Uber Eats is one of the world’s most competitive food delivery apps, where customers have hundreds of restaurants to choose from. In this article, we’re going to explore how to get more Uber Eats orders, win new customers, and even build a loyal customer base.
How Stacked Is Uber Eats?
If you’re a new restaurant owner, you might be wondering how difficult it’s going to be to make sales on Uber Eats. Well, Uber Eats is the second most downloaded app in the US and the most downloaded outside of China. The competition is fierce.
That said, Uber Eats is too big to ignore, especially for new restaurants. If you want to increase sales, there’s no getting around it; at first, you’re going to have to sacrifice a few dollars on each order. And you’re probably going to have to use multiple other apps while at it.
The worst thing you can do, however, is to become completely dependent on Uber Eats. Even though you will be forced to use the app, make sure to build your own restaurant website and promote it like your life depends on it.
Delivery platforms like Uber Eats will take advantage of your inaction, taking some 30% in commissions on each order. Now put that into a yearly perspective and see how you like losing that much revenue.
Use multiple apps and their delivery services, but make sure to build your own brand so that you can sell as much as you can on your own terms.
Let’s explore the key steps you can take today to make Uber Eats work for you.
Tip 1. Make Your Menu Extra Clean
Clear, beautiful images, concise descriptions, intuitive ordering process. What can we say? The last thing you want your customers to do is to wonder what the meal they’re about to order is actually like. Let’s take a closer look at your online menu.
Here’s some homework: go through the most successful competitors in your area and see what their menus look like. Take notes and see what you can improve on. Want more? Check out the big fish, like McDonald’s or Chipotle. See how they do things and learn from them.
Tip 2. Make Your Images Extra Yummy
Why do people browse apps like Uber Eats? Yes, because they’re hungry. But also because they’re bored or sad and want to treat themselves to something delicious. That’s where high-quality pictures of your food can give you the edge.
Don’t worry, you’re not going to have to buy a professional camera. Your iPhone is more than capable of taking high-resolution photos. It’s all about lighting and composition. Also, consider hiring a professional photographer who knows how to make your food look extra juicy.
Tip 3. Promotions and Discounts
Promotions and discounts on Uber Eats are special offers like introductory discounts for first-time customers, combo deals, time-limited offers, loyalty rewards, and seasonal specials. They’re all designed to entice users to order more frequently and try new items. And as a new restaurant owner, you should be taking advantage of them.
Run promotions, offer discounts, do whatever you can to attract new customers and encourage repeat business. Your goal is to gain traction, so even if your profit margins aren’t that great, as long as the food and services you offer are good, it’s a worthy investment.
Tip 4. Customer Reviews and Ratings
Not sure what happens to people when they’re ordering online, but they do seem to become extra picky all of a sudden. You’re going to have to do extra work and encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews and high ratings.
You’re also going to have to respond to negative feedback constructively to show potential customers that you value customer satisfaction. You’ll probably have to make it up to some of them with free meals, too.
Do you order from a restaurant with a 3.5-star rating? Neither do your customers. Uber Eats is a tough cake to chew on. Not only does your food need to be top-notch, but you also need to ensure a great customer experience.
If you are using other delivery services, it’d be a good idea to keep them all together within one restaurant feedback system.
Tip 5. Promote on Social Media
Social media is a great place to promote your Uber Eats menu for free. The best way to go around it is to share your special promos and offers. If you’re just going to make the same ‘look, we’re on UberEats’ post over and over again, people will stop paying attention.
Keep in mind that this is useful solely when you’re trying to boost your Uber Eats presence. Whenever possible, you should be promoting your own restaurant website or app. If you’re just starting out and are not sure how to carry out restaurant social media marketing, you might want to see the linked guide for practical tips.
Tip 6. Soft Skills and Relations With Uber Eats Drivers
One thing a lot of restaurant owners tend to overlook is treating the Uber Eats app as just a tool. Uber Eats is a powerful system that creates jobs for millions of people around the world.
Building relationships with your Uber Eats driver might mean the difference between an acceptable and excellent delivery time and service. Sure, delivery drivers already face pressure to perform optimally from the app itself, but you can expect them to give that little bit of extra if they know and respect you and your staff.
Learning the app from the other side and understanding the Uber Driver App better is also useful. Showing that you care and know how difficult it is to make money as a driver can help you build stronger relationships with the drivers.
