A recent study found that 13% of consumers used third-party food delivery in February of 2018. Another predicts delivery sales will increase more than 20% annually, reaching $365 billion by 2030.

Clearly, customer demand for meal delivery is escalating. So is competition among restaurants.

Here are a few tips to help you provide the high-quality fare, convenience, and customer delivery experiences that will differentiate your restaurant:

Make it Fast

60% of delivery customers say timeliness is a key factor to their satisfaction. Here are some ways to speed up the process:

Online ordering systems.

An online order can be processed in only 45 seconds (Grubhub)—as opposed to a two-minute phone order.

Driver Support

Increase the amount of deliveries your drivers can make by finding the fastest routes, with alternates for rush hour. Or, outsource delivery to augment (or replace) your in-house drivers with an on-demand fleet.

Status Updates

Grubhub’s platform allows transparency into every order. Customers can check the status of their orders in real time, which makes waiting more palatable.

Make It Accurate

Nothing is more frustrating to a customer—or will garner bad reviews faster—than a missing or wrong item in their order.

Here’s how to help ensure your customers get what they ordered:

Use one ticket

Have the same ticket follow the order all the way through the process. Check off each item as it is packed, and then attach it to the bag.

Limit Special Requests

List any possible special requests or add-ons as options while ordering.

Double-check

Have both the expediter and driver double-check each order before it leaves your restaurant.

Make it Easy

Consumers of all kinds are planning on ordering more food delivery, and they crave convenience and ease.

These top 2 strategies can make the food delivery process easy for everyone:

Leverage Technology

Make your restaurant easy to research and order from! Be active on food review and social media sites. Use an online ordering platform to boost visibility and ease of use.

Be Mobile-Friendly

Make your website adaptable to different screens (responsive) to make it smartphone-friendly. Place buttons towards the top for easy access to order or view your menu without having to scroll or zoom.

Make it Delicious

No matter if they are ordering from home or the office, customers want restaurant-quality meals.

Check out these three areas to make sure you deliver the quality customers expect:

Taste

Uphold the integrity of your product by removing any items off your menu that won’t hold up to delivery.

Temperature

Be sure to pack cold items separately from hot in order to maintain proper temperature and texture.

Presentation

Use packaging that is properly sized, stays well sealed, and helps you present your food appetizingly. Package sauces separately.

Make it Affordable

Customers are generally ok with a minimum for delivery orders or a delivery fee—if it’s reasonable.

The optimum range for fees range from $2.50 – $5.00, depending on your region, the price of your menu items, your demographic, etc.

You might decide that outsourcing delivery to a pro is best for you. This approach can take the complexities of delivery off your plate so you’re free to do what you do best: make great food.

Check out these best practices for food delivery.

Are you ready to provide your customers the ultimate delivery experience? Sign up with Grubhub for Restuarants today!