A KEY FEATURE OF the foodservice ‘new normal’ is the way customer expectations have shifted – especially when it comes to placing orders. Minimising unnecessary contact is a key focus for many consumers right now, hence the new emphasis on providing multiple ways to place orders other than in-person. The more options you can give your customers in this area, the better for your business. How many of these does your business offer?

ORDERS VIA YOUR WEBSITE

If your business offers both dine-in and takeaway/delivery, it’s important to differentiate the dine-in from the takeaway/delivery menu on your website, especially when there are major differences in what’s on offer and pricing. But remember most people these days use their phone screens to check out restaurants, so your website needs to be mobile-responsive. An old-fashioned PDF of your menu will be very hard to read on a phone screen.

THIRD PARTY ONLINE ORDER PLATFORMS

These are the established players in the market, like Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Door Dash and are all built primarily around home delivery. The key benefit is the ability to generate additional revenue from this channel without needing to set up your own fleet of delivery drivers. Orders can be sent directly to your computer/mobile device and printed out, making the whole process simple. A potential downside is the relatively high cost of commissions (up to 35 per cent of the price per meal in some cases). On the other hand, they are very popular with consumers and it’s easy to get started. But the fact that you don’t have control of the delivery process can be a problem – especially when the customer complains about food arriving late or in poor condition.

INTEGRATED ONLINE ORDER APPS

This latest innovation in order taking has really taken off over the past few months: smartphone order apps which integrate within your website/POS system to provide a seamless ordering experience for customers. By allowing customers to order in advance (for dine-in as well as takeaway/delivery), you can minimise queueing, cut down wait times and better prioritise food orders. The cost of utilising these apps is usually much less than that of the third party platforms above and they also allow you to capture and retain your own customer data which you can then use for marketing.

Popular local players in this space include Bopple, Hungry Hungry, OrderUp!, MrYum, NextOrder, TableTime and NowBookIt.

DIRTY VEGAN
This variation of the plant-based diet utilises plant-based proteins which mimic the flavours and textures of processed meats. Plant-based pepperoni is already making inroads as a pizza topping.

Advice
Optimising your instore workflow for effective home delivery

HOME DELIVERY has long been a key sales channel for Aussie foodservice operators selling pizza and pasta. And with this year shining a spotlight on its profit potential, competition is set to be fiercer than ever. Which is why it’s a good idea to review your instore workflow and make sure it’s optimised for effective home delivery. If you put these three easy tips in place it will have a beneficial effect upon your workflow.

PREP/COOK AREA FOR HOME DELIVERY ORDERS

For most restaurants, you’ll likely have to cook the food in the same oven and kitchen as dine-in orders – however you should strive to create a dedicated area for prepping delivery orders.

Your team can use this space to check the order when it comes out of the oven and package it, so this is where you should store your pizza boxes, thermal delivery bags, pre-packaged sides and condiments, napkins etc. 

HANDOVER AREA FOR DELIVERY DRIVERS

Designate an area where delivery drivers pick up the orders. It’s also a good idea to dedicate at least one person per shift to act as a liaison between delivery drivers and kitchen staff. Their responsibilities should include receiving orders, preparing food for delivery handoff, and acting as a point of contact in the event of any delivery concerns or problems which arise. They should also check all orders carefully as the number one reported problem with home delivery is missing or incorrect items. 

PREP WHAT YOU CAN IN ADVANCE

Before each work shift starts, make sure you’ve done all you can to expedite the order completion process by pre-packaging sides, sauces and other add-ons and by organising your prep area so packaging, receipts and delivery bags are easily accessible and ready to hand. Spending a bit more to ensure good quality packaging will save you money in the long run by preventing damage in transit and keeping items fresher for longer.

REVIEW YOUR WORKFLOW TO ENSURE EFFECTIVENESS

Compare with our sample workflow to ensure you have as many of the following bullet points covered as possible:

• Order is received via integrated POS system to the kitchen / home delivery service area. 

• Delivery liaison team member reviews order and places it in the designated prep area.

• Order is prepared and cooked.

• Delivery liaison team member takes food from the kitchen to the designated handover area.

• Delivery liaison team member checks each component of the order and marks off on order receipt.

• Team member packages the order and staples order receipt to packaging.

• Order is kept in designated pickup area and handed over to delivery driver upon arrival.

Perfect Solutions
Pairing wine with Pizza and Pasta - What you should know

WITH TV PROGRAMS like Masterchef encouraging customers to take an active interest in food and wine matching, it’s a good idea to make sure your wait staff are able to advise diners as to which styles of wines will best complement their menu choices. So we asked sommelier and wine consultant Christian Maier to share some general guidelines in choosing wines to accompany pizza, pasta and Italian style cuisine.

“The most important rule is that your customers should choose a wine they like to drink to go with food they like to eat!” Christian tells us. “In that respect, it really doesn’t matter whether they go together. But by matching food with wine you can increase the customer’s enjoyment of the meal. A pizza paired with a light sangiovese will have more synergy than a pizza with a chardonnay – even if chardonnay happens to be the customer’s favourite wine. Another important aspect to remember is the wine cleanses the palate and sets you up for the next course of the meal.”

Christian points out that pizza, pasta and Italian cuisine in general makes liberal use of tomato, which has a fair degree of acidity and umami. Many Italian style wines – that is to say, light to medium bodied red wines – have an affinity with it, which is not surprising as the cuisine and the winemaker’s art developed together.

He cites as examples the aforementioned light sangiovese, a valpolicella or some relaxed pinot noir, advising to keep away from more complex wines like chianti. “Australian winemakers are really embracing the light to medium bodied reds now, so there are plenty to choose from. Grenache is another good choice because it is medium bodied with an approachable palate.” 

As a general rule, Christian says to look for red wines with good acidity and a soft, raw, fruity character. Avoid wine with too many tannins or structural complexity. “Italian cuisine is very simple with a lot of refreshing notes, good acidity and simple proteins like veal, salami and prosciutto, so in wine you want good acidity and a round, fruity body that will complement. If you think about it, pizza is a casual as opposed to formal meal – so you want a relaxed wine to go with relaxed food.”

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