More people are purchasing takeaway or delivery orders today than they were before the recent increase in cost of living, new research from global scale-up that simplifies digital orders, Deliverect has revealed.
The survey commissioned by Deliverect and conducted by Censuswide, found that six in 10 (60.5%) of Australian consumers are now purchasing up to three takeaways in a week now, in comparison to 55.5% prior to the inflation increase.
While people are putting more thought behind how they spend their money, they are more likely to cut back on other activities such as buying clothing (52%), going out for drinks and dinner (56%) and traveling (45%) more.
“Undoubtedly people are becoming more conscious of where they’re spending as we witness a rise in inflation and cost of living globally,” Deliverect CEO and co-founder, Zhong Xu said.
“The research findings may be surprising to some, but evidently people are continuing to prioritise and enjoy the convenience of takeaway and food delivery – yet their expectations continue to rise. Quality, consistency, and speed will help restaurants stand out from the crowd. Technology is here to help the food service community manage everything that goes into digital orders to come out more profitable and operationally savvy than before.”
As people watch their spending, they are putting taste and ingredients at the forefront of their ordering decisions. Over two thirds (64%) of people say the taste of food is more important when watching their spending, as is the quality of restaurant ingredients (59%).
People are also looking for social proof before selecting where to eat, with nearly just over half (51%) saying restaurant ratings/customer reviews are now more important than ever. Overall, the top reason customers would order from a restaurant again is because of its good quality of food (60%). Consumers are also looking for a variety of great menu choices, with people selecting a restaurant for delivery or takeaway if it has a variety of menu offerings (30).
Another important element for customers is quick, streamlined deliveries. Fast delivery is likely to encourage people to order from a restaurant again (38%), as is food arriving at the proper temperature (34%). In addition, one-third (33%) of customers are also likely to choose from one restaurant over another due to a quicker delivery time, and 36% of people will select a restaurant due to its proximity/convenient location. 35% of people also agree that 21 to 30 minutes is the maximum average time to wait for their order to arrive.