B&B’s own Sean Beckingham has taken to the latest issue of Canadian Restaurant and Foodservice News to explore the benefits for restaurants in using popular, and still rising, delivery service applications like UberEATS, Just Eat and Foodora. Has your delivery gone digital?
Food delivery services are becoming exceedingly popular in Canada and we’re not just referring to pizza and Chinese take-out. Food delivery apps offer worry-free, hassle-free ways to get a wide range of meals from fast-casual places and popular restaurants.
UberEATS was recently introduced to the market with their launch back in February 2015. They’ve capitalized on their successful Uber driving services to now include meal delivery. Offered on desktop and mobile, customers choose between daily rotating lunch items from artisans and talented restaurant chefs Monday to Friday in 10 minutes or less. In early December 2015, they extended their offering to Toronto residents giving customers the ability to order food through their app seven days a week and into the evenings.
There’s a number of benefits that restaurants get in return for collaborating with UberEATS including reaching a broader market of consumers they wouldn’t otherwise get, reduced delivery expenses and exposure to thousands of Uber food fans.
STRENGTHENS RELATIONSHIPS
Uber Eats General Manager Bowie Cheung says the team behind the program strengthens B2B relationships. “Our timely responses with businesses and users are reasons why many restaurants want to collaborate with the UberEATS program. We are able to support busy restaurants by alleviating the volume of people who have questions or concerns they want addressed or resolved. As a result, the restaurant can focus on creating quality dishes, while Uber acts as customer support for the business. This partnership has had positive effects in terms of increasing revenue and fans for both brands.”
Another popular food delivery service available in Montreal and Toronto since 2013 is Foodora (formerly known as Hurrier). Matt Rice, Marketing Manager with the company, says that they’re excited to launch in Vancouver very soon, as well as providing an app (on IOS and Android) that’s set to go live in early 2016. Currently, you can order through their website on desktop and mobile.
The idea is straightforward. The website shows restaurant partners and their hours of operation. A bonus feature includes the option of placing an order when establishments are closed. Customers simply select their meal, set their location, a delivery charge is added and then an estimated delivery time is provided upon checkout.
POPULAR CHOICE
With numerous restaurants and artisan food services in Toronto, it’s becoming a popular choice with not only customers, but owners too. “Hurrier builds positive relationships with restauranteurs by providing a solution that’s easy to use, integrates seamlessly with day-to-day operations, and brings incremental revenue. We take care of the delivery logistics so the owners can focus on providing high quality food.” Hurrier places the order on the consumers’ behalf, pick up the food using bicycles and delivers items fresh using custom heat-warming pouches.
Just Eat is another popular service whose mantra is “Don’t cook, Just eat”. Available on desktop and mobile with over 1.3 million downloads worldwide, Just Eat is available in Vancouver, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. With thousands of restaurants offered and more added daily, you simply enter your postal code, select what type of food you want, order & pay. From there, you can either pick up your meal or get it delivered within 20-45 minutes (depending on distance and time of day). It’s a safe and simple way for customers to order their dishes from their favourite restaurants or try new ones. As well, it provides a great opportunity for small business with little to no budget for their own delivery fleet to utilize Just Eat’s services. By aligning with this company, any restaurant or chain can get exposure to thousands of new, potential customers by offering timely specials or discount codes. Just Eat is designed not only to satisfy customers but businesses too.
As the shift towards digital services becomes more steadfast, it is important for restaurants to learn how to navigate this space and take advantage of it. Doing so allows businesses to determine which service best fits their needs in order to grow their customer base, build a positive reputation, and increase their revenue streams. Now is the time for restaurants to put their best digital foot forward because many delivery apps are quickly becoming the restaurant’s “storefront”.
TIPS: How to Use Social Media with Delivery Apps
1. Promote the menu items that are being offered through the delivery service on Twitter. Don’t forget to include the app’s social media handle for RETWEET and ENGAGEMENT opportunities.
2. Increase brand awareness and followers by hosting a live lunchtime chat (e.g. pizzerias would ask their fans what that their favourite toppings are). Incentivize participation by offering a prize such as “Receive a free appetizer on your next delivery order”.
3. When a dish is posted on a delivery app’s Instagram repost it on the restaurant’s social media networks. It’s a quick and easy way to let your followers know that a delivery service is being offered.
4. Post the custom image supplied by the delivery service on Instagram tagging the app. Start a contest by offering fans a reward if they tag 3 friends on the post.
5. When advertising the restaurant’s delivery service use appropriate hashtags to help make your content searchable such as #delivery #ubereats #usehurrier #restaurantABCdelivers #toronto
6. Promote new dishes on the restaurant’s Facebook page and mention the delivery service company. They will automatically be notified and be able to share the post with their fans.