The food industry, especially same-day food delivery, has evolved. The revolution of the apps is astonishing, and it is getting better with time. Moreover, the availability of different delivery models, such as same-day delivery, same-hour delivery, multiple fleets, curbside pickup, etc., has changed the way people order their food.
Today, delivery models have made access to food a piece of cake. The way restaurants are handling orders during the pandemic is another sign of how things have evolved in the food industry.
The restaurant industry is growing fast, and as per the statistics, it is 20% on the rise compared to the last five years. The estimation of online food delivery sales growth is as high as $220 billion by 2023.
If you are thinking about starting your restaurant, this might be the time to begin. But do take a look at the trends and challenges to help you plan it accordingly.
Latest Challenges and Trends for Food Delivery apps
Online Grocery Demand
Many people are now relying on food delivery apps for their groceries. Uber has hinted toward introducing a feature that would facilitate that. Amazon is also trying to implement this. So, this might be another challenge for food delivery apps.
Contactless delivery
Pandemic has introduced us to contactless delivery too. It was happening before, but on rare occasions. Now, it seems to be the next big thing. If you are running a restaurant, you may want to offer this option in your delivery app.
Tracking the delivery data
Restaurants working with third-party delivery services are facing tracking issues with each order. Having a smooth system without causing hassle to the customers requires an organized system. Food delivery apps providing aggregate services will have to find a way to make this process more streamlined.
Delivery with Drones
This isn’t even fresh news. Drones have been around for some time, and some big companies, e.g., Amazon, are already experimenting with drone-facilitated deliveries. So, it might be a challenge in terms of logistics and on-time delivery, etc.
Why were some restaurants shut down during the pandemic?
If you observe the current situation, you already know that many restaurants have shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yes, the pandemic might have hit every restaurant hard in terms of the bottom line, but this problem isn’t without a solution. Many restaurants failed because they kept expecting customers walking in through their doors. Instead, they should have shifted gears and taken advantage of online food delivery. Late deliveries and poor customer service were challenging factors for those who used apps. But the incoming orders did keep them afloat.
Many of them started with their apps and websites. Some couldn’t survive and had to close because they didn't have a well-thought-out plan to handle online orders.
Takeaway
We know that challenges are ways for us to create more opportunities. If you are currently facing any of these challenges and expecting some more in the future, start planning now. Pandemic has taught us a lesson, and it is to plan ahead of time. To cope with all the challenges regarding delivery apps, start building your plans with a futuristic approach right now.