How to Improve the Customer Experience in Your Restaurant

When trying to improve the customer experience at your restaurant, it all starts with understanding the needs and preferences of your customers. You can use this information to efficiently provide your customers with convenient, high-quality food delivery. In this guide, we’ve outlined ten tried-and-true strategies to improve the customer food delivery experience for existing customers as well as make a great first impression on new ones.

People have a wide variety of restaurants to choose from, especially when ordering online for delivery. Experimenting with different dishes can help you capture their attention and stand out from the competition. A 2022 study found that one in ten Americans consider themselves to be vegetarians or vegans and Canadians are also reducing their meat consumption but for a different reason: to save money. It makes good business sense to include more plant-based options on your menu. And with the increasing popularity of cooking shows and contests on TV, inventive and more inclusive cuisine will catch people's eyes

Invest in professional website design and photos

Since you're keeping standards high for your food, you should also have high standards for the aesthetics and presentation on your website and menu. One of the best ways to stand apart from the competition is to present high-quality food and brand aesthetics online. These things help customers make clear, confident ordering decisions.

A great place to start is professional-looking photos of your restaurant and menu items. At DoorDash, we provide all merchant partners the option to upload their own photos or schedule a free photoshoot¹ with a professional photographer. You get up to 20 mouthwatering photos of your menu items and a header shot of your store to make your store page pop, the only cost to your business is the food itself.

These photos can be used on your DoorDash store page, your website, social media accounts, and promotional materials. You cannot use the photos on any other third-party delivery platforms.

For those on the Premier pricing plan, you’ll also get a $200 credit² to cover additional costs like food and styling, meaning you can take advantage of this professional photoshoot at no additional cost to your business.

Provide fast and reliable delivery

When people order food online, they want maximum convenience — that's why fast delivery should be a top priority for your restaurant. Partnering with DoorDash can mean higher accuracy and less time and effort spent managing orders. Every time customers order online with us, they can expect the convenience and fast delivery of breakfast, lunch, or dinner straight to their doorstep. Consider how you can streamline your ordering process to reduce avoidable wait times, missing items, and other issues, so your team can focus on giving the best food delivery experience to customers.

Add special promotions and freebies

According to a 2022 study, 69% of customers stated that loyalty programs incentivize them to revisit a restaurant more frequently. Along with boosting your online presence, DoorDash's online promotions and freebies help you reach and attract new customers. For example, the Try Me Free option enables you to offer free delivery to first-time customers.

Another way to create additional revenue streams is to upgrade your DoorDash subscription to include DashPass. This customer membership program allows the most engaged DoorDash customers to place orders from your business with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees. On average, businesses see at least a 30% increase in take-home revenue after one year of using DashPass through our partnership plans.²

Another option is to offer promotions directly on DoorDash or on your website through Online Ordering. Online Ordering is a product included in the DoorDash Commerce Platform, a collection of tools and products designed to help merchants grow their businesses and brands. The Starter Package is included in all DoorDash Marketplace accounts, while the Boost and Pro packages include more advanced features to help merchants grow and build customer loyalty. Some DoorDash Commerce Platform features include:

Sponsored listings and marketing campaigns: Create ads that are featured in highly visible places on the DoorDash app, like the homepage and search results. With the DoorDash Commerce Platform Boost and Pro packages, you can create targeted marketing campaigns that keep your customers coming back. For merchants on our Premier pricing plan, DoorDash will automatically run ads on your behalf at no extra cost.³ Plus, you can save 35% on DoorDash Commerce Platform Pro packages.⁴
Promotions: Drive sales by enticing customers with a discount, free delivery, free or discounted items, and more.
Restaurant rewards: Leverage a loyalty program with your branding that provides your customers with benefits and rewards anywhere they order. With the DoorDash Commerce Platform Pro Package, you can create a cross-channel loyalty program that rewards your customers no matter where they order (in-app, in-store, online, or through DoorDash).
Gift cards: Ensure future business and let customers share their love of your store with friends and family by offering gift cards with Online Ordering (gift card integrations available through the DoorDash Commerce Platform Boost and Pro packages).

Experiment with your hours of operation

Offering more flexibility can help you meet customers when they’re most likely to order. Review your customer data to understand peak times and identify gaps in demand. If the data supports it, consider expanding your hours or adding new days of operation. This gives customers more opportunities to choose your restaurant when they’re hungry.

Including modifiers in your menu is another option. By offering customization such as adding sides, toppings, or different sizes, you provide customers with more choices to tailor their orders to their liking. You can also expand your menu to include alcohol. By offering a variety of alcoholic beverages like wine, beer, or cocktails, you give customers more choices to enhance their meals. This not only attracts a wider range of customers but also presents an opportunity to increase order size.

Get creative with your delivery offerings

Another way to appease the consumer demand for convenience is to experiment with different menu options, such as meal kit delivery. Since you already have all the ingredients, it would take minimal effort to offer this on your menu to people who love to cook. You could include meal kits as a weekly special along with other temporary menu items. Taking a cue from popular restaurants and chains, you can also sell merchandise such as cookbooks, t-shirts, sauces, and other items to create additional revenue streams while boosting brand awareness. Finally, restaurants can bundle items together to create combos or include a family deal or catering for customers ordering multiple meals.

Analyze customer data

Consider macro consumer trends alongside food delivery trends at your restaurant for more marketing insight. Analyze food delivery patterns such as the most popular menu items, busiest shifts, and other trends. Follow the steps below to obtain a detailed sales report:

Log in to the Merchant Portal.
Click on the Export Data tab on the left-hand side or click on the Dashboard Tab to see a summary of your sales within a selected time.

Head over to our article on reporting for a more in-depth explanation of what data and reports are available to you in the Merchant Portal.

Improving the food delivery customer journey in your restaurant can create a lasting experience for your customer, increasing the likelihood of their return. Translate your findings and try incorporating a few new strategies to elevate your restaurant's customer service

Want to learn how to view and manage Customer Reviews? Head over to Customer Reviews to find out more.