Increasing presence of online food delivery platforms in the city has reflected in a win-win situation for them and restaurants as well.
More importantly, the online food delivery Apps have made a difference in the eating habits of people.
There are quite a few reasons why there is a decline in the number of people visiting restaurants with families and friends for the purpose of dining.
“One important reason is paucity of parking space. Another is the choking vehicular traffic. People are getting used to ordering their choicest food from their favourite restaurants,” Dominic Dhanapal, proprietor of Feenix Food and Cake Delivery Service, said.
Besides Banana Leaf restaurant, Hotel Kannappa, Anjappar, Ezham Suvai and other mainstream restaurants, the food delivery platforms also cover a plethora of smaller eateries. The food is brought hot to customers by the delivery boys within a radius of five to 10 km from the restaurant.
A good number of the delivery boys are degree holders. Customers are spoilt for choice.
According to a delivery boy, the customers place orders for a range of items, including pizza, wraps, salads, milkshakes, desserts, non-vegetarian food, snacks, shakes, barbecued, Chinese, south Indian, icecreams, cakes, parathas, street food, burgers, north Indian food, fast food, and biriyani.
“There must be not less than 400 to 500 delivery boys working for Swiggy, Zomato, and Uber Eats,” Baskaran, Manager of Kannappa Hotels, said.
The customers of the online food delivery platforms are enticed by the discounts on offer. They seldom realise that the sale price at the time of home delivery is fixed to ensure that even after extending the discount, the companies earn 30 % to 35% profit, Mr. Baskaran said.
The change in eating pattern is also helpful for restaurants since they are able to have a connect with customers without having to pay for the delivery, he said.
