The food industry is changing with each passing year. As far as the changes go, innovations in food delivery are some of the most significant developments. Players such as UberEATS, Eat24, and Zomato have launched delivery services that changed the way things are done in the food services industry.
So, to stay competitive in today’s cutthroat industry, here are some food delivery technologies each player should be acquainted with:
Multiple Ordering Channels
Today, players in the food industry are increasingly embracing services that are friendlier to their target customer base. One of the ways they are doing this is by simplifying the ordering process through leveraging new platforms for ordering food. These include:
Ordering meals using Tweets. Domino’s pizza is the best example in this regard. Recently, this multinational pizza chain allowed its customers to order pizzas by tweeting a pizza emoji guide. However, before you can do so, you have to sign up on the restaurant’s website and link your account to its Twitter counterpart. That said, currently, Domino’s pizza offers 18 different ways of ordering meals.
Ordering meals using a Smartwatch. Some restaurants today have launched Android/ iOS applications for smartwatches that allow users to order food in simple taps.
Ordering meals using a car. Thanks to innovation, customers can now order their favorite meals while heading to work or home. An example of a restaurant with an in-car meal ordering system is Pizza Hut. It allows users to make voice orders, meaning they do not have to look at any screen while on the road.
Ordering meals via Smart TVs. It is now possible to order the food you crave while binge watching your comedies, documentaries, or thrillers. For example, Papa John’s has partnered with Apple TV, allowing you to purchase a pizza of your liking.
Big Data
Insights drawn from processing big data can go a long way in helping food industry players understand customer emotions and food preferences. Moreover, they can help when it comes to customizing offers, responding to customer issues, and so forth. All this is made possible since big data allows restaurants to access useful info such as purchase histories, orders on a cart, comments on social platforms, real-time road traffic, etc.
Food Delivery Using Parachutes, Robots, and Drones
As delivery companies compete to dominate the ever-growing food delivery industry, big players are now implementing modern methods such as drones and robots. Zomato, for instance, tested their drone in 2019. It could cover 5 km in 10 minutes, hence, cutting down the current average delivery time by almost half.
Other companies are investing in robots that use GPS, cameras, and sensors to get food to the customer fast. Since a robot can quickly determine the best route to use, it can avoid factors that often slow down regular delivery, such as traffic, cyclists, people, etc. Just Eat, for example, has a delivery robot that can go at a speed of 4 miles/ hour.
Parachutes is another modern-day delivery channel that we are already experiencing. Parachutes help avoid traffic snarl-ups and time wastage caused by traffic lights. In 2016, Domino’s delivered pizza in under five minutes using a parachute. These three delivery channels will most likely become commonplace in 2020 and beyond.
Customers Ordering Delivery Through Cryptocurrency
Expect blockchain and cryptocurrency to shake up things in the food delivery industry in 2020. If you are looking at how to make a food delivery app, offering a variety of payment methods, including cryptocurrency, should be a top priority. A few food delivery services already started accepting crypto way back in 2017.
Today, the number of platforms that offer takeaway services are accepting digital cash in exchange for food delivery is growing. A good example is the Pizzaforcoins delivery portal, where people can order pizza from different eateries in California, including Dominos and Pizza hut, and pay through bitcoins or any other supported cryptocurrency. Takeaway.com, among other delivery services, has also started supporting crypto-payment options.
Delivery Services for Specific Markets
We are also seeing food delivery services that target a specific group of people, niches, or demands. For example, there are food delivery companies that only deal with vegan food. This trend is especially crucial for startups, as it helps wade off competition. New niches that are becoming popular in the industry include pet food, virtual kitchens, healthy smoothies, farm-grown ingredients, etc.
Putting It All Together
If you are in this fast-growing industry of food delivery, you need to keep up with the trends to survive and thrive. And since there are more options today than there were a few years back, customers are now picky and more demanding. If you want to make them happy, you must implement ways to make delivery faster and more convenient for your customers.