Signs It’s Time to Bring Your Restaurant’s Delivery In-House

Tired of third-party delivery apps hurting your brand? We get it. More and more restaurants are struggling to keep up with the demand of delivery while maintaining the high-quality service that you desire (and your guests expect). 

Spotting the signs early can save you from headaches later. Here’s what to look out for if you’re thinking it might be time to bring your restaurant's delivery operations in-house.

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You Have High Chargebacks and Negative Reviews

Seeing too many chargebacks or negative reviews about your delivery service? That's a sign things need to change. Third-party apps often lead to mistakes that your restaurant gets blamed for. Managing your own deliveries could help solve these issues, making your at-home guests happier and your reviews better.

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You’re Struggling to Match Cook Times with Driver Arrival Times

Is your food often ready long before the driver shows up? Does the food then sit, degrading in quality because a driver was late? You may have tried investing in higher-quality packaging or attempting to time food preparation more accurately with driver arrivals, but it doesn’t fix the issue every time. With a delivery management system that assigns orders to drivers more flexibly, for example, you can eliminate this issue – which means fresher food for your guests and less stress on your staff.

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Your Guests Are Getting Inaccurate Delivery Quote Times

Are your customers frustrated because their food isn’t arriving when promised? Inaccurate delivery times can sour their dining experience before they even taste the food. Often this comes down to lack of communication and coordination between the restaurant and the driver – which you can’t control when using third-party apps. However, having your own delivery program enables you to offer more accurate – and even real-time – quote times, which keeps your guests happy and coming back for more.

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Your Delivery Costs and Fees Keep Going Up

It’s frustrating when the price of offering delivery keeps climbing, isn't it? With the rising costs of third-party fees, both consumers and restaurants are frustrated. Consumers are ordering less, and restaurants are making less of a profit. But consumers want delivery, so long as the quality is good and the price is fair. When you own delivery in-house, you have the control to keep fees under control for your guests, and keep your own profits and expenses more predictable.

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You’re Dealing with Unprofessional Driver Behavior

If the drivers delivering your food aren’t making a great impression on your customers, that's a problem. Unprofessional behavior by drivers, whether it’s crowding your parking lot or incorrectly communicating with your at-home guests, can damage your restaurant’s reputation. Bringing delivery in-house gives you the chance to choose drivers who really care about representing your brand well – and stop working with the ones who don’t.

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You’re Lacking Detailed Customer Data

Are you missing out on valuable insights because third-party apps don’t share detailed guest data? That’s a big opportunity lost for tailoring marketing and improving service. If you find yourself wishing you knew more about your guests to enable more personalized re-marketing strategies, then your own delivery system is probably a smart move. This would give you full access to your data, helping you make smarter business decisions and build stronger guest relationships.

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How to Bring Your Restaurant’s Delivery In-House (Without Adding More Cost and Complexity) 

Thinking of switching to in-house delivery but worried about the effort and expense? Don’t worry, we have you covered. There is a way to take control of your delivery program smoothly and affordably. 

Empower Delivery offers a one-of-a-kind solution that brings the quality of first-party with the convenience of third-party. Our delivery management system simplifies order-to-driver assignment, improves the guest experience, and increases the profitability of delivery.

With Empower Delivery, you can manage your own delivery program without the complexity. You don’t need to source, hire, or manage your own full-time drivers. Instead, you get more control and simpler operations within, while giving your at-home guests an even better experience. It’s a win-win.