by Most of us love getting our favorite meals and snacks delivered to our doorstep. With a press of a button, we can receive mouth-watering delicacies at home or office without being required to stand in long queues or step out during harsh weather conditions. Besides, food delivery apps offer an endless choice of meals and restaurants, enabling us to try out new foods.
Did you know that the online food industry market is projected at $200 billion by 2025? We love to order in on various occasions – be it on busy work days or when we have sudden cravings. On days when we hardly get time to cook our own meals after returning from work or when we need to arrange a last-minute dinner party for surprise guests, food delivery services are a savior!
However, people often make mistakes while ordering their dishes through mobile apps, resulting in delivery errors or delayed deliveries. So, while you are searching for “online food order near me”, it’s good to keep certain things in mind. Here are some mistakes food delivery app users should avoid ensuring a successful and satisfying ordering experience.
Table of Contents
1.Not Providing Correct Delivery Instructions
Respect the delivery personnel’s time, who are out delivering numerous orders. Providing the right delivery instructions will not only help you to enjoy your food on time, but it’s also beneficial for the drivers, who can fulfill other orders on time. Check all your delivery details, including contact number, address, the location you have set on the GPS, landmarks, floor numbers, pin codes, order details, etc., to ensure everything is correct.
Apart from that, try to add special instructions for the driver regarding the direction, the roads to avoid, the entrance of your home, such as gate numbers, and so on. Some reliable food delivery apps provide a voice message section, allowing users to leave a voice note for the agents. Plus, keep the entrance of your home well-lit and easy to access, helping the driver locate your address easily and quickly.
2.Not Selecting the Menu Correctly
You should be aware that certain foods won’t last long and will go stale after some time. Therefore, don’t order in large quantities unless you have many guests. For example, sushi would go stale after a few hours, so request only the necessary amount. Similarly, most fries may become soggy, and salads may start wilting the next day.
So, if you cannot store it for the next 1–2 days, order in the right quantities to avoid wasting food. Abstain from over-ordering and then throwing the remnants away because they became unappetizing. If certain foods are perishable, order the right amounts to finish them in a day.
3.Not Maintaining Hygiene
It took an entire pandemic to teach people about appropriate health and hygiene habits. However, many of us still don’t follow certain hygiene etiquette, especially while ordering food online. So, here are some best hygiene practices to follow while accepting food deliveries:
- Avoid putting the delivery bags and containers in the dining space or kitchen counters, as coronavirus or other harmful bacteria and germs may spread to your clean and hygienic spaces.
- Avoid paying for your food delivery through cash unless it’s urgent. It’s good to avoid face-to-face communication as much as possible, as it is safe for both parties. Neither the delivery agent nor you can contract the virus.
4.Not Considering Rush Hours
Avoid ordering your meals when you are starving for hours. Order in advance when you can still manage without food for another 30–45 minutes. Even if you are looking for options like “online food order near me”, consider peak hours, such as lunch and dinner times, when every other family would be busy ordering on the app, making the platform congested, and keeping delivery partners and restaurants engaged with order fulfillment. If you order during rush periods and you are fatigued with hunger, you may need to wait longer.
5.Not Eating from Proper Utensils
People tend to eat their delivered foods right from the container they received them in. This is a huge mistake. When we heat the food in its original containers, we often think that the portion size is limitless, thus requiring more heat. It results in overheating, and we end up consuming three times more calories than we actually need.
We understand it’s not always feasible, especially at work, where you don’t have proper utensils or even the time to maintain such habits. But whenever you have time and are in the comfort of your home, do maintain fitness and hygiene. Serve the food on plates. It will avoid overheating and also help control the portion size.
6.Not Refrigerating the Leftovers
Many people leave the leftovers at room temperature for more than 2 hours or even up to a day. Just as you would do for your home-cooked meals, develop the habit of storing leftovers in the fridge to increase their shelf life.
So, after everybody receives a fair portion size and is full after an appetizing meal, refrigerate the food remnants. It will avoid overheating and wastage of food. Moreover, while reheating them in a microwave oven, consider taking out the dish and stirring it occasionally to distribute the heat evenly.
7.Not Selecting the Right Delivery Service
Finally, it’s crucial to choose a reliable and fast food delivery service. If your desired restaurant or cloud kitchen doesn’t have in-house delivery partners, choose a trustworthy food ordering and delivery service. Consider the following vital factors while selecting the right delivery app service.
- Speed: Ensure that your delivery service is offering high-speed deliveries. The maximum time you can afford is 30–45 minutes. If it’s taking longer, it may not fulfill your hunger pangs on time. Or it may even ruin your house or office party.
- Reliability: Can you trust the app with all your personal and confidential information? You are required to provide your address, phone number, and even card details during payment. Ensure your food delivery service is credible.
Check their reviews and rating on Google Reviews, Trustpilot, or other genuine sites. Ensure they have a good reputation and there are reviews from genuinely satisfied customers. Also, make sure their delivery personnel have proper training and expertise regarding the dos and don’ts of delivering food safely.
- Real-time Tracking: This is a must-have feature in any food delivery app. You should get real-time updates about your food order status, the exact location of the driver, and the time taken to fulfill the delivery. You should get accurate on-time updates through push notifications.
- Additional Perks and Features: Apart from the above, look for other features, such as advance order facilities, multiple payment modes, multiple address books, filtering options to order the desired meals faster, special deals and discount coupons, and others.
Final Words
To conclude, avoid the above mistakes to make it easier for your delivery agents to reach your desired meals on time. Maintain proper hygiene and online food ordering etiquette to relish your food properly. While searching for “online food order near me”, check out the reviews of the delivery app to ensure it is reliable. By avoiding the above mistakes, we hope you get the most out of your food orders and enjoy your delicacies.
