The online food order and delivery service says that consumers ordered significantly more lunch and breakfast dishes from restaurants via its service during lockdown than pre pandemic levels and that this trend has continued once restaurants have reopened for dine in. So much so, in fact, that the company is now taking more orders in the morning than it was at peak dining times two years ago.
“We’ve definitely seen an expansion of when people order,” says Amy Heather UK strategic accounts director at Just Eat in an interview with BigHospitality editor Stefan Chomka.
“Back in 2019 delivery was seen as more of a weekend treat but now it’s all about different day parts. In lockdown we saw people ordering earlier in the day while peak times started to shift. People are ordering more than they used to and are ordering a lot more at breakfast and lunch - our orders within the business have grown significantly and this is a trend we expect to continue.”
Just Eat has partnered with brands including Leon, Pret a Manger, Black Sheep Coffee, Costa and Starbucks and says business for coffee and breakfast items continues to be brisk. “Consumer have built up some really strong habits over the past 18 months when it comes to online food delivery,” says Heather.
While restaurants have now reopened for dine in, the changes to people’s working habits and the move to them dividing their time between office and home working means that orders continue to be placed across the day outside of the more traditional peak times. As a result, it is becoming increasingly important for restaurants to get their delivery service right, she says.
“Delivery has a central role for many businesses and developing the right proposition for delivery is key, which is quite different to pre-pandemic for many.
“It has very much become a core pillar of businesses’ revenue streams and actions plans, and will likely remain this way as we continue to move to a post-pandemic landscape."