Food delivery software works like the “brain” behind virtual restaurants. It turns computers, smartphones, and tablets into tools for ordering food. With it, people can quickly find a restaurant, browse the menu, place their order, and pay from anywhere. They also expect their food delivery to be accurate and ready to eat.
The food-on-demand trend is growing fast. Statista reports that the global restaurant delivery market could reach $146.6 billion by 2024. An annual growth rate of 3.47% (CAGR 2024-2029) could push the market to $173.9 billion by 2029. Food delivery companies must keep up with new digital technologies or risk being left behind.
To succeed in food delivery, you need software that fits your business, keeps your customers happy, and helps you reach your goals. This article will walk you through the key steps to make it happen.
What Does Food Delivery Software Do?
Food delivery software helps restaurants and food services manage everything involved in online orders and deliveries. It turns devices like smartphones, computers, or tablets into tools connecting restaurants with customers.
They also make operations easier, such as updating customers, planning routes, and communicating with drivers. Companies like eLogii offer many helpful features. These include managing orders, sending messages, dispatching deliveries, showing menus, confirming deliveries, processing payments, tracking orders, coordinating drivers, collecting customer feedback, and analyzing business data.
What Can Food Delivery Software Do for Your Restaurant?
Managing a restaurant comes with many challenges for owners and managers. In the food industry, timing is crucial. Success relies on smooth operations at every step. That requires careful planning and dependable execution.
Luckily, delivery management software has improved a lot since the days of phone calls and scribbled delivery notes. Online orders, whether through a website or an app, have changed the game.
Today’s food delivery management platforms offer easy-to-use dashboards and templates for order takers, cashiers, bookkeepers, dispatchers, customer service representatives, and more. Here are some key functions and features:
- KPI Tracking and Reporting – Monitoring performance is essential because changing metrics can show growth and potential issues. With the right technology, a restaurant or food delivery company can automate its key performance indicator (KPI) tracking. This allows managers to create real-time reports that help them make important decisions quickly.
- Ratings/Review Management – Do you want to understand how customers feel? Are you relying on positive reviews to grow your business? Do you want to respond quickly to compliments or complaints? Software can send instant notifications and provide automated responses when needed.
- Customer Engagement – Sometimes, online customers have questions that can't be answered by a digital menu. Just like in-person diners who ask about ingredients or special orders, online customers may need to contact someone for immediate answers. The right software can improve the customer experience with chatbots, SMS, and messaging services. These features can be integrated into food delivery platforms to allow real-time conversations.
- Delivery Route Planning – Last-mile delivery makes up 53% of total shipping costs. The key challenge is to reduce those last-mile expenses. Managing the number of stops and minimizing idle time is crucial. The delivery management software you choose should support smart route planning and allow for real-time updates, notifications about obstacles, delivery timing, and live ETAs.
- Driver Coordination – Whether a restaurant uses its own delivery drivers or partners with services like DoorDash, GrubHub, or Uber Eats, communication is essential. Successful deliveries often rely on mobile apps to alert drivers about route changes or other issues. Good driver communication and scheduling features are essential for any delivery software platform.
- Payment Options – Leading delivery software companies integrate with point of sale (POS) systems. The top POS providers should offer advanced payment methods, including QR code scanning and other contactless payment options.
How to Select the Best Restaurant Delivery Software
Now that you know what food delivery software can do, it’s time to see how those features fit your business. Don’t rush into choosing the most popular or well-known platform. Your needs are different from others. Take some time to explore your options and find the best fit for you.
Here are a few questions to ask before choosing a restaurant delivery software for your delivery needs:
- Does it provide quick and personalized customer support? People expect to be treated like individuals, even during digital transactions. They also want fast and clear communication. Every customer interaction impacts your company’s reputation. The software you choose should make it easy to offer friendly, efficient, and reliable support.
- What is the cost? Upgrading your technology is an investment, but pricing still matters. How much is it worth to provide customers with the fast service they expect on their devices? Remember, you're not just paying for the software. You're also investing in your reputation for great food and excellent service.
- What are the setup requirements? What hardware will you need on your end? Does the platform allow you to customize your website and app? Is your current network reliable enough? If a hardware upgrade is needed, refer back to the earlier tip about pricing.
- Does it integrate with your POS system? A smooth transition to new software is essential. Make sure the platform can connect with your current POS system. If not, you may need to switch to a different POS that works with the new software.
- How often are updates released, and how do they work? Most software requires regular updates. It’s important to know if updates might disrupt automated processes so you can plan ahead and avoid interruptions.
- How is performance tracked and reported? You’ll want to know if the software is delivering value. Check how it tracks and reports on your key performance indicators (KPIs) and how it helps you meet your business goals.
How eLogii Can Help Improve Your Food Delivery Service
Good food is essential for a successful restaurant delivery business. But even the tastiest meals won’t matter if deliveries are delayed due to poor route planning. Lost time doesn’t just hurt profits—it also lowers customer satisfaction, which can be damaging for small businesses.
eLogii helps restaurants meet their delivery promises by keeping orders on track and ensuring customers get their food quickly and efficiently.
Namely, eLogii streamlines delivery operations by minimizing delays and reducing fuel costs, keeping every order on schedule. With smarter routes and real-time tracking, restaurants can boost customer satisfaction and handle more deliveries smoothly.
How Does eLogii Help Build a Successful Restaurant or Meal Delivery Business?
Our cloud-based software makes it easy for restaurant delivery businesses to plan efficient routes and driver schedules. It offers:
- Shorter driving times and fewer miles traveled
- Lower fuel usage
- Real-time tracking of where drivers are
- Better control over how resources are used
- Quick route adjustments when needed
- Customer updates through email or text notifications
Grow and Thrive With the Right Food Delivery Software
Choosing restaurant delivery software that meets your current needs is just the first step. To keep growing and succeeding, you’ll need to regularly check if the software is performing well and if customer expectations are changing.
It’s also important to stay up-to-date with new technology and decide if it can help you reach your business goals.
No matter how advanced software becomes, efficiency will always play a big role in a food delivery business’s success. That’s where eLogii can make a difference.