Needless to say, COVID-19 has significantly impacted the way we all live. Back in March, when we experienced the first social lockdown of our lives, we likely never imagined we’d still be having this discussion in November. But, here we are. With the threat of another potential lockdown situation, we’re all forced to reconsider the ways in which we’ve been approaching how to protect our health and safety.
Business owners of all kinds have been seriously affected by the pandemic. Restaurant owners have been hit especially hard. Because people are cautioned to keep their distances from others, in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus, restaurants had to eliminate dine-in experiences during the initial lockdown.
Takeout and delivery has become the new constant norm.
Phil Tsekouras discusses this new phenomenon in an article for CTV News. He notes that, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, food delivery apps have become increasingly popular. Orders placed on such apps as Skip The Dishes have skyrocketed.
“As Canadians increasingly have dinner at home, 5 p.m. is now the most popular time to order,” reports Skip The Dishes in a May 2020 news release, “9 p.m. used to be among the busiest, but with more Canadians staying in and fewer gatherings, late evening orders have decreased.”
Skip the Dishes also reports that weekday orders are more popular than ever. It even noticed a spike in late afternoon orders between the hours of 3 and 4 p.m. The company believes that because so many people are now working from home, they need to find new and inventive ways to feed themselves. Cooking three meals a day isn’t necessarily a viable option for most people. As a result, ordering food delivery directly to your doorstep has become a new favourite pastime.
What types of food are the most popular to order?
Generally, when we think of ordering takeout, pizza comes to mind. Arguably, pizza is the most famous food delivery option of all time. However, Tsekouras notes that chicken sandwiches, burgers and French fries are among the most-ordered items in Canada these days. “Desserts are also in high demand,” he writes, “Skip The Dishes says that they have seen an increase in dessert orders overall as ‘customers find new ways to treat themselves while staying in.’”
Cakes are particularly popular. COVID-19 has changed the plans of many a celebratory event. Birthday parties, for example, have been changed from large gatherings to small, virtual experiences. Many of those who have celebrated birthdays, over the past several months, have taken to ordering their birthday cakes through apps like Skip The Dishes. Tsekouras reports that the company says they’ve received 200,000 orders for cakes since March.
Can your customers order food directly from your restaurant’s website?
Using delivery services like Skip The Dishes isn’t mandatory if you wish to cash in on the popularity of food delivery. Statistics show there are many benefits to allowing customers to order food directly from your website. With Unity Payments, you can quickly set up an online ordering system for your restaurant! To learn more, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-661-3761 or email us at info@unitypayments.ca.
