The rise of delivery: convenience driving growth in apps

BY JINNAPP,
FOOD DELIVERY PROVIDER

As the world becomes more and more reliant on the advancements of modern technology, the everyday activities that we once knew have changed drastically. Instead of going out to play, children are now spending more time on their smartphones, computers and games consoles. Instead of going to the pub to socialise with their friends, adults now talk to their friends online, without even having to leave the comfort of their own home. So much has changed in such a short amount of time, we now even rely on technology in order to receive our food.

The concept of the takeaway meal has actually been in existence since the Ancient Greeks lived. In Pompeii, archaeologists found old service counters that opened up onto the street and provided hungry passers-by with food that they could take away to eat. There was a distinct lack of anything resembling a kitchen area in the discovery, suggesting that many customers would’ve brought food at these service counters and taken the dish home to eat.

The industrial revolution saw a huge increase in the availability of take-out food as well. By the early 20th Century, fish and chips were considered a traditionally British cuisine. The diets of industrial workers were often poor, and these meals provided an “important component” to their nutrition.

Before the introduction of smartphones, computers and the internet, in order to receive and eat food one would typically need to leave their house in order to pick up their on-the-go meals. During the 1950s, as homes began to own their own landline phones, families were able to ring certain restaurants that offered takeaway options and actually order their food to be delivered. The restaurant would then prepare their food, drive to the desired address and the customer would receive a delicious meal, without even having to lift a finger.

This convenience became increasingly popular; those who were too busy with work could just ring up and order dinner instead of having to cook a meal that would feed a family of four. Many found the extra expense worthwhile if it meant it saved them effort and precious time. The takeaway also appealed to the lazy side of almost everybody’s personality. Why should they be forced to spend time cooking a meal from scratch when you pay a reasonable amount of money for somebody else to prepare it and deliver it straight to the front door?

As technology developed further however, takeaway restaurants began to think about changing the way they approached their delivery options. Before most houses in the UK had internet, there was only one way available to order food and that was by landline. However, with smartphones becoming increasingly popular and most households now owning a tablet, the industry began to change.

Instead of using the telephone to put an order, consumers came to realise that they could effectively order a meal without having to speak to another human being.

As the popularity of the delivery grew, restaurants who didn’t offer a delivery service began to consider a change. With the UK takeaway industry worth £9bn as of August 2015, those who aren’t offering the restaurant-to-your-door service are quite clearly missing out on a booming industry.

This growing popularity for the convenient takeaways has also bred a brand new type of business, a platform for multiple takeaways to display their services on which a customer orders. The two industry leaders, at present, are Just Eat and Hungry House; both were founded in the early 2000s but didn’t gain popularity until a good few years later.

These platforms allowed smaller takeaways to be seen using their rating systems; the higher the rating the higher the restaurant will feature on the site, meaning that even the smallest delis and cafés can garner attention from new customers living in the local area. The downside to these platforms is that a percentage of every order made on them goes straight to the platform, rather than the restaurant itself. Still, it would seem with the ever growing popularity of platforms like Just Eat, it’s easy to see why many restaurants decide to deal with the cut in profit.

Now even groceries can be delivered, which has actually led to Tesco, one of the leading supermarkets in the UK, to begin stopping their 24/7 service many of their stores provided. The online grocery shop has made these late-hour shopping sprees practically obsolete because why would someone leave their house to do a shop at 12 at night when they can just order their goods online to have them delivered the next day anyway?

The answer is they just wouldn’t, the convenience of the delivery cements its position to grow in today’s society and although we’ve seen a huge rise in popularity thanks to technology, we can expect to see this demand continue to surge in the upcoming years.