The food order and delivery system started functioning for the first time during World War-II when women volunteers delivered warm, pre-cooked food to the war affected people. The initial concept of the Online Delivery Apps has gone through a lot of changes and improvements to take up the present day form in which we see / know it today. In today’s date food delivery is ordered through mobile apps. Nowadays the Online Food Delivery Apps has made it easier to order one’s favorite dishes for everyone who has a smartphone or a tablet can order food from online.
According to latest reports last year, approximately 74-75% of the millennials prefer ordering food online. The COVID–19 pandemic in particular is responsible in this huge change in the ordering pattern of the masses. This so-called digitalization of food delivery does not only enable faster delivery of food but also helps in reducing the human to human interaction. This has thus increased the number of restaurants / businesses that have taken to the online business platform. Before jumping into this new business platform it is better to think about properly and figure out all the pros and cons of it.
Following are few of the Pros of the food Delivery Apps:
Efficient Delivery :The Online Food Ordering System is very beneficial for both the customer and as well as the restaurant. The Online Food Ordering Systems can actually increase the efficiency of the restaurants and also that of the employees. In case of the Online Ordering Systems the acceptance and delivery of orders is also faster. The orders placed are sent directly to the kitchen staff via a kitchen display system, hence there is minimal loss of time unlike the traditional ordering systems. The customers themselves can also save a lot of their own valuable time as the Online Ordering Systems streamlines the entire ordering process. The more the time saved by the customers, the better it is for them as they can utilize this time to do their own personal work or anything productive. This is impossible at the restaurant or at the eateries as the customers have to actually make reservations if they do not want to end up waiting in long queues. In both the cases the customers are bound to lose their valuable time is lost.
Fresh Ordering Interface :In this digital age speed is always the key. The digital technologies have made our lives so much more easy that we are used to faster and smoother solutions for everything. The Online Food Delivery Systems are exactly what the new generations are looking for, they are proficient as well as very fast and effortless to be used. These systems thus play an important role in increasing the sales which in turn lead to increase in profits since more and more customers are preferring to place online orders instead of traveling all the way to the restaurant to enjoy their favorite food. This new system is particularly useful during those lazy no cooking weekends or the peak hours when even the reservation system fails.
Wider Exposure :The online market place can help the restaurants revitalize their business process by taking them far and wide. With the Online Delivery Apps the reach of the business can be really very limitless. A larger section of the customers will be able to access a restaurant, more than what the restaurant would have got in the offline mode. Another important feature that the Online Food Delivery Apps involve is the promotion of their services. The restaurant can also get a fair amount brand name and increase its sales by offering any discounts or offers on certain products. Even if the restaurant is not open 24/7, its services and products are available to customers 24/7 thereby getting access to a wide range of customers.
Greater Flexibility :The Online Ordering Systems does not only provide flexibility to the customers but also to the restaurants. With the help of the Online Ordering Systems the restaurants can still receive orders even if the customers are not able to go to the restaurant to place an order. Implementing an Online Delivery System will help the restaurants in keeping their business going steady even in these disturbing times when most of the businesses are down, especially the restaurant businesses. Even during the days of extreme rain and summer, most of the restaurants have recorded a dip in total number guests and in sales always. With the online ordering and delivery systems, customers can get the joy of dining at the comfort of their own home and enjoying the food from their favorite restaurants. This will help keeping your restaurant’s sales going even if the restaurant looks empty, especially during these extreme climatic conditions or such depressing times as this COVID-19 times. The Online Delivery System will ensure that the restaurant keeps getting orders.
Connecting With Customers :The biggest advantage of having an Online Ordering System is that they help in keeping the details and record of all the customers. This help in customer retention and building a solid customer relation. With the online ordering and delivery systems, can create a complete database of the customers which will help the restaurants in identifying recurring customers, their preferences and repeated orders. Most of the food ordering apps such as Zoamto, Swiggy, Food Panda etc. save the entire customer history. This also helps the customer in ordering and making the ordering process simpler. The customers will find it easier to order their favorite cuisines from their favorite restaurants. Engaging in Customer engagement activities will help in getting the valuable feedback of the regular customers, which in turn will help the restaurants in improving the overall quality of their service. It can also allow the restaurants intimate the customers personally about certain offers, based on their buying pattern, by sending them customized notifications in the form of push messages or mails.
Following are few of the Cons of the Online Food Ordering Apps:
Potential Delays & Problems :Even though ordering online can be really easy and time-saving process but not might be so for others who are not familiar with these new technologies. The customers of the older generation will find it more difficult in particular to manage the Online Food Delivery Apps. There are also many other external factors which can delay the food delivery process. Sometimes there are shortages of delivery personnel, traffic fluctuations in some areas which are the main causes of the delay. These delays can actually be very dangerous and can damage the brand reputation and can be the cause of negative feedback.
Additional Costs :The home delivery services require extra manpower like the delivery agents and more people to supervise the entire process from the receipt of orders to the delivery of the orders. These all add on to the cumulative costs of maintaining the businesses. It also increases the overall labor expenses as compared to the regular dine in facility. If a restaurant is not dependent on any third party Delivery Apps like Swiggy, Zomato, they will require their own set of vehicles and delivery agents, the cost of which has to borne alongside the other incurring costs of maintenance.
Compromise in Food Quality :Due to the sudden increase in the online orders there has been a constant never ending requirement of maintaining the food quality. The flow of online orders make it difficult to maintain the food quality every time. No matter how carefully the packing is done by the restaurants, one cannot simply see and understand the quality of the food packed inside. The things are made even more complicated when some restaurants don’t offer the same quality of food as they have mentioned in their menus.
Expensive Delivery :The restaurants mostly favor differential pricing due to the additional costs incurred on the delivery front. To deliver the customer’s food to their doorstep there are certain costs that the restaurants have to bear. This is why the restaurants have to fix a certain rate minimum price order and vary the price of the dishes a little to adjust the delivery charges required for home deliveries. This may or may not be favorable with the customer’s budget and hence can become the reason for the customer to abandon his order.
With the passage of time and the advancement in mobile technology, the food and the restaurant industries have also changed a lot. The Online Food Ordering Systems and Delivery Apps are still a rising concept which is still changing and evolving. The Online Food Delivery Apps have a lot potential for growth and evolution. It is not advisable to the restaurants to create their own delivery systems / Delivery Apps. If they lack ideas or have time constraints they can instead try to clone the scripts of various other such portals like Uber Eats, Zomato or the Swiggy clone which are readily available in the market. These clone scripts will facilitate in customizing and will allow the restaurant to preserve its brand image. Having an Online Food Delivery System is a must in today’s date, especially in this pandemic ravaged world. In this consumer driven economy and the pandemic ravaged economy and if you are looking for long-term profitability it will be better for developing your businesses’ presence online having an Online Food Delivery App is the best solution.