A third-party delivery service sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel. Maybe that’s the reason there are so many myths about it. In reality, third-party delivery is a win-win model that lets businesses outsource the delivery of their products to a service provider.

Keep reading to discover the top five myths about third-party delivery services and to separate the facts from the (science) fiction.

Myth 1: third-party delivery services charge too much

At Bolt Food, we aim to offer a fair commission level and give lots of value in return.

That’s why so many restaurants and stores have chosen to partner with us. The commission from vendors helps us market our service better and get you more visibility and sales.

So, you could consider it a good investment with high returns.

Bolt Food also doesn’t charge monthly fees. You only pay commission on orders you get through our food delivery app. So it’s a fail-safe choice! Contact us, and we’ll make you a personal offer that suits your business.

Myth 2: third-party delivery services don’t bring new clients

This may be true with smaller food delivery apps, but Bolt has over 100 million customers in 500 cities across 45+ countries in Europe and Africa. That’s a lot of potential customers!

Food delivery apps like Bolt Food help you increase your visibility, order volumes, and order size. People are also more likely to visit your restaurant or store if they’ve already ordered online from you.

Research shows that ordering in is rising and already accounts for ~40% of total restaurant sales. So if you don’t offer delivery, you’re missing out.

Myth 3: my own delivery service is more profitable

It’s possible to achieve profitability with your own delivery service, but only when you operate at a large scale. Even large international chains use third-party delivery services to take advantage of all available sales channels and reach new customers.

An in-house delivery service requires huge initial investments and lots of funds to run.

Besides building and maintaining the service, a significant expense is labour costs. Even if your couriers were idle, you’d still be paying them a full-time wage. And what’s more, they’d probably be overwhelmed during rush hours.

For a delivery service to become profitable, it needs to be more than operational — it must offer a high level of service.

We’ve put resources into making Bolt Food the go-to delivery platform for customers. Even more basic features like being able to pay for the order online or seeing a courier’s location in real-time significantly increase customer satisfaction and order volumes. And this has a positive knock-on effect on your brand.

Since you only pay commission on orders you get through Bolt Food, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Leave the delivery part to the professionals, so you can focus on managing your business.

Myth 4: third-party delivery services reduce in-house clients

Some business owners don’t realise that restaurant-goers and food app users act differently.

People usually order in when they don’t have time to go out to eat or when the weather’s bad. The comfort of eating at home can never replace the service and the atmosphere people experience at your restaurant.

Third-party delivery services don’t rob you of your clients; they help you get extra sales. You’re leaving money on the table if you don’t use your resources during typically slow hours.

60% of restaurants say that offering delivery has generated incremental sales. So join Bolt Food if you want to get a piece of those spontaneous lunch-time orders or comfort food deliveries when it’s raining.

Myth 5: it’s hard to manage two food delivery apps

Most restaurants and stores already see the value in partnering with a third-party delivery service and are available on at least one food delivery app. But some owners fear they won’t be able to manage delivering on two apps.

Our data shows that 100s and 1000s of businesses use multiple delivery partners globally. In most cities we operate, some restaurants have partnered with three or more third-party delivery service providers.

Think of it this way — managing online orders is far less time-consuming and more profitable than waiting tables.

Being on multiple food delivery apps extends your reach and potentially increases your visibility and sales. Even if you already use a third-party delivery service, consider joining Bolt Food as well to target new customers.

Ready to let the professionals take care of your delivery?

Sign up here if you’re ready to increase your visibility, sales, and profit.

You can learn more about Bolt Food from our blog post five reasons to choose Bolt Food as your delivery partner and get useful marketing tips from does your restaurant need a website.

Increase your restaurant sales with Bolt Food