Escalent, a human behavior and analytics firm, published a new study regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on restaurant delivery services. What’s for Dinner? How Restaurants & Food Delivery Services Can Build Loyalty Beyond COVID-19 explores the growth of restaurant delivery now and into the near future. Additionally, with no clear end to the pandemic in sight, delivery services have an opportunity to maximize growing interest in their offerings, fine tune their experience and build long-term customer loyalty.
According to the Study:
- 17 percent of U.S. consumers have used restaurant delivery in the past month
- 21 percent of those ordering restaurant delivery in the past month are new users
- Consistent users indicated a 26 percent increase in use of these services each month
- 84 percent of restaurant delivery customers expect their usage will stay the same or increase through the next three months
- 53 percent of restaurant delivery customers expect their usage will stay the same or increase after the impacts of the pandemic have subsided, defined as “a post-COVID-19 world when you feel comfortable going out or dining out without the fear of infection”
Widespread Availability of Delivery Services
“Consumers are supporting the restaurant industry in this critical moment thanks to the widespread availability of delivery services,” said Jill Miller, vice president of the Consumer & Retail team at Escalent. “We’ve seen enormous interest in private local restaurant delivery, as well as the full slate of third-party delivery apps – of which DoorDash is the clear favorite. That interest could extend through the duration of the pandemic, too, making this period extremely important for brands looking to sustain growth.”
To learn more, the study can be downloaded here.