Food ordering is essential part of our lifestyle and creating customer-centric digital experiences is critical. A majority of Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) are listed in popular food aggregator apps, which consumers find to be convenient.
While aggregator platforms offer an attractive proposition by expanding your restaurant’s reach without upfront investments, they introduce significant challenges that can undermine your brand’s long-term success. This dependency creates an “Amazon-like problem,” where retailers become over-reliant on third-party digital infrastructures that dilute their control over customer relationships and brand identity.
Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) typically operate on thin margins. The commissions charged by third-party delivery services can place additional financial burden on fast-food chains already navigating tight profit margins.
Another emerging challenge is the shift toward subscription models within these platforms. Aggregators offer customers with perks such as reduced service charges, free delivery, or exclusive promotions through paid subscriptions. While attractive to consumers, these programs further establish the aggregators’ position as intermediaries. In this context, QSR brands should strongly consider building a custom food delivery app.
Benefits of a custom food delivery app
Creating your own online food delivery app, like McDonald’s or Starbucks, can significantly elevate your QSR brand beyond the constraints of third-party aggregators. It directly connects to your customers and enhances operational efficiency and profitability.
Building a dedicated online food delivery app offers many advantages:
- Digital ordering attracts more customers who appreciate the convenience and speed.
- Reduces wait times by enabling customers to order ahead, easing drive-thru and counter congestion.
- Streamlines kitchen operations with orders in advance, allowing staff to prepare efficiently.
- Offers contactless pickup or delivery, enhancing safety and meeting modern expectations.
- Boosts customer engagement with loyalty programs and personalized promotions.
- Increases profits by eliminating third-party fees and keeping more revenue in-house.
While the benefits of a dedicated digital delivery app are evident, the challenge lies in developing and implementing such a platform. Many QSRs excel in crafting quick and delicious meals but may lack the technical expertise to build and maintain a sophisticated app across iOS and Android platforms. To overcome this hurdle, partnering with the ‘Experience Engineering Company’ like Robosoft can be a strategic move.
Integrating food aggregators within your app: recipe for profitability
You don’t have to choose between food aggregators or developing your own online delivery platform. Combining both can offer a strategic advantage. By integrating services like DoorDash and Uber Eats into your proprietary app or website, you gain full control over the customer ordering experience and inventory management while leveraging the broad reach of these platforms.
This integrated approach also empowers QSR managers with valuable data analytics. By consolidating information from multiple delivery platforms, you can track peak order times, average wait durations, popular menu items, and customer preferences. These insights enable you to optimize inventory management, reduce food waste, maintain optimal stock levels during high-demand periods, and introduce dynamic pricing and loyalty programs.
Leveraging data from both food aggregators and your own platform allows a deeper understanding of customer behavior. Moreover, analyzing trends and feedback helps refine your offerings and continuously improve your service and menu. Utilizing the strengths of both technologies within a unified system enhances operational efficiency, expands your market reach, and strengthens customer relationships—all while maintaining control over your brand and customer data.
Key Takeaways
- Digital ordering attracts more customers who appreciate the convenience and speed.
- Reduces wait times by enabling customers to order ahead, easing drive-thru and counter congestion.
- Streamlines kitchen operations with orders in advance, allowing staff to prepare efficiently.
- Offers contactless pickup or delivery, enhancing safety and meeting modern expectations.
- Boosts customer engagement with loyalty programs and personalized promotions.
- Increases profits by eliminating third-party fees and keeping more revenue in-house.
Learn more about our retail and consumer services here. Our ‘Design Labs’ team crafts personalized, intuitive digital experiences that evoke emotions and enable frictionless ordering.
