Food delivery and takeout are growing at an aggressive pace, especially with the innovation of ride-sharing. Companies like Uber have branched out to offer food delivery service and fast-food restaurants that already offer quick service are now offering up delivery through third-party tech apps, like GrubHub and DoorDash.
Now, more restaurants are joining in, opening up more options for the consumer, but also opening up opportunities for risks from the kitchen to the front door. There are some built-in risks with food delivery, such as contamination and overall food safety, and tampering, and now with the exchange of sensitive data, cybersecurity.
It’s important to understand these risks and see that the food delivery game has changed. Here’s what restaurants should be looking out for and how they can make their food delivery services safer.
Customer Data
Since most food delivery is done online or through apps, it’s important for restaurants to understand the importance of protecting sensitive information that belongs to their customers. It used to be that a customer would call in with their order and the food would arrive; maybe they would use a credit card. But now, everything is done digitally, without speaking to anyone. Sensitive information, including financial information, is stored across multiple networks and systems.
But in today’s world of massive data breaches and cybersecurity threats, protecting personal information is important. Restaurants should make sure they’re investing in the right kind of cyber insurance that can provide a full-scale safety net for customers and their financial information.
Food Safety
When a customer has a complaint about the overall nature of their food or comes with a claim of food poisoning, it could cripple a restaurant. And while restaurant insurance is one way to keep a restaurant safe when it comes to claims and litigation, the overall reputational damage may be too much to overcome.
It’s important to understand food safety at the start. Food safety should be a major concern for every establishment, whether they deliver or not. Restaurants should be sure to maintain the right temperatures for food orders and not mix hot and cold. This could have a major effect on the overall health status of the food inside.
Food Quality
And then there’s the delivery itself, which is an ambiguous factor to consider as not every driver is the same. How is the food being moved? Is it safe in the backseat or floorboard or is it being jostled about in the trunk? Restaurants need to make sure they have the right protocol in store for their drivers to make sure the integrity of the food is intact in every way possible.
A restaurant’s reputation relies on its food quality and services. If customer service, delivery, and overall taste are out the window, what does a restaurant have to stand on? Food quality can be a challenging component when it comes to the industry, but there are ways to ensure it can be upheld. While delivery service may be to blame for what the customer sees when they open their food container, the responsibility rests on the restaurant itself. This could lead to bad reviews and overall dissatisfaction of a customer base that you desperately need to keep your doors and services open.
There are some solutions that can help ensure better food quality for your customers. One is investing in new containers that allow ventilation, keeping the food fresh and the right temperature. There are also containers that keep food separated as to not allow the presentation to be altered. If someone opens a container and their sides are mixed in with the entree it could upend the eating experience altogether.
About RMS Hospitality Group
At RMS Hospitality Group, our expertly crafted policies are written specifically for the hospitality industry. We offer custom-tailored solutions to meet any venue’s specific needs. For more information, contact our knowledgeable experts today at (888) 359-8390.