Published: Sep 21, 2020
Taking this year’s global pandemic into account, it’s not surprising to learn that most of us would consider local takeaways and food deliveries to be an ‘essential service’.
Thanks to the ever-expanding choice and convenience for people with a digital presence; within the last three years, the country’s economy has seen an impressive 39% increase* in food deliveries in the UK.
Without question, the coronavirus pandemic has drastically impacted on the way all food delivery services, takeaway companies and hospitality venues operate across the globe. During the UK’s first self-isolation period, urgent warnings were put out against eating inside restaurants and pubs - but they were allowed operation for deliveries and takeaways. To delay the spread of coronavirus, and with more people than ever working from home, no doubt there has been a drastic surge in demand for convenient food.
In an unexpected twist, the unprecedented C-bomb has surprisingly gone on to drastically strengthen the vast majority of restaurants. Many use popular third-party food delivery services such as Just Eat, UberEats, Deliveroo, alongside many eCommerce stores, in a bid to feed hungry consumers.
Since the reopening of the hospitality industry, many customers still choose to lap up the luxury of staying in and support companies from the comfort of the sofa. In a time when social interaction is discouraged, food delivery firms are reassuring and enticing customers in new ‘contact-free’ deliveries and offering amazing deals. This new normal has created a growing trend that sees an important role for pubs, cafes, bars and restaurants to remain at the heart of the community.
For some, the devastation of lockdown resulted in the closure of many establishments. In contrast, places that previously had no takeaway options have since been forced to expand their offerings. Since the start of the year, the country has seen mass tragedy but has thrived in many other ways. This includes taking positive steps forward towards seeing how the hospitality industry has adapted to the coronavirus pandemic. During this strange time; most takeaway companies, delivery services and even the new development of cloud kitchens have used this pandemic to evolve and capitalise on the market. A prime example shows that Just Eat’s UK business endured a phenomenal 33% year-on-year growth in April and May – generating over 29 million orders. Food brands this year have seen sales rocket by nearly a third in the first half of the year.
We must now consider that with innovation also comes expansion - and with food industry stats still on the rise, the latest introduction of cloud kitchens makes for both tasty and profitable business. Looking to be the next big venture, cloud kitchens can be built virtually anywhere and offer an alternative to restaurant takeout. Cloud kitchens don’t require a visible presence so both restaurants and local food delivery can optimise pop up kitchens in prime areas at a fraction of the cost. Using important data from previous orders, this impressive new strategy allows restaurants to ‘predict peak demand and minimise food wastage’.
And so it goes, while recent worldwide events have drastically impacted every part of the hospitality industry this year, ultimately food delivery has been the biggest takeaway from the pandemic. As a large volume of places continue to thrive, hopefully the UK will continue to see an increase in sales for the hospitality industry for many months, if not years to come.
Want extra support for your business? Sentiment Search specialises in review insights for restaurants and cloud kitchens.
Get in touch: https://www.sentimentsearch.com or email us at: contact@sentimentsearch.com