Restaurant Delivery Service

Delivery Food from Multiple Locations

Restaurant Delivery Service.

When I went off to technical school after graduating high school, I was car-less. Neither me, nor my roommate, owned a vehicle, and we had to rely on public transportation to get around.



Normally, this wasn't that big of a deal, but the buses stopped running early every night, and invariably we would want something to eat later in the evening.

Now, if we owned a car, we could have just gone out to get something to eat, or gone to the grocery store to buy food. We were young, and planning ahead to accommodate grocery shopping was just not in our chemical makeup.

That left the option of food delivery.

Most places that delivered were pizza joints, and after a while, pizza gets very boring.

But there was a unique business in our community that offered restaurant delivery service.

Customers could choose from a couple dozen regular restaurants that did not offer restaurant delivery service, and this independent business would pick the order up and deliver it to the customer's home.

There would be a service fee to have the food delivered, and an additional fee if you wanted food from more than one restaurant.

Then, of course, you would need to tip the delivery driver.

All in all, for hungry, car-less college students, the restaurant delivery service was terrific!

Ironically, our favorite restaurant to order from was an ice cream parlor that make killer banana splits. Yes, we were able to order ice cream delivered!

Since my technical school days, I've often taken advantage of these types of delivery services when I was traveling. Finding a flier in a hotel lobby or finding a restaurant delivery service in an online search has made dinner much easier when our family has been tired from travel.

Who would pay for a restaurant delivery service?

--College students
--Busy professionals
--Businesses (think lunch)
--Homebound Persons
--Elderly
--Those without cars
--Tourists

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What You Need

You don't need a whole lot of physical supplies to start a restaurant delivery service. Most of your costs will be associated with advertising.

You'll need a reliable vehicle, and some food service transportation containers. Get something that will keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

You'll want to select a delivery area near your home as well as a selection of restaurants in your area. Don't be afraid to contact the restaurant owners and ask for a discount on some of their menu items in exchange for promoting their business through your service.

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What to Charge

If you are able to negotiate better prices on menu items at various restaurants, then your discount becomes part of your profit. In addition, charge a service fee.

This service fee can be a percentage of the cost of the meal or a flat rate fee. You should also charge extra for going to more than one restaurant, and have a minimum order amount. You may even charge a mandatory 20% tip as part of your fees.

College towns and tourist areas can get away with charging a larger fee than smaller towns. Make sure your fees cover your time and gas mileage as well as providing you with a profit.

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Promote Your Business

Make sure you invest in business cards to promote your business. You can find them inexpensively at VistaPrint .




You'll also want to print out fliers advertising your services. Include how much your service costs, and a list of restaurants you do business with. You do not have to offer the full menu from any given restaurant; you can offer only those items you have negotiated a discount for.

These fliers should be placed at the following types of locations:

--College Housing
--Apartment Complexes
--Hotels
--Businesses

Website
If you are serious about starting a restaurant delivery service, you will probably want to invest your time into creating a website so that customers can find you.

You can list all of the various restaurants you deliver from, as well as their menu, on your site, and may even decide to have customers order directly online.

Find Out How to Start a Website Here


The nice part about this business is that for the most part, as a stay at home mom, you could bring your children with you. If your business grows, you could hire employees and expand.


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