Delivery: 5 tips to succeed and profit more

Offering delivery at your restaurant is a great way to win more customers, boost sales and increase profits. To succeed, however, you need an efficient operation and quality service.

In this article, check out some tips for structuring your delivery operation and boosting your business results. Read on!

The growth of delivery in Brazil

Delivery has gone from being a differentiator to an essential service for meeting new consumer demand, with customers preferring to order meals to eat at home or at work, for example.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the sector has been growing year after year, driven mainly by the digitalization of restaurants and the popularity of delivery apps like iFood.

The study “Delivery: the consumer's view”, conducted by the consultancy Galunion, shows that in April 2020, 61% of respondents ordered delivery and, by April 2024, that number had risen 17 percentage points, reaching 88%.

Beyond the increase in the number of orders, consumers are also spending more on delivery. A study by Ticket indicates that the average spend on delivery orders is 12% higher than spending in restaurants. 

So offering delivery at your restaurant is an opportunity to win new customers and increase revenue, along with other advantages we'll explore below. Take a look!

What are the advantages of delivery for restaurants?

Delivery service is quite advantageous for restaurants, as long as it's implemented and managed properly. The main benefits include?

Higher revenue

Offering delivery lets the restaurant increase its service capacity, since customers don't have to be served in the dining room. In many cases, this service actually accounts for the largest share of revenue.

As we've seen, the average ticket in delivery tends to be higher than in the dining room. And you can also work with attractive offers to boost sales on platforms like iFood. 

Diversifying revenue streams

Delivery is also advantageous because it's an extra operation, running parallel to dine-in service. This way, the restaurant diversifies its revenue streams and gains more financial security, without depending so much on in-person traffic.

You can also launch a delivery operation to serve different audiences and consumption occasions. For example: a restaurant that usually only serves lunch can create a snack delivery menu to reach people looking for quick meals at other times of day.

More convenience for customers

Consumer behavior has changed and many people look for convenience and ease when it comes to meals.

Meeting that need through delivery service is a way to provide a good experience for your customers and build loyalty.

Expanding your brand's reach

Delivery apps like iFood also serve as a showcase for your business, expanding your brand's reach and winning new customers.

Even if you use your own app for deliveries, you can also invest in ads to reach people who don't usually visit your establishment.

Better use of resources

Delivery is a great way to get the most out of your restaurant's resources, improving profitability and helping drive growth.

Many operators are investing in the dark kitchen model, which works with deliveries only, without a physical space to serve customers. This reduces operating costs and maximizes profits.

5 tips to succeed and profit more with delivery

If you want to succeed with delivery and reach good profitability, you need to treat it the same way you treat your dining room operation.

Menu, pricing, cost control, operational efficiency, logistics, customer experience and marketing are all essential points to consider. Below, check out some tips that can help!

1 – Adapt your menu

Keeping food quality during transport is one of the biggest challenges in delivery. That's because some dishes can lose flavor or texture on the way to the customer.

So pay attention to your delivery menu and make the adjustments needed to deliver a quality meal. Also, choose the right packaging so the dish arrives well preserved and without spilling liquids.

2 – Price it correctly

Delivery brings additional costs, such as app fees, packaging and couriers. All of this must be taken into account when setting the pricing of the delivery menu, ensuring profitability.

It's also essential to look for ways to optimize the operation and reduce costs, negotiating with partners and suppliers. That way, you get more competitive prices and can stand out from the competition.

3 – Have efficient delivery logistics

Efficient delivery logistics are very important for keeping customers satisfied. Delays or wrong orders can lead to negative reviews and damage the restaurant's image — which can end up becoming a big problem.

To make deliveries on time, you need a lot of planning and efficiency in your operation.

In addition to maintaining a good relationship with couriers, it's worth investing in a restaurant system that integrates dining room and delivery orders, making order management easier and speeding up preparation.

4 – Advertise on social media

Take advantage of the potential of social media to promote your delivery and increase your sales. Create specific marketing campaigns, sharing daily promotions and attractive images of your special dishes.

Set up ads to reach people within your delivery area. That way, you can win new customers and stand out from the competition.

5 – Invest in customer loyalty

Delivery apps offer great visibility, but they also make customer loyalty harder, since the relationship is mediated by the platform and the competition is fierce.

Besides providing flawless service and delivering a quality meal, you should create ways to strengthen the relationship with your delivery customers. Customizing packaging and offering freebies and small gifts are some ways to do that.

Count on EPOC for more efficiency in delivery

Besides following the tips we shared above, it's essential to choose a restaurant system that makes delivery management easier.

EPOC is a complete platform that lets you integrate all sales channels in one place, optimizing order management. With it, you get more operational efficiency and full control over your sales.

If you'd like to find out how we can help your restaurant, talk to our specialists!