orders and make payments through these providers, and your restaurant is responsible for preparing the order. Some third-party apps offer their own delivery people. Customers can also collect the orders they place through these applications.

To receive online orders through your own website and third-party apps, see if you can implement safer pickup and home delivery practices that help limit contact and encourage social distancing. Some methods that have gained popularity include the following:

  • Pick up the order at the door: In the case of those who order online to collect them on the premises, some restaurants have their doors closed and bring the order there to limit the crowding of people and exposure.
  • Pick up order on the sidewalk: Just as it sounds, people pick up their orders from the sidewalk, also to limit contact.
  • Contactless Delivery: Many prepaid orders offer contactless delivery. The client only has to select this option for the withdrawal and the order is left at the door.

Tips for Optimizing Pickup Options and Home Delivery Service During the Coronavirus Outbreak

It can seem overwhelming to change your business model to dedicate more resources to home delivery services.

Here are our top tips for optimizing your restaurant take-out and home delivery systems during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep your business running without risking the health and safety of your customers. and your staff.

General advice

These apply to both take-out offers and home delivery during the coronavirus outbreak.

Safety:

Containers: Make sure the containers you use are sturdy so that kitchen staff and delivery men don't have to touch the food in case something spills. Consider offering tamper-evident packaging or sealing the order pick-up bags with adhesive labels so customers know that no one has touched their food since it was placed in the bag.

Organization: Create a system to organize complete orders by origin (phone orders, website orders, Uber Eats orders, etc.), something that should be clearly indicated on each ticket (either manually or through integration of your online point of sale). Take advantage of tables or shelves to separate bagged orders for easy identification and removal. When orders are accurate and executed in a timely manner, you will make your customers happy and increase the chances that they will order again. Register telephone orders and those made in person at your point of sale and take advantage of the integration of said point of sale with the ordering application on your website and with third-party applications. This will help you avoid missing orders, confusion, and service delays.

Raise the bar for food safety: At times like this, people are likely to have doubts about eating things other people made. Raise your standard for safety with measures like cleaning restaurant surfaces more often, changing gloves more often, and washing hands more often. You can mitigate these concerns by informing your customers of the additional precautions you are taking, whether on the restaurant's website, on social media, or on posters attached to your store's windows.

Take care of your staff: Monitor employees' body temperature several times a day and do not allow employees with flu symptoms to come to work. If you haven't offered paid sick leave yet, see if you can offer it for a while, or if you can provide other forms of help, so that staff don't try to resist symptoms to get paid. Make sure you're not summoning too many people and that your team can keep a healthy distance from each other; avoid having the kitchen full and the counter cluttered.

Communicate with customers: Let customers know about any additional steps you are taking to ensure that the food you prepare, as well as take-out and home delivery practices, are as safe as possible. Include messages about increased security procedures on your website, on third-party platforms (such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, etc.), on social media, and in your email newsletter.

Marketing:

Gift card promotions: While you can't generate income with on-site catering, you can prepare customers for the day when you can reopen. One option is to sell gift cards. Create an income-generating gift card promotion that complements your restaurant's delivery service and pick-up option. Offer discounted gift cards that customers can use to eat at the restaurant once restrictions associated with COVID-19 are lifted. Include these gift cards as extras on takeout and home delivery orders.

Communication: Let customers know that your restaurant is still open for take-out and / or home delivery. Communicate it to your customers through social media, your website, your email newsletter, window signs, or on a blackboard in your store.

Offer a special menu: If life gives you lemons, make lemonade, and offer your customers special meals, offers and combos during the coronavirus pandemic. You can offer meal combos for the whole family, food and drink options, meal prep kits, even promotional items.

Tips for Restaurant Home Delivery Service During COVID-19

Here's how ypu can make your food delivery system safe and attractive to customers during these difficult times.

Offer your delivery people the right equipment: Equip delivery people with hand sanitizer and gloves when they deliver orders.

Contactless delivery: Whether customers order by phone, from the website, or a third-party app, let them leave special instructions for delivery such as "leave food by the door" or "leave the order behind the gate." so that it is not necessary to have contact with the delivery men. If customers request contactless delivery, make sure they pay for the order in advance.

Consider using only your couriers: If you generally use third-party couriers for order delivery, consider sending only your staff to make those deliveries during the COVID-19 outbreak. Some restaurants choose to only use their own trained staff to make deliveries. This limits the number of people who come into contact with an order and keeps your staff working, even if this is a change from their normal responsibilities. Just remember to check with your insurance provider to make sure the staff has coverage for these types of tasks.

Tips for takeout from the restaurant during the coronavirus pandemic

If you're more reliant on takeout, here's how to get the most out of it while keeping your staff and guests safe.

Limit contact: Try to limit customers' contact with restaurant items to prevent the spread of germs. Post your menu on boards, screens, or use digital versions of your menu, so your customers won't have to touch anything to see the options. Keep the doors fully open so customers don't have to knock on them when entering and leaving

Give priority to contactless payment. Ask customers to order take out, to pay online through your website or a third-party app, so you avoid handling cash. If customers prefer to pay on the spot, ask them to make contactless payments with their credit card.

Create an outdoor waiting area: If you're in an urban setting where people don't drive to your restaurant, set up chairs outside the premises for customers to wait while their orders are being prepared. Place the chairs about 2 meters apart for optimal social distancing and disinfect the chairs frequently.

With the right security measures and a little creative marketing, you can keep your restaurant running amid the coronavirus crisis. Apply these measures now and you will have a steady stream of income thanks to the take-out and home delivery that will remain after the COVID-19 outbreak.

If you need to develop an on demand Food delivery system for your restaurant or grocery business, dont forget to check our services or directly contact with us at: info@appbuff.net

Take care of yourself and much success!