As UK restaurants have been forced to close by the Government, and with more families at home due to the outbreak of COVID-19, restaurants across the UK are turning to delivery as a way to sustain their businesses and keep serving customers.
Deliveroo has seen almost 3,000 new UK restaurants join the platform in the past month, meaning more restaurants will be able to extend their sales through delivery. The food delivery business has also launched a new campaign #HereToDeliver to support the restaurant sector.
As restaurants have closed to dine-in custom, families will continue to be able to enjoy a wide range of restaurant food as more restaurants seek to serve families in their homes through delivery.
Restaurants turning to delivery on Deliveroo include large chains, local family favourites, high-end Michelin starred-restaurants, as well as takeaways. The majority of which did not perform delivery services until now.
Deliveroo is the market leader in delivery-only kitchens, having launched the first such kitchen in the UK in 2016 as part of its ‘Editions’ programme. Deliveroo operates more than 100 kitchens across 16 sites in the UK.
The company is now using this expertise to help guide restaurants as they make the transition from dine-in to delivery-only outlets during the period of the pandemic.
Deliveroo is the only platform, for example, to publish detailed guidance on how restaurants can run delivery-only outlets safely, covering issues such as how to minimise contact, packaging and hygiene best practice. Deliveroo has extensive expertise in this area which it will share with restaurants across the UK.
Responding to the needs of the restaurant sector at this challenging time, Deliveroo has also:
· Developed bespoke online marketing support for restaurants to let customers know they are operating delivery services
· Established teams of people across the business to recruit and support restaurants who want to be able to deliver food
· Dropped onboarding fees for new restaurants
· Developed an app to introduce ‘contact-free delivery’ so that restaurants can give confidence to consumers that delivery is conducted safely
· Shared expert advice and guidance on how to operate safely during the outbreak
· Campaigned for more support for restaurants from government
Will Shu, CEO and Founder, Deliveroo, said, “We are here to deliver for restaurants who want to carry on offering their amazing food to families at home during this difficult time. We are working with restaurants to optimise their operations for delivery, and we are doing everything we can to make sure people still have access to the food they want and need.”