What your RDS can learn from your restaurant clients about surviving tough times.
The restaurant industry has gotten considerable praise for its resilience during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Restaurants all around the world found creative ways to generate revenue and stay in business. While not every restaurant survived, many defied the odds and are now thriving.
With the pandemic in the rearview mirror, we have the opportunity to reflect on what these restaurants did right. More importantly, we can take those lessons and apply them to the restaurant delivery business.
While many factors contributed to the resilience of restaurants, here are three of the big ones:
Endurance.
The COVID-19 pandemic was long. It wasn’t until May of 2023 that it stopped being classified as a public health emergency. Many restaurant operators have stated that their businesses still aren’t entirely back to normal. And yet… their restaurants are still operating.
These businesses succeeded because their operators and leaders were willing to endure a long period of uncertainty. They were prepared to stick it out and find ways to keep the doors open when the going got tough. And that endurance paid off. Nearly half of restaurant decision makers have reported that “the pandemic had a positive impact on their restaurant’s financial situation.” Given how bleak the future of the industry felt in 2020, that is a ringing endorsement of the power of endurance.
Your RDS can reap the benefits of endurance too. You can build your strategy around long-term success, rather than flash-in-the-pan trends. This means building trusted relationships with both restaurants and customers over time. It also means investing in long-term employees. Making decisions with your long-term goals in mind can make your RDS far more resilient.
Strategic novelty.
For months, restaurants couldn’t host diners in house—or they could only accept a fraction of what their space could accommodate. Many restaurants quickly pivoted to the next-best option: carryout and delivery. Needless to say, this was incredibly successful for many restaurants. But many establishments didn’t stop there. They found other ways to bring in new revenue with brand-new offerings.
One great example is to-go cocktails. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, a to-go cocktail, secured via pickup or delivery, was unheard of. These drinks weren’t placed in sealed containers, so having them in a vehicle was illegal. But many states made to-go cocktails legal on a temporary basis, and restaurants made a lot of money off them.
In fact, to-go cocktails have been so successful and so popular that, in many states, they’re here to stay. Over twenty states have legalized to-go cocktails, as long as they are ordered with food.
The lesson here is to build resilience by leveraging new offerings. Many restaurants kept themselves afloat with additional revenue from selling to-go cocktails. How can your RDS copy this strategy? What else can you deliver? Groceries? Flowers? Be creative—and pay attention to what earns money. Boosting your profitability is key to long-term resilience.
Better technology.
One of the most important ways restaurants build resilience is by embracing new technology that makes their business better. Many scrambled to buy and learn online ordering tools when the pandemic rendered in-house dining impossible. The sooner they mastered the technology, the sooner they could bring in revenue that way.
Today, many restaurants are investing in point-of-sale (POS) systems designed for better productivity. They’re also using cloud-based systems to streamline and automate their operations. In short, better technology platforms are translating to better business and greater resilience for restaurants.
Your RDS can leverage the power of technology as well. One fantastic option is DataDreamers, a leading restaurant delivery service software. DataDreamers uses artificial intelligence (AI) to calculate delivery routes and estimate timelines, for better planning and happy customers. DataDreamers also offers integrated payment processing, custom reporting, and other features for better business. Even the dashboard is designed for maximum efficiency, so you can move fast without missing a step.
DataDreamers was designed by experienced food delivery professionals who understand what RDS businesses need. Our goal is to give you the tools to ensure a long future for your RDS. With DataDreamers technology, your RDS can match the resilience of the restaurant industry and keep your customers happy for a long, long time.
To see DataDreamers in action, request a demo >