Deliveroo, the leading food-delivery company, has today announced ‘Table service’, a new feature to help restaurants reopen safely and boost the sector’s recovery, as part of a package of new support measures.
The new in-app function will be available from 15 July and enables customers to browse the menu, order and pay at a restaurant via the Deliveroo app, making it easier for customers to visit and eat in at restaurants while maintaining social distancing. Restaurants face extreme financial pressures as a result of the crisis, with many fearful of not being able to sustain their business.
A recent Deliveroo survey, conducted during lockdown, showed that 42% of independent restaurants say they could go out of business within the next 3 months. All orders placed through Table Service will therefore be charged at 0% commission to restaurant partners, encouraging widespread adoption and supporting the hospitality sector financially during this difficult period.
This is an important safety feature to give consumers confidence they can return to restaurants safely, and for restaurant staff, who will be able to work while minimising in-person contact. Deliveroo is the first major UK delivery platform to roll out the feature, unlocking this service for millions of customers.
This announcement follows Government guidance which encourages restaurants to use contactless ordering from tables through apps. Deliveroo’s new feature is not only available to restaurants, but also bars, cafes and pubs - any outlet that offers table service to customers.
This represents a significant evolution of the Deliveroo platform. Initially offering only delivery via its riders, in June 2018 Deliveroo launched Marketplace+, enabling restaurants to fulfil orders using their own riders.
In November 2019, the company launched ‘Pickup’, a new click and collect service. Now, Table service is the first time a major UK platform has developed a feature to support restaurants’ dine-in services, further increasing the range of choice available to customers and increasing orders and revenue for restaurants. This is another step towards Deliveroo becoming the definitive food company.
This is part of a wider package of measures Deliveroo is launching. Further measures will be launched shortly, but today Deliveroo is announcing:
Free signage for small restaurant
To help small restaurant partners enforce social distancing Deliveroo is offering 25,000 items of in-restaurant signage completely free to 5,000 small restaurants. Signage includes floor stickers, so customers know to keep a safe distance when they are inside, queuing polls, anti-bacterial pumps, hand washing signs and bag seal stickers.
0% commission for Table service and Pickup
Orders placed through the Table service feature will be available to restaurants at 0% commission. For restaurants that adopt Table Service and also offer Pick Up, Deliveroo is also offering the Pickup service at 0% commission for a 3-month period. This will encourage restaurants to adopt these measures, enabling them to increase sales while also saving on commission.
PPE at cost price for restaurant staff
Deliveroo will also be making PPE available for restaurant staff at cost price, which will be available on Deliveroo’s packaging store. Items will include masks, hand sanitisers and disposable gloves.
Will Shu, CEO, Deliveroo said, “Thousands of our restaurant partners stayed open during the lockdown to deliver for the NHS and the vulnerable. It is now time for the government, consumers, and for Deliveroo to deliver for our restaurants, helping them to survive on the high-street as they reopen for dine-in customers.
'Deliveroo wants to play a significant role in helping restaurants adopt tech-led solutions to reopen safely, especially smaller partners who otherwise would be unable to develop the technology and face huge financial burdens due to COVID-19. We are committed to developing a wide package of support measures to help the sector’s economic recovery.'
Julian Metcalfe, CEO & Founder of Itsu, said, “Itsu supports Deliveroo’s latest technology innovation which allows dine in customers to order, pay and be served safely. This new service is important for all restaurants, especially during a time when the safety of customers and team members could not be of more importance.”