Operations
Looking For Delivery Fulfillment For Your Restaurant?
July 9, 2020
Here’s what to consider when evaluating an online food delivery system.
Studies show that working with an online ordering and delivery partner will boost restaurant sales volumes by 10-20%. As this demand for online ordering and delivery continues to grow, restaurants who are just beginning to tap into the world of takeout may be looking for ways to start or grow the delivery side of their business. Prior to the emergence of well known third-party delivery services, restaurants historically used in-house staff to fulfill delivery orders. Today, there are more options available for restaurants to choose from that fit their needs best.
For restaurants who are just starting or are currently fulfilling online orders for pickup should consider an online ordering partner that includes a delivery fulfillment service. There are many benefits of delivery including an increase in sales, ownership of customer data, convenience for diners, and ease on staff so that they can focus on the on-premise guest experience. But what’s the difference between a direct online ordering platform with delivery fulfillment and third-party delivery marketplaces?
Marketplaces vs. Direct Online Ordering Platforms
Marketplaces
While there are many options for restaurants when it comes to delivery fulfillment, restaurants should weigh out all of the options and understand their pros and cons before making a decision. Services such as Grubhub & Seamless act as both an online ordering marketplace and fulfillment service. But, these third-party marketplaces charge commission fees on every order that is placed through their platform — up to 30+%. This leaves little room for the restaurant to profit or cover operational costs, often culminating to a loss for the restaurant. Furthermore, restaurants have no control over delivery fees that can deter diners.
Direct Online Ordering
The benefits of direct online ordering include an all-in-one platform for restaurants to sell and manage orders, gather important data, and give diners an online experience that puts your brand first. Many restaurants are offering online ordering services directly through their website and are seeing great success.
Our product — Bento Ordering — allows guests to easily place orders for pickup and delivery this way. It’s also convenient for the restaurant. Each order placed is captured on the backend of the restaurant’s website where they can monitor the progress of the order as well as its delivery. A platform such as Bento Ordering takes no commission fees from the restaurant making it a viable source of income that helps cover costs and contribute to profitability. Another benefit is that restaurants have control over delivery fees. These fees are typically flat, per-order fees. Restaurants can choose to pass the fee to the diner in full, partially cover the fee or cover it in full. But the question now is, who fulfills delivery orders?
Last-Mile Delivery Fulfillment For Restaurants
Restaurants can elect to provide their own in-house delivery service, offer curbside pickup, or choose Bento Door-to-Door, our latest offering for delivery fulfillment service. Restaurants are sent a courier in their vicinity who accepts the order and fulfills the last mile of that order to the diner. It is reliable, easy and provides the full-circle ordering experience for your guests.
Benefits of Delivery With Direct Online Ordering
By partnering with a direct online ordering platform, your restaurant will not only receive the benefits that come with it, but also the benefits of delivery fulfillment. These benefits include being able to easily manage and track order statuses, having delivery couriers assigned to each order automatically and the ability to instantly update settings, blackout times, menu items and more. An all-in-one system can streamline your online ordering and delivery operations. Here are other benefits that come with partnering with an online food ordering system like BentoBox.
It’s Convenient For Guests
It’s no surprise that the demand for online ordering and delivery has increased over the past several years and even more in the last few months as COVID-19 continues to impact normal restaurant operations. 87% of Americans who order online admit that it makes their lives easier. Diners who are loyal to certain restaurants will continue to be, even if it means bringing the experience into their homes. In a world where most things can arrive at consumers’ doorsteps with the click of a button, it makes sense that food delivery is convenient — even if it means diners paying higher prices.
Restaurants Own Important Information From Diners
Perhaps one of the most beneficial advantages of partnering with a direct online ordering partner such as BentoBox is the ownership of important diner data. This data includes name, email address and order history. But why is this important for your restaurant? It’s all about driving repeat diners and fostering better relationships with them.
Diner acquisition is notoriously expensive and difficult, especially in third-party marketplaces. In these marketplaces, your restaurant is fighting for each diner’s business against hundreds of other restaurants just like yours. This is why many restaurants choose to advertise to appear higher up in searches but at a detriment to their profit margins on each order. However, that’s not all that hurts your restaurant in a third-party marketplace. These services are focused on driving repeat diners through their platform, not yours. They do this by denying access to this key information from diners, such as email, order history and more. With a service like Bento Ordering, your restaurant owns all of your diner’s information so that you can send marketing emails and more to foster a strong relationship and drive more orders and deliveries.
Staff Can Focus On The On-Premise Guest Experience
As restaurants around the country have started to reopen, varying phases of on-premise dining are starting back up. Although operations have and will continue to adapt to diner expectations and government regulations due to COVID-19, maintaining a safe and enjoyable experience for diners is paramount to the continued success of a restaurant — especially as guests are likely to not return to a restaurant that isn’t following guidelines.
Restaurants who partner with a delivery fulfillment service can instead refocus their attention on providing a high level of hospitality and service to their on-premise guests, eliminating the need to hiring more staff to facilitate, manage and fulfill deliveries. With any takeout operation, restaurants should properly train and hire enough staff to manage the influx of online orders that come in while also providing a high-quality product to seated guests.
While restaurants navigate the future of on-premise dining, one thing is certain: the demand for online ordering for pickup and delivery is here to stay. Restaurants should consider partnering with a direct online ordering platform that includes delivery fulfillment so they can reap the benefits while redirecting their focus back on the guests returning to the dining room. For information on how to get started with Bento Door-to-Door, get in touch with your account manager if you’re a customer, or sign up for a free demo to learn more at getbento.com/signup.
BentoBox Marketing & Commerce Platform
Deliver Smarter Hospitality
Want to stand out online, bring in more money, engage your diners, and streamline operations?
Recommended
BentoBox News
BentoBox Launches Cost-Effective Delivery Services with Bento Door-to-Door
June 23, 2020
Bento Door-to-Door empowers restaurants to access a network of local delivery drivers without paying burdensome commissions.
Design Inspiration
The 20 Best Restaurant Websites of 2024
January 3, 2023
Our annual roundup of the internet's best restaurant websites.
BentoBox News
Online Ordering for Restaurants: A Solution Aligned with Operators
February 5, 2020
Bento Ordering accepts and manages pickup and delivery orders