Oh no! Not that same food again
The Covid pandemic sent consumers scurrying for food deliveries. Furthermore, widespread lockdowns, topsy turvy work schedules along with a plethora of related concerns rocketed delivery services to a new level of everyday importance.
A new report by ResearchAndMarkets concludes that “The global online food delivery services market is expected grow from $115.07 billion in 2020 to $126.91 billion in 2021. The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $192.16 billion in 2025.
The online delivery service players however have to face numerous challenges - such as costs incurred for order fulfillment, boxes for packaging, hiring a driver and delivery. Besides, they need to be mindful of adjusting resources to fulfill dynamic market demands including last-mile connectivity, as well as having effective supply chain, logistics and menu plans in-place, in order to preserve freshness of products with limited shelf life.
On the upside, an increase in smartphone users has given a boost to online food delivery services worldwide. Smartphone users are the primary online shoppers for the F&B industry and an increase in the number of smartphone users reflects a potential increase in online shopping for food and beverages.
Given this scenario, when apocalyptic conditions descended on the – ‘in hotel’ restaurateurs, bringing with it, supply chain restrictions and denial of in-person dining, the food and beverage people very quickly discovered that even though the public had no way of entering the restaurant they still wanted to ‘eat’ out. And that’s when the online delivery service option came to play. Not only that, it was the much needed ‘lifeline’ for keeping businesses open.
During the initial months of lockdown, those of us who missed eating out consoled ourselves with Biriyani or Chinese food from our favourite hotel restaurant. But now, , twenty one months since COVID, to be continuously inundated with home delivery messages ranging from “Indulge in a tantalizing range of authentic Chinese cuisine this season from…” to “Don’t miss out of a delicious Chinese meal from…” to “Do not miss out of a delicious Biriyani treat from…” is boring. That it comes mostly from branded hotels is pretty annoying.
The Executive Chef at the Crown Plaza Chennai, Manpreet Singh Malik could not have expressed it better when he said “Let’s be honest, for the elite gourmand, by the fourth month of the lockdown, it wasn’t biryani from their favorite joint, but the global experience that their palate was craving. Offering a superior culinary experience right here at home is the need of the hour for the restaurant industry.”
No longer content with (always) ordering the usual go-to pizza, Chinese or Indian takeaway, consumers are now looking to take things up a notch. Not wanting to forego the frills of fine dining, they are now looking to emulate the experience at home.
Shafeek Wahab – Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Trainer, Ex-Hotelier
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