Why you don't see all your favourite eateries on delivery apps

Why you don't see all your favourite eateries on delivery apps

Considering how food is one of the most basic needs of humans, it is surprising how much time it took for us to come up with an app that delivers food right up to our couch. Apps like Swiggy and Zomato were huge hits in many cities soon as they were launched across India.

For some, it's an effective way to take care of a basic need in the middle of their busy lives and for some, it means not having to struggle through the horrendous traffic that plagues our cities.

The general notion is that food delivery apps are a huge win for the customer and for the seller. But are they truly?

Almost everyone has come across the archetypal character of the graceful street vendor. Everyone in the village loves him. He loves his livelihood and has a smile for you every time you buy fruits from him. He 'cares' about his customers. One of the reasons why he gets customers despite big supermarket chains in the area, is precisely that. His graceful way of dealing with customers adds to how much his customers trust him.

There are many restaurants and eateries out there that 'care' about you. For them, a huge part of their business is based on developing a relationship with their customers that goes beyond the quality of their product. They thrive in their field because they know how to deal with people. They try their best to back it up with the quality of their product. But if they could only connect to people through their product, that would mean not utilising their niche; the very aspect of their business that makes them different from their rivals.

Apps like Swiggy allow their customers to rate their food without meeting the people behind it. The food becomes the one shot that the chef has to build a connection with the hungry customer. The money the customer spends has to be justified by the food they get.

For many restaurant owners, that's bad news. That extra hundred might be there for the customer service they provide, that small conversation they have with you after your meal, and sometimes for that free dessert because it's your birthday. Customers understand that sometimes the 'extra' fee is for the customer care and the ambience in which they eat. But when you buy the same food via Swiggy for the same amount of money, and you only get food, then it seems overpriced. There's also the fact that Swiggy coupons can only go so far when it comes to bringing the price down

These eateries are now burdened with having to either miss out on the future of the food industry by keeping their prices high, or lower their prices and still continue to provide the experience that they are known for.

Your favourite restaurant might actually be struggling because of apps like Swiggy. They don't want you to think 'offers on Swiggy' whenever you are hungry. They want you to remember the ambience of their restaurant and the great food you had last month when you went there with your friends.

With coupons and offers, you can get food cheap on these apps. The people who own these apps are not looking for immediate colossal returns. They can afford to deliver food at low prices in the hope of a future business that the customers can't live without.

But they still have a long way to go when it comes to delivering the experience you have at your favourite restaurant. Until that becomes a part of this new online industry, there will definitely be a long list of successful businesses that will have a huge decision to make.

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