Convenience is key for the modern consumer, resulting in a drive towards on-demand delivery. When considering whether offering a takeaway service is right for you, analysing the impact of your delivery service on the guest experience is tantamount to success. We conducted a survey of guests to find out their thoughts on third-party delivery and to inform best practice for hospitality operators experimenting in this field.
Our research revealed that the delivery trend shows no sign of slowing with 52% of guests ordering takeaway food at least once a month. Operators on the fence as to whether their guests might appreciate a takeaway option might be interested to know that 79% of our respondents said they would be extremely likely, quite likely or moderately likely to use a takeaway service if a restaurant offers it. This could be particularly lucrative for smaller, independent restaurants - 73% of guests order the majority of their food deliveries from this sort of establishment rather than chains.
When it came to the delivery itself, we questioned guests on which are the least important elements of the experience.
The least important thing to guests is the quality of the packaging (24% believed this would come at the bottom of their priority list), followed by the need to try something new (24% said this was unimportant to them). A further 15% weren't fussed about how healthy the food is while 12% thought choosing somewhere they have eaten before wasn't as important as other parts of the experience.
The key issues guests cared about were (in order of importance): how hot the food is when it arrives, that the meal is well priced, how quickly the food arrives, and good reviews. Ordering food from a trusted brand, and food that travels well and tastes as expected after delivery were also considered important.
When choosing a third-party delivery service to partner with, ensuring they represent your brand in the best possible light is essential. Our research found that 62% believe the quality of the food received varies by delivery company, and with the emphasis on good reviews, a bad experience could make or break your reputation. Additionally, only 10% of guests believed the responsibility lay solely with the delivery company if the food was cold or poorly presented - 45% would blame the restaurant and the other 45% said they would be equally at fault.
Those that did use third-party delivery companies favoured Just Eat (29%) and Deliveroo (14%) with Hungry House gaining 5% of the votes, UberEats 2% and Amazon Prime just 1%.
