Over the past year, restaurants have contended with shifting safety regulations and reduced capacity restrictions. Instead restaurants began focusing on their off-premise channels instead. Restaurants who never tried food delivery before opened these services for the first time, in an effort to make back some of the profit lost by closing the service floor.
In times like these, social distance is critical. COVID-19 necessitates prioritizing safety and sanitation, and that means optimizing no-contact options during food delivery.
For Drivers
As their employer, provide your workers with the tools they need to protect themselves. Offer gloves, hand sanitizer, tissues and whatever else they need to keep their car or vehicle clean between deliveries. Provide single-use masks to wear each day or give them a reusable one so they’re protected going door to door. Even if they’re not coming in contact with any guests, PPE matters.
Customers love the option for socially distanced food delivery, but it’s just as important to give employees the chance to refuse full-contact service. If the orderer requests their order face-to-face, deliverers should be able to change it if contactless is all they’re comfortable with doing. Alternatively, your restaurant could require social distance and not give customers the option to ask for in-person service at all.
Keep your store safe by taking everyone’s temperature before they come in to reduce the chance of an outbreak and keep your drivers safe as they tackle food delivery in a pandemic.
For Customers
Direct integration with the restaurant’s Point of Sale system keeps the queue in order. Whether they buy online or over the phone, they’re properly prioritized in the system. Customers also enjoy advanced technology ecosystems that allow them to watch their food’s journey. From preparation to what street the courier is on, guests prefer tracking capabilities.
Improve the guest experience by including an option for contact-free food delivery on the app and website. Include a place for them to write additional instructions so guests can ask drivers to call when they drop the order off or give them instructions for how to get into the building.
Communication is key. Keep customers up-to-date with any changes to your services including new hours and what you’re doing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Follow the same principles when it comes to communicating about their online orders: If anything goes wrong or gets delayed along the way, let them know immediately about their updated ETA and soothe concerns before they get worse.
Customers should also discard packaging immediately and wash their hands before eating, to maximize the safety of their contactless food delivery.
Smart Payments for Food Delivery
Integrate contactless payments to make food delivery better. Create a seamless, socially distanced ordering system from start to finish with a POS that can handle near-field communication and mobile wallets. With online orders, it also helps to offer pre-payment options so they can enter their credit card when they submit the ticket. Either way, give customers a safe way to pay.
Improve your food delivery system by offering guests and drivers alike the choice for a safe, contact-free experience. Workers need tools for personal sanitation and customers prefer socially distanced delivery, so spending time on this sales channel improves profits even during this difficult time. Relying on food delivery doesn’t mean forgoing quality customer service or overlooking restaurant health and safety.
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