It was clear to the Horeca sector that home delivery of food was an expanding trend long before the Covid19 emergency.
Dark Kitchens, delivery platforms, ideas for take away : all topics with which the managers were already familiar and which we too had explored in a specific article .
During phase 1 of the lockdown, still in progress, home delivery of food was an obligatory choice for many establishments, a minimal way out of the complete suspension of all activities. A solution that we too we already advised in the first days after the Corona Virus decree .
For customers, ordering a meal becomes the domestic alternative to dining out, a treat to indulge in for a special occasion.
However, this does not mean that home delivery of food has recorded a constantly positive growth trend.
Indeed, there are many factors that have caused some setbacks: smartworking has allowed more time to be able to cook, and at the same time closed offices and companies have reduced demand in some areas. The same decline was recorded in the university areas.
Finally, the spread of fake news about the possible spread of the virus also through food has in some cases generated a reluctance phenomenon, initially concentrated on Chinese and Japanese cuisine, then extended to all types of cuisine.
However, with the prolongation of the quarantine, it has been found that people's attitudes are returning more to their pre-crisis habits.
Towards Phase 2
Is it worth continuing with home delivery even in Phase 2, whose scenario is still uncertain and confusing?
The answer appears to be an absolute yes, and for various reasons.
Meanwhile, because the easing of the measures will not correspond to the possibility of returning to crowding the premises. On the contrary, it will be necessary to adapt them to the needs of social distancing, therefore reducing the number of seats and probably also the opening hours.
Many people will also prefer not to expose themselves to situations that they deem somewhat risky yet.
Finally, the habit of receiving home delivery of food, if it was already widespread before, is now further entrenched.
So our advice to better prepare you for Phase 2 is to strengthen and improve the distribution service and proceed with the adaptation of the place according to the rules of social distancing.
Turning to a home food delivery platform obviously has a cost that covers site, marketing, logistics, riders. The percentage on orders varies from 22 to 35%, the repayment times are weekly, biweekly or monthly.
Evaluate whether it is better to implement an internal delivery system , on which perhaps to employ part of your staff in compliance with all the rules that guarantee their health.
We also remind you that it is still possible to request social shock absorbers .
Tips for your delivery offer
Some studies based on a model for predicting the impact of the pandemic on various product sectors, which leverages the experience of previous crises, identify and trace some indicators to anticipate the evolution of the scenario and quickly make the most correct decisions.
The advice that emerges, which should also be kept in mind for the home food delivery offer, is to curb the launch of new products with high added value, because the customer will be more sensitive to the price, and focus attention on healthy food and Km0, because health has become a priority even for the most impressionable consumers.
Many menus are changing to take into account the different caloric and vitamin needs imposed by the forced quarantine; if many of your customers were workers on their lunch break, why not offer packages of 5 or more meals that can be kept in the refrigerator for a week?
In addition to thinking about health, however, let's not forget that never like in this period will your customers feel the need to indulge in a cuddle or a moment of detachment.
In addition to meals, therefore, provide for the possibility of delivering cocktails, wine and bottled beer to sip during video aperitifs.
An indispensable ally to ensure speed in preparing take-away dishes is Combi Wave : up to 20 times faster than other countertop ovens and without the need for a flue, it will allow you to reduce food costs by working on volumes and without sacrificing quality.