Some pandemic habits turned out to be fads. But customers haven’t lost their taste for delivered food … and they’re hungry for more, according to a new study.

During the pandemic, demand soared for home gym equipment, lounge-wear, crafts and DIY projects. But people’s appetite for delivered food was different. It’s now firmly embedded within their post-lockdown lifestyle — and it seems to be growing.

A new Lumina Intelligence study reveals that delivery has become ‘habitual to consumers’, according to reports. In the UK for example, the market is forecasted to grow by £0.7bn in 2022 to a value of £13.3bn.

This poses a challenge to restaurants: How can you capture a healthy slice of this market without disrupting your in-store operations or eroding margins?

It’s never too late to offer delivery

At Syrve, we’ve found practical ways for restaurants to enter the delivery market — at whichever level seems the best fit for your business. Here are three popular models we support:

#1: Testing the water – Aggregators accept orders and provide delivery

Connecting with top delivery platforms will enable you to reach new audiences immediately. From your Syrve system, you can integrate directly with the likes of Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat — with no middleware fees. There’s no re-keying required, as Syrve automatically brings these orders into the same order and tracking pipeline as you use for your restaurant.

It’s simple to get started and our onboarding experts will help you set up your menus and pricing, so you can optimise revenue. Syrve also gives you the tools to assess sales and profit. You can update your menus and test the market with special deals to see how customers respond.

#2: Manage it yourself – You take the orders and handle deliveries

If you’re targeting a bigger margin, then managing everything yourself is another option. You can link your website or ordering app with Syrve. Alternatively, we’ll enable you to build a mobile-friendly website or an elegant app to share with customers — and promote on social media. Once again, all incoming orders are added to Syrve automatically.

Syrve can also help you to manage a delivery fleet of drivers. You can provide them with an app that guides them via the best route and track their location via GPS. It’s also possible for drivers to connect to customers in a click if they are having any problems finding the right address.

#3: Run your own “dark kitchen”

Some restaurants may prefer to run their delivery business as a standalone operation that can scale more easily. There are no in-store diners to worry about — or front-of-house staff. The customer interface happens via websites and apps, whether you choose to manage these yourself or rely on third parties. Similarly, you can manage your own drivers or use aggregators.

With Syrve, it’s possible to create systems that feel like they’re almost self-driving. Everything in your kitchen is streamlined and highly automated, guided in many ways by AI e.g. prep plans, stock takes, forecasting, purchasing. You focus on the food, while the tech has virtually everything else covered.

Getting a share of a growing market

How will you capitalise on your customers’ taste for delivered food over coming months. Syrve’s flexible platform supports a range of delivery business models to give you the widest choice and greater agility. Contact us today to discuss the best options for your restaurant.