When It Comes to Third-Party Delivery Apps and Restaurants, It’s ‘Relationship Status: It's Complicated’

Third-party delivery apps have enjoyed a meteoric ascent over the last few years, and will be central to the way the restaurant industry operates, according to an article on Modern Restaurant Management. “The number of food delivery app downloads is up 380 percent since 2015, according to market-data firm App Annie, and research firm Cowen and Co. predicts that U.S. restaurant delivery sales will rise an average of 12 percent a year to $76 billion in the next four years,” the article said.

The rise of third-party delivery has also resulted in “ghost kitchens” and “ghost restaurants,” or for-delivery operations without a physical, full-service location, plus integrated restaurant management software to handle the influx of data from online and/or third-party platform orders.

The Restaurant Management article noted that common issues restaurateurs take with third-party delivery apps include “Overall costs don’t cover new business,” “lack of customer support,” “lack of technology support,” “less quality control of drivers and food,” “neglected seated guests” and “not enough staff/resources to support program.”

The good news is that restaurants can solve for these concerns by partnering with the right delivery software, investing in data-driven management software, “making sure the app integrates with their POS system” and centering strategic marketing and advertising initiatives, according to the article.