Here's How to Increase Restaurant Delivery Sales, Practically

Here's How to Increase Restaurant Delivery Sales, Practically

The popularity of online ordering and delivery apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash keeps growing. But does that mean restaurants (especially independently owned ones) can afford to ignore, or even abandon, phone orders?

In a word, “Heck no!”

Giving customers the option to order food by phone remains crucial for small, independent restaurants. This is especially true for those without the means to offer ordering through in-house or third-party platforms.

What’s more, 70% of consumers say they’d rather order directly from a restaurant, preferring that their money goes straight to the restaurant and not a third party. 

So it’s worth repeating: Restaurant owners should be looking at how to increase restaurant delivery sales, especially for all of those customers who prefer dialing up when it’s time to dine in.

That’s why we’ve compiled 10 high-quality tips for doing exactly that.

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But first: A note on our Tarro tip criteria for this article

In our experience, not all good restaurant industry tips are good for restaurant owners. 

This is especially true because of the unique challenges owners face when looking for ways to increase restaurant food delivery sales:

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Resource limitations

• Time constraints: Restaurant owners (independent owners in particular) often wear many hats, handling everything from cooking to marketing. They have limited time to dedicate to new initiatives, so any suggested tip must deliver substantial benefits relative to the time invested.
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• Staffing issues: Many small restaurants operate with a lean staff. Implementing new strategies or changes can strain already limited human resources, so the benefits must justify the additional workload.

Financial considerations

• Tight budgets: Independent restaurants typically operate on thin margins. Any additional work or investment must have a clear and significant return on investment (ROI) to be feasible.
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• Risk management: Financial risks can be more daunting for small businesses. Owners are cautious about investments and changes that do not have a guaranteed payoff.

The need for efficiency

• Simplification of processes: The complexity of new processes or strategies can disrupt the workflow. Tips that simplify operations or integrate seamlessly into existing practices are more likely to be adopted and successful.
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• Minimized disruption: Changes that cause minimal disruption to daily operations are preferable. The smoother the transition, the more likely owners will see the benefits without significant downtime or confusion.

The need for immediate impact

• Quick wins: Restaurant owners need to see quick, tangible results from any new initiative to stay motivated and justify the effort. Strategies that show immediate improvements in sales or customer satisfaction are more appealing.
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• Scalability: Suggestions should be scalable. If a strategy works well on a small scale, it should be easy to expand without proportional increases in effort or cost.

Competition

• Staying competitive: Independent restaurant owners need to keep up with industry trends to stay competitive. Tips that offer significant benefits help them compete with larger chains that have more resources.
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• Customer expectations: Meeting and exceeding customer expectations is critical. Tips that significantly improve customer experience can help build a loyal customer base and drive repeat business.

Many (many) sources of stress

• Stress management: Running an independent restaurant is inherently stressful. Strategies that are low-effort and high-reward help reduce the overall stress and workload on the owner and their staff.
• Sustainability: Tips that contribute to long-term sustainability of the business without adding significant ongoing burdens are highly valuable.

Because of these challenges, we’re providing only those tips with potential benefits that outweigh any downsides of the additional work required to get them cooking.

And when restaurant owners focus on strategies like these that deliver significant returns with minimal effort, they’re more likely to sustain any changes made—leading to improved sales and customer satisfaction as well as the desired boost in restaurant delivery sales.

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10 high-quality tips for increasing restaurant delivery sales

1. Keep your menu up to date

Want to know one straightforward way for restaurant owners to increase their restaurant delivery sales? Make sure your menu’s up to date. The fastest way to frustrate a customer is to tell them what they’ve called to order actually isn't available. Or that the pricing of a desired menu item is way off.

2. Optimize your online presence

If you’re already using delivery enablement platforms or services, make sure your restaurant’s website is mobile-friendly. This is crucial, because customers are more likely to convert (that is, order delivery or takeout) on a mobile-friendly website. And over half (!) of phone users will not recommend a business to friends and family if they feel its website is poorly designed.

This means your restaurant website should be easy to use on both desktop and mobile phones—offering clear photos of dishes, an easy-to-navigate menu, and all vital information (e.g., your phone number) clearly visible at the right place and at the right time.

The initial setup does take a bit of work. But, aside from keeping things up to date as mentioned above, efforts here pale in comparison to the potential influx of new customers and increased orders online optimization can produce.

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3. Dedicate part of your menu for delivery service and takeout

As part of keeping your menu fresh, identify dishes that travel especially well and make sure to either highlight them or create a separate menu specifically for those items.

Once established, a specialized delivery menu requires minimal adjustments and optimizations. It’s also a practical way to improve the quality of food delivered from your restaurant and increase positive reviews of specific items.

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4. Use a clear “order now” call-to-action

While reviewing and optimizing any online menu, ensure you’re making it easy for your customers to place their orders. Namely, any “order now” buttons need to be both clear and prominent on your website and relevant social media pages.

This should be simple to do for web designers, not to mention modern website builders and social platforms. Additionally, this functionality helps you capture customers at different touchpoints, maximizing the opportunities for orders.

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5. Offer loyalty program rewards and promotions

The benefits of some aspects of restaurant marketing definitely outweigh the work that goes into them—loyalty program rewards and promotions being two such opportunities.

Simple loyalty programs or the occasional discount on delivery orders encourage repeat business and increase restaurant delivery sales overall.

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6. Highlight upsell opportunities

With the right training, staff can boost sales through upselling and add-ons when taking delivery orders. Staff who are empowered to suggest popular add-ons or combo deals in the moment can also tailor these upsell opportunities to customer needs and preferences.

This approach not only boosts immediate revenue but can also improve customer satisfaction by offering a more rewarding delivery experience. For those owners considering a voice ordering service to boost profits and operational efficiency, this tip serves as a reminder—make sure the agents working for any service you’re considering are specifically trained to be experts at upselling!

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7. Leverage your customer reviews and feedback

Make it a habit to display positive reviews prominently on your ordering platform and social media. Encouraging satisfied customers to leave reviews can be integrated into the delivery process via follow-up emails or SMS, often automated by platforms like Google and Yelp.

Doing so builds trust and attracts new customers, which can enhance your restaurant’s reputation. Even better, automating review requests and showcasing positive feedback requires minimal effort while helping to boost credibility and customer acquisition.

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8. Keep connected via email marketing and SMS marketing

Collect customer information, as able, to send targeted promotions and updates. This straightforward marketing strategy can become a simple yet impactful way of keeping your restaurant top of mind while driving repeat delivery orders.

Automating this strategy using commonly available email marketing tools and customer relationship management (CRM) systems helps keep things simple once set up.

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9. Offer convenient payment options

If you don’t already offer them, thoroughly weigh the potential costs, technical aspects, and security challenges of accepting a wide range of payment methods, including contactless payments.

Most modern POS systems and delivery platforms support multiple payment methods out of the box, so it’s typically a straightforward matter of enabling these options. And providing a seamless and convenient ordering experience for all customers encourages more orders and can boost delivery sales.

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10. Double-down on excellent customer delivery service

Finally, it has to be said: Make the effort and investment needed to specifically train staff to handle delivery issues promptly and professionally.

No matter how on top of things you are as an owner, crud happens in the restaurant business. So, good customer service training for employees should emphasize positive attitudes and prioritizing customer needs. Include clear procedures for handling common issues, which can be addressed in brief, focused sessions.

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When you’re ready to take these tips to the next level, think Tarro...

Okay, so implementing these tips can significantly boost your restaurant’s delivery sales, it’s true. But managing them all can still be overwhelming. That’s where Tarro comes in. Tarro’s solutions streamline many of these processes, making it easier for you to focus on what you do best—creating delicious food and providing excellent customer service.

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When you’re ready to take these tips to the next level, take a moment to review our solutions overview page. Discover the tools and services designed to take the heavy lifting off your shoulders and enhance your delivery operations. 

Visit Tarro's solutions overview page today to learn more!