Contactless delivery may have arrived just a few short years ago, as people were afraid to come in contact with others during the pandemic. What was once a novelty is now an option on many food delivery tech:
- Apps
- Online ordering platforms
Some consumers prefer to avoid people and the small chitchat that they have with drivers, and others are still concerned about getting sick from others.
In either case, if you're a business that offers online or mobile ordering, you should integrate touchless service into your business.
It's a small change that allows you to cater to more diners.
How Does Contactless Restaurant Delivery Work?
Contactless delivery is expected to rise from $15.5 billion in revenue in 2025 to a value of $53.6 billion by 2035. While this figure encompasses all contactless options, it is indicative of what will happen to the restaurant industry.
You're doing more than avoiding shaking the hands of your customers; you're also accelerating the delivery process.
Customers will:
- Place orders through your website or app
- Make payments 100% online, so there's no worry about cash or exact change
- Request a certain drop-off location, often at their doorstep
Your goal is to minimize one-on-one contact between drivers and customers.
But there are also a lot of benefits to offering contactless deliveries that are good for your restaurant and the patrons you serve.
The Benefits of Contactless Restaurant Delivery Services
Why go through the time and effort to incorporate contactless deliveries? There are hidden benefits that are easy to overlook:
- Increase in hygiene: Sick drivers cause you to lose productive workers. Minimizing exposure is as much about reducing the risk of illness as it is about increasing the overall safety of your staff.
- Streamlined delivery: Small talk and handling change is time-consuming. Contactless delivery eliminates these time sinks so that drivers can deliver more orders. Add this option to your website or app, and it leads to faster handoffs and fewer errors.
- Reach more customers: Many people will now pick and choose their restaurant choices based on delivery options. While plenty of people still opt for normal delivery options, others will not order from eateries that do not offer contactless options.
- Adaptability: Do you still take orders by phone? It's an option to keep open, but if you don't have an option to order via app or on your website, you're falling behind the times. Integrating contactless delivery systems into your operations will make it easier for you to offer new features, such as dynamic pricing or multilingual options, to customers.
Delivery remains one of the fastest-growing segments in the restaurant industry as people are opting to eat-in rather than dine-in. You can start to capture more of this market share with the help of contactless delivery options.
Even if most of your orders are for traditional delivery, offering contactless options is a win-win for you and consumers.
You'll increase your reach and customers will have more options available to them.
Plus, it's easy to implement this solution.
How to Implement Contactless Delivery Using an In-House Team
You know how contactless delivery works and its benefits. But how do you actually start offering it?
Implementing a delivery system like this requires careful planning and execution. Here's a step-by-step framework you can use and customize to your individual restaurant's needs.
Choose a Reliable Online Ordering System
To offer contactless delivery, you need to implement an online ordering system. Today's consumers expect to be able to order food for delivery online.
There are plenty of options for ordering systems: Square, ChowNow, Toast, etc.
Look for a solution that integrates with your POS system and is user-friendly.
Adopt a Digital Payment System
Offer customers multiple payment options. Apart from credit and debit cards, consider accepting mobile wallets (Google Pay, Apple Pay, etc.) or even cryptocurrency.
Allow customers to leave tips when they make their digital payments for added convenience.
Upgrade Your Packaging and Presentation
Customers expect their food to arrive at the right temperature. They want a presentation that's similar to what they'd receive when sitting down in your restaurant.
To achieve this goal, invest in packaging and presentation techniques. Look for options that are insulated and tamper-proof. These containers will keep your food fresh and secure while they're in transit.
To make the experience more personalized, add branded stickers and thank-you notes.
Train Your Staff
Before you launch your delivery service, take the time to train your staff. If you already offer delivery options, you may be able to skip this step.
Otherwise, train your team on:
- Hygiene protocols
- Communication rules for contactless delivery (like sending photos of the delivery location)
A well-trained staff will improve the customer experience and help your drivers feel more confident when doing their jobs.
Use Route Optimization Tools to Streamline Deliveries
Planning delivery routes can be complicated. Let smart tools and AI do the hard work for you. Route planning software will automatically find the best routes for your deliveries to ensure everyone receives their orders in a timely manner.
Look for solutions that allow you and your customers to track drivers.
Communicate Clearly with Customers
Make sure customers understand how your contactless delivery system works. Give clear instructions on how to:
- Place orders
- Track deliveries
- Retrieve their orders
Share this information on social media, your website and in your email campaigns.
Be sure to highlight the benefits of contactless delivery, too.
Monitor and Improve
When you launch your new delivery option, make sure that you also implement a feedback system. Ask customers for feedback on their experience and drivers to identify areas of improvement.
Review your metrics regularly, like customer satisfaction, delivery times and error rates, to improve the customer experience.
Use any feedback you receive to make meaningful changes. Make sure that you continually gather feedback and make adjustments as needed to continue delivering the best customer experience.
The Takeaway
Contactless delivery gives customers more options when dining at your restaurant. Not every customer wants to sit down at an establishment or even deal with interacting with delivery drivers. With contactless options, you can serve these customers and keep orders flowing, even on traditionally slow days.