Dive Brief:

• Nearly half of consumers (45%) say they are now dependent on food delivery, according to a report emailed to Restaurant Dive from mobile training platform eduMe. Forty percent of Americans order delivery at least once a month, while 13% order between two and six times a week. 
• Inaccurate delivery orders are a pain point for these consumers, however, with 63% reporting at least one incorrect food delivery order since 2021. For incorrect, late or missing food delivery items, 66% of consumers blame the restaurant.
• Delivery errors pose risks to reputation and revenue for restaurants. Twenty-four percent of consumers have requested a refund for inaccurate orders, while 20% say they wouldn’t order from the restaurant again.

Dive Insight:

Although most consumers are likely to blame restaurants for food delivery errors, third-party delivery services aren’t immune, either. Nearly 20% of consumers have told friends and family not to use a food delivery service after receiving an inaccurate order.

The eduMe report suggests lackluster delivery experiences can erode loyalty in the foodservice delivery space. Over 60% of U.S. consumers use multiple foodservice delivery companies monthly, and another 20% use at least four. Among that will drive diners to complain to customer service, request a refund or reduce a tip include items delivered in poor condition (57%); damaged packaging (34%); drivers with a poor attitude (31%); and poor communication from the driver (23%).

Delivery companies like Uber Eats will remove drivers from the platform if they have a low satisfaction rating. Restaurants, however, may have a harder time recovering from a bad delivery experience. The report noted that 17% of consumers posted a negative review of a restaurant linked with a poor delivery experience on a review site. Such reviews could have far-reaching consequences, as one study found that a few negative reviews can determine how many reviews a restaurant receives in the long term. Further, 94% of consumers say they have avoided a business because of a negative online review.

As consumers dependence on delivery grows, the risk of losing business also proliferates. Customers expect restaurants delivery to be an extension of traditional dine-in business.

“Customer satisfaction and loyalty will live and die with the experiences provided by restaurant and food delivery workers," eduMe CEO Jacob Waern said in a statement. "It’s imperative for employers to understand this change in expectations, and, in turn, equip their workers with everything they need to provide a positive experience for the customer.”