3 Types of Delivery: What’s The Best Fit For Your Pizzeria

The tantalizing aroma of freshly baked pizza wafts through the air, and your customers’ mouths water as they eagerly anticipate their favorite pie. But how do you get that piping hot pizza from your pizzeria to their doorstep? That’s where the world of pizza delivery comes into play. In this blog, we’ll explore the three primary types of pizza delivery services and help you decide which one might be the best fit for your pizzeria.

1. Third-Party Delivery Services:

Third-party delivery services like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and GrubHub have revolutionized the pizza delivery game. These platforms connect your pizzeria to a vast network of hungry customers, offering convenience and reach that’s hard to match. 

Here’s why you might opt for this delivery method:

Reach: Third-party platforms have extensive customer bases, which means instant access to a broader audience. Many customers nowadays will only use their favorite food delivery service for ordering dinner. The reach these platforms can offer to your restaurant is massive. It’s not just about delivering your pizzas, it’s also about getting eyes on your business. 

Delivery Infrastructure: You don’t need to worry about hiring, managing, or paying drivers. The third-party takes care of this for you. Convenience can be incredibly valuable to a business owner such as yourself.

Marketing: These platforms often promote your pizzeria through their apps, potentially bringing in new customers. 

However, there are some drawbacks to consider:

Fees: Third-party services charge fees, sometimes significant ones. These can eat into your profit margins. Although these fees can be steep, you have to look at the entire value you receive in marketing and reaching new customers.

Loss of Control: You may have limited control over the delivery process, including how your pizza is handled during transit. You may have to deal with angry customers who are mad about something out of your control.

2. Self-Delivery:

You’ve got our own wheels! Self-delivery involves hiring your own team of delivery drivers. While it requires more effort and management, it offers unique advantages:

Quality Control: You have complete control over the delivery process, ensuring your pizza arrives hot and fresh. You get all the credit for quick pizza delivery times. 

Customer Experience: You can provide personalized service, building relationships with your loyal customers. There’s something that feels more unique when your food is delivered by the restaurant rather than through a third-party company. 

Cost Control: You avoid those hefty third-party fees, which can increase your profitability. All that extra moolah goes to you and not Silicon Valley.

However, self-delivery also comes with challenges:

Expense: Hiring and maintaining a delivery team can be costly. If your delivery demand doesn’t warrant hiring drivers, those labor hours can be expensive and still affect your profits.

Logistics: Managing a fleet of drivers can be complex, requiring systems for order tracking, scheduling, and routing. Luckily, if you use Adora POS, we have advanced technology to do all of this for you. Utilizing Adora POS can be a considerable time and stress saver.

3. Hybrid Model:

The best of both worlds! Some pizzerias adopt a hybrid approach, combining self-delivery with third-party services. This approach allows you to:

Extend Your Reach: Utilize third-party services to reach more customers while maintaining control over key deliveries. You can still receive orders through third-party companies while using your own drivers for orders through your website.

Cost Savings: Reduce staffing costs by handling select deliveries in-house. You can do close-by deliveries only and let DoorDash take the far-away deliveries.

However, you’ll need to manage the logistics and costs carefully to make this hybrid model work effectively. There is still a delicate balance to run the hybrid delivery method, although you can customize it to fit your needs better.

Which Is Right for Your Pizzeria?

The ideal delivery method depends on various factors, including location, target audience, budget, and resources. Here are some tips to help you decide:

Market Research: Analyze your local market and competition. What delivery methods are they using? 

Cost Analysis: Calculate the expenses associated with each method, including third-party fees, driver wages, and delivery infrastructure. Don’t be afraid to try different methods and see what works best for your pizzeria.

Customer Preferences: Consider your customer base. Are they more likely to use third-party apps or appreciate personalized service?

Delivery Volume: Evaluate your delivery volume. A high volume might justify an in-house delivery team.

Ultimately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The best delivery method for your pizzeria is the one that aligns with your goals, budget, and customer expectations. Whatever route you choose, remember that delivering delicious pizza to your customers’ doors is a slice of happiness that keeps them returning for more. If you’d like to learn more about how Adora can help you build a customized delivery process in your restaurant schedule a demo with us.