Uber Eats is one of the world’s most competitive food delivery apps, where customers have hundreds of restaurants to choose from. In this article, we’re going to explore how to get more Uber Eats orders, win new customers, and even build a loyal customer base.
How Stacked Is Uber Eats?
If you’re a new restaurant owner, you might be wondering how difficult it’s going to be to make sales on Uber Eats. Well, Uber Eats is the second most downloaded app in the US and the most downloaded outside of China. The competition is fierce. And, unfortunately, so are the commissions.
That said, Uber Eats is too big to ignore, especially for new restaurants. If you want to increase sales, there’s no getting around it; at first, you’re going to have to sacrifice a few dollars on each order. And you’re probably going to have to use multiple other apps while at it.
The worst thing you can do, however, is to become completely dependent on Uber Eats. Even though you will be forced to use the app, make sure to build your own restaurant website and promote it like your life depends on it.
Delivery platforms like Uber Eats will take advantage of your inaction, taking some 30% in commissions on each order. Now put that into a yearly perspective and see how you like losing that much revenue.
Use multiple apps and their delivery services, but make sure to build your own brand so that you can sell as much as you can on your own terms.
Get More Uber Eats Orders: 6 Tips
There aren’t any hacks or tricks to get more orders on Uber Eats as far as we know. That said, there are a good amount of practical steps you can take to get more orders out of the Uber Eats platform.
Let’s explore the key steps you can take today to make Uber Eats work for you.
1. Make Your Menu Extra Clean
Clear, beautiful images, concise descriptions, intuitive ordering process. What can we say? The last thing you want your customers to do is to wonder what the meal they’re about to order is actually like. Let’s take a closer look at your online menu.
- Simplify and Focus: Customers browsing Uber Eats often make quick decisions, so a cluttered menu can be overwhelming. Trim down your menu to focus on your bestsellers or unique dishes.
- Create ‘Uber Eats Exclusives’: Offer some dishes exclusively through Uber Eats. It could be a special combo or a unique twist on a popular dish.
- Use Descriptive and Appealing Names: Make your dish names descriptive and enticing. Instead of “Chicken Salad”, how about “Herb-Grilled Chicken Caesar with Homemade Croutons”?
- Provide Meal Sizes: If your meal is a hefty one and you’re proud of it, make sure the customers know about it too.
Here’s some homework: go through the most successful competitors in your area and see what their menus look like. Take notes and see what you can improve on. Want more? Check out the big fish, like McDonald’s or Chipotle. See how they do things and learn from them.
2. Make Your Images Extra Yummy
Why do people browse apps like Uber Eats? Yes, because they’re hungry. But also because they’re bored or sad and want to treat themselves to something delicious. That’s where high-quality pictures of your food can give you the edge.
- Natural Light: Use natural light whenever possible. It makes the food look more appealing. Try to take photos during the day near a window.
- Avoid Flash: Flash can create harsh shadows and alter the colors of your food. Stick to natural or soft lighting.
- Clear Background: Use a simple, clean background so the focus remains on the food. A plain table or a basic cloth works great.
- Fresh Ingredients: Photograph your dishes as soon as they’re prepared so they look fresh and vibrant.
- Angles Matter: Different dishes look best from different angles. Experiment with shooting from above, from the side, or at a 45-degree angle to see what looks best.
- Small Details: Add small touches like a sprinkle of herbs or a drizzle of sauce to make the dish look more enticing.
- Consistency: Try to keep a consistent style in your photos. This helps in building your brand’s identity.
- Edit Smart: Use photo editing apps, but don’t overdo it. The goal is to enhance the photo to look natural, not overly processed.
Don’t worry, you’re not going to have to buy a professional camera. Your iPhone is more than capable of taking high-resolution photos. It’s all about lighting and composition. Also, consider hiring a professional photographer who knows how to make your food look extra juicy.
3. Promotions and Discounts
Promotions and discounts on Uber Eats are special offers like introductory discounts for first-time customers, combo deals, time-limited offers, loyalty rewards, and seasonal specials. They’re all designed to entice users to order more frequently and try new items. And as a new restaurant owner, you should be taking advantage of them.
- Introductory Offers: Attract first-time customers by providing a discount on their first order from your restaurant. This can be a percentage off or a fixed amount. The idea is to encourage people to try your food with a lower financial commitment.
- Combo Deals: Create special combo meals that offer a complete meal at a slightly reduced price compared to buying items separately. For example, a burger, fries, and a drink at a set price. It’s a win-win: customers feel they’re getting more for their money, and you increase your average order size.
- Time-Limited Promotions: Offer deals that are available for a limited time, like a “Happy Hour” discount or a special weekend brunch menu. This creates a sense of urgency and encourages customers to order before the deal runs out.
- Loyalty Discounts: Implement a system where repeat customers get a special discount or a free item after a certain number of orders. This encourages customer loyalty and repeat business.
- Seasonal Specials: Align your promotions with holidays, seasons, or local events. For instance, offering a special discount or a unique menu item during a local sports event or a festive season can attract more orders.
- Collaborate with Uber Eats on Promotions: Uber Eats occasionally runs platform-wide promotions. Collaborate with them to include your restaurant in these promotions. This can increase your visibility among users who are looking for deals.
Run promotions, offer discounts, do whatever you can to attract new customers and encourage repeat business. Your goal is to gain traction, so even if your profit margins aren’t that great, as long as the food and services you offer are good, it’s a worthy investment.
4. Customer Reviews and Ratings
Not sure what happens to people when they’re ordering online, but they do seem to become extra picky all of a sudden. You’re going to have to do extra work and encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews and high ratings.
You’re also going to have to respond to negative feedback constructively to show potential customers that you value customer satisfaction. You’ll probably have to make it up to some of them with free meals, too.
- Encouraging Positive Reviews: Actively encourage your satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on Uber Eats. This can be done through a note with the delivery, a follow-up message, or even a small flyer included in the order bag. Positive reviews can significantly influence potential customers’ decisions to order from your restaurant.
- Responding to Reviews: Make it a practice to respond to customer reviews, both positive and negative. For positive reviews, a simple thank you can make customers feel appreciated. For negative reviews, respond professionally and constructively. Acknowledge any issues, apologize if necessary, and state any steps you’re taking to address the problem. This demonstrates to potential customers that you value feedback and are committed to improving.
Do you order from a restaurant with a 3.5-star rating? Neither do your customers. Uber Eats is a tough cake to chew on. Not only does your food need to be top-notch, but you also need to ensure a great customer experience.
If you are using other delivery services, it’d be a good idea to keep them all together within one restaurant feedback system.
5. Promote on Social Media
Social media is a great place to promote your Uber Eats menu for free. The best way to go around it is to share your special promos and offers. If you’re just going to make the same ‘look, we’re on UberEats’ post over and over again, people will stop paying attention.
- Promote Special Offers: Use your social media channels to advertise any promotions or discounts you’re offering on Uber Eats. This can include limited-time deals, new menu additions, or special combos.
- Engage with Your Audience: Create posts that encourage engagement, like asking followers to vote for their favorite dish or to share their meal photos. Engaging content can help increase your visibility on social media.
- Utilize Visual Content: Since food is highly visual, post high-quality images and videos of your dishes. Showcase the preparation process, the final presentation, or behind-the-scenes glimpses of your kitchen.
- Collaborate with Food Bloggers/Influencers: Partner with local food influencers who can review your restaurant and share their experience with their followers. This can help reach a broader audience.
- Customer Testimonials: Share positive reviews and testimonials from Uber Eats customers on your social media. This can build trust and credibility among potential customers.
Keep in mind that this is useful solely when you’re trying to boost your Uber Eats presence. Whenever possible, you should be promoting your own restaurant website or app. If you’re just starting out and are not sure how to carry out restaurant social media marketing, you might want to see the linked guide for practical tips.
6. Soft Skills and Relations With Uber Eats Drivers
One thing a lot of restaurant owners tend to overlook is treating the Uber Eats app as just a tool. Uber Eats is a powerful system that creates jobs for millions of people around the world.
Building relationships with your Uber Eats driver might mean the difference between an acceptable and excellent delivery time and service. Sure, delivery drivers already face pressure to perform optimally from the app itself, but you can expect them to give that little bit of extra if they know and respect you and your staff.
- Make Pick-ups Easy: Ensure your restaurant location is optimized for easy and quick pickups, such as having a dedicated and well-marked area for Uber Eats drivers, leading to more efficient handling of delivery orders.
- Take Care of the Drivers: Create a comfortable waiting area for drivers at your restaurant location, where they can rest or have a complimentary drink, especially if there’s a delay in preparing delivery orders. This shows respect for their time and effort in money delivering food.
- Financial Incentives: Offer bonuses or additional payments to drivers who frequently pick up delivery orders from your restaurant, acknowledging their hard work and dedication in making money delivering food.
- Encourage Tipping: Encourage customers to show appreciation for the drivers’ service by giving Uber Eats driver tips, perhaps by including a friendly reminder note with orders or through your Uber Eats app interface.
Learning the app from the other side and understanding the Uber Driver App better is also useful. Showing that you care and know how difficult it is to make money as a driver can help you build stronger relationships with the drivers.
Key Takeaways
- Uber Eats is one of the most competitive food delivery apps in the world, making it hard for new restaurants to gain initial traction.
- Making your menu clean and easily accessible is absolutely essential.
- Well-taken and high-quality images will make it easier for you to sell food.
- Restaurants like McDonald’s don’t generally need to take part in huge promotions or discounts outside of their own app… but you do. And should do so.
- Make sure to stay on top of your restaurant reviews. Keep the score above 4.5 stars no matter what.
- Use social media to promote your Uber Eats menu to gain traction but don’t overdo it—you should be promoting your own restaurant website and restaurant mobile app whenever possible.
- Treat your Uber Eats drivers well. This could make the difference between acceptable and excellent delivery service.
