Every day, people look up phrases like “best delivery near me” when they’re deciding where to order food from. But the real question is, how many of them are finding “you?”

As dine-in traffic shifts and competition increases online, delivery has quietly become one of the strongest growth levers for restaurants.

In fact, the US online food delivery market is projected to be valued at nearly $68 billion by 2034. However, despite the positives, many restaurants struggle to turn that growing demand into consistent offers.

You see, just being online isn’t enough. You need to be visible, trusted, and easy to order from. How do you ensure that? Fret not, in this guide, we’ll walk through six practical ways to boost your restaurant delivery sales.

Proven Strategies to Increase Restaurant Delivery Sales

Higher sales might feel out of reach, but you don’t need a massive overhaul. Just start with these six steps to move in the right direction.

1. Strengthen local SEO

Black Box Intelligence reports that more than 60% of customers use Google Search to find restaurants, with the highest-ranked listings getting the majority of clicks and orders. To make your online ordering website easily searchable and discoverable locally:

• Claim and optimize your listings: Add or verify your restaurant on Yelp, Bing Places, TripAdvisor, and Apple Maps. Ensure your Name, Address, and Phone (NAP) information is consistent across all platforms. This signals to Google that your business details are reliable, which further helps improve your visibility in local search and map results. Learn more about restaurant SEO tips.

• Use high-quality, appetizing imagery: Upload clear, well-lit photos of popular menu items, either plated or packaged for delivery, to enhance user engagement and decision-making. Strong visuals make your food feel real, fresh, and worth trying.

• Incorporate location-based keywords naturally: Use phrases like “best burger delivery in Chicago” or “healthy lunch pickup in San Diego” in your descriptions, menu pages, and captions for search engines to understand what you offer and which local searches you should appear in.

Restolabs Advantage: With Restolabs, you can host a branded online ordering page on your own subdomain (via CNAME) with complete SSL security so it looks and feels like a natural extension of your restaurant’s website.

And if you don’t have a website yet, no problem—our on-demand website service can create a mobile-friendly site complete with your menu, locations, and online ordering, fully integrated from day one.

📣Increase Restaurant Delivery Sales Beyond Google!

Extend your visibility across social media, where customers already spend their time. Add your direct ordering link to Facebook, Instagram, and Yelp, making it convenient for followers to find your online ordering page.

Once they land there, further entice customers by showcasing your best offers with Restolabs’ built-in marketing tools, such as promo banners, combo deals, coupons, and loyalty rewards.

To find out more about what Restolabs can do, book a demo.

2. Partner strategically with third-party delivery services

Did you know 56% of US customers use DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub to discover new restaurants in addition to ordering from the ones they already know?

It’s no surprise since these apps are fast, convenient, and packed with deals that keep people scrolling for their next favorite meal. However, for restaurants, this often means paying commissions that can reach as high as 30% per order—yes, that’s right!

So how do you drive more sales without giving away your profits? Here’s how:

• Leverage delivery apps to get found first: Delivery apps are top-of-funnel. Once customers have tried your food, invite them to place an order directly with you. Add a QR code to every bag, linking to your ordering site and for example, offer free delivery over $40.

• Shorten your marketplace menu for clarity: List only high-margin, delivery-friendly items on the delivery app. Prioritize dishes that travel well and are easy to prepare quickly. This reduces errors, preserves brand quality, and maintains a stable kitchen pace, especially during busy hours.

Third-Party Delivery Apps vs. Direct Ordering Platforms

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Restolabs Advantage: With Restolabs, you can accept direct online orders with zero commission. At the same time, you can still use DoorDash Drive or Uber Direct for last-mile delivery because both services are integrated with the platform.

You also have the flexibility to pass these delivery fees on to customers. This approach allows you to retain every sale and your customer data while utilizing professional delivery drivers for enhanced efficiency.

Plus, through Restolabs’ negotiated partnership with Uber Direct, you can access preferential delivery rates — a cost advantage that helps save on delivery fees without compromising on reach.

3. Run time-based offers and campaigns

Most restaurants experience the same pattern: busy weekends and slow weekdays. Time-based campaigns help shape demand, encouraging customers to order from you when your kitchen has more capacity:

• Target low-traffic windows: Identify your slowest hour block (e.g., 3-5 PM or after 8 PM) and attach a recurring perk to it, such as 15% off or a complementary item, like garlic bread, fries, or a dessert). This way, you can pull a few orders into quieter periods without discounting the entire day.

• Bundle meals to increase order value: Create one or two pre-set meal bundles that are easy to understand and quick to order. Think “Family Feast Friday” or “Weekend Dinner for Two.” Price them slightly below the combined total so it feels like a good-value choice.

Insight: Restaurants running bundled-meal promotions typically see a 20% increase in average order value. — The Restaurant Times

• Use weather- or event-based campaigns: Tie your offers to local context, such as rainy days, big game nights, local festivals, and neighborhood events. These triggers tap into what people are already experiencing, which makes ordering timely and relevant.

Restolabs Advantage: You can set up automatic, time-based offers and combos that appear only during specific hours or days.

Want to run “Happy Hour” discounts from 4–6 PM? Just define the window once, and Restolabs will display your offer only during those times on your ordering site.

You can also create bundle deals (like “Family Feast Friday”) as single menu items, making them straightforward for customers to order with just one click.

4. Glean customer data to personalize promotions

In an era where customers are bombarded with generic “10% off messages,” personalization is what helps cut through the noise. According to Quantum Group, it can increase ROI by 5-8X compared to one-size-fits-all campaigns.

For restaurants, that translates into more frequent reorders, higher average check sizes, and stronger brand loyalty. When you understand who your best customers are, what they love ordering, and when they’re most active, you can design offers that feel relevant.

Here’s how to do it effectively:

• Segment your customer base intelligently: Divide your audience into groups based on frequency (regulars, occasional buyers, one-time buyers), average spend, and cuisine preferences. Each of them can then receive custom messaging that matches their behavior.

Customer Segmentation Matrix

• Re-engage lapsed customers: Set up automated “We miss you!” campaigns via email or SMS for customers who haven’t placed an order in 30 days or more. A personalized coupon, such as “Your favorite pasta, 20% off this weekend only,” can bring them back faster than a generic blast.

• Recommend smart-ons: Pair each best-selling main dish with one or two natural complements—for example, Chicken Alfredo Pasta with Garlic Bread. Display these suggestions at checkout with simple prompts, such as “Complete the meal?” for a quick, high-conversion upsell.

Restolabs Advantage: Access detailed analytics and customer insights directly from your Restolabs dashboard. Identify your most loyal customers, track popular dishes, and create personalized coupons, combos, or loyalty rewards based on their preferences.

Restolabs also integrates with third-party loyalty providers, such as Como and EZ Solutions, plus gift card partners like GiveX, Valuetech, and TCC.

Also Read: Proven Italian Restaurant Marketing Ideas to Grow Your Restaurant and Celebrate Authentic Cuisine

5. Create exclusive delivery-only menus and combos

Customers love discovering something they can’t get anywhere else. With an exclusive delivery-only menu, you can attract new customer segments and increase the average spend per order, especially when promoted through delivery apps.

Here’s what to do:

• Rotate “secret menus” drops: Introduce one “hidden” dish every week or month that’s only accessible through a special link or code shared with subscribers. This builds intrigue and repeat orders as customers return to discover what’s new before it disappears.

• Design “Taste-Tester” editions: Release limited “Beta Bites” or experimental dishes and let customers vote on their favorites through social media or email polls. When you announce the winning dish publicly, highlight it as a “fan favorite.” Social proof will naturally drive curiosity.

• Offer a prix fixe experience at home: Curate a complete three-course set, comprising a starter, main, and dessert, at a single price point. Promote it as an at-home dining experience that takes the guesswork out of ordering.

Restolabs Advantage: Clone or duplicate entire menus and categories in one click to launch virtual brands or exclusive “delivery-only” concepts.

Schedule menus to appear only at specific times or days, promote “secret drops” with banners, and analyze top-selling item combinations to design high-performing prix fixe or bundle options.

All your menus, across multiple brands or locations, can be managed from one centralized dashboard for fast testing and scaling.

6. Streamline delivery logistics for speed and accuracy

Customers value reliable, on-time deliveries because it demonstrates that they can trust your restaurant to meet their expectations. And when your delivery operations run efficiently, your team can fulfill more orders in less time without sacrificing quality.

Follow these tips:

• Implement smart order throttling: Limit the number of delivery orders that can be placed within a specific time window to prevent the kitchen from becoming overwhelmed during peak dine-in periods.

• Build predictable driver workflows: For in-house delivery, pre-assign routes or batches of nearby orders to reduce back-and-forth travel. Provide them with insulated bags and sharp instructions to maintain food temperature and quality across every drop-off.

• Optimize delivery radius and zones: Identify your highest-order neighborhoods and prioritize them for marketing, promotions, or faster delivery batches. If there’s demand farther out, consider introducing tiered delivery zones with different fees, rather than offering a single flat rate.

Restolabs Advantage: You can manage both in-house and third-party delivery operations from a single dashboard. For instance, track your in-house drivers in real-time, or connect with partners like DoorDash, Uber Eats, Relay, Shipday, or Lastmile for outsourced deliveries, with a real-time tracking facility for customers.

Also Read: Why Every Restaurant Needs a Solid Business Plan

Bonus Strategy: Promote Curbside Pickup to Increase Profit per Sale

Delivery isn’t the only way to grow. Pickup can be just as powerful.

It eliminates third-party commissions and delivery fees, while helping you build direct relationships with customers. It’s a high-margin channel that works well during busy hours, when guests want speed and convenience, such as morning coffee runs or quick lunch orders.

With Restolabs, you can easily promote and manage pickup orders right from your online ordering site. Offer “skip-the-line” pickup or free add-ons or loyalty points to encourage repeat orders. Other capabilities include:

• Using Quick Reorder to let regulars place their favorite orders in seconds
• Accepting cash or online payments for pickup, keeping every dollar you earn

Also Read: How Online Ordering Transforms Takeaway Operations

Get Ready to Accelerate and Increase Delivery Sales

Here’s the deal: when your restaurant is visible online, listed accurately across search platforms, driven by timely offers, guided by customer data, and backed by efficient logistics, growth follows naturally.

Each marketing strategy in this guide is connected to a single goal: stronger delivery and pickup performance, as well as higher profitability.

Restolabs provides the structure to make that happen. It’s an all-in-one online ordering platform for restaurants that combines direct ordering, in-house and third-party delivery integrations, loyalty and coupon programs, and sales analytics.

It empowers you to manage pickup and delivery orders, run promotions, and track every sale, all while keeping full profits on direct orders and avoiding third-party marketplace commissions. 

Why wait? Restolabs offers a 30-day free trial, enabling you to risk-free explore its full suite of features. You can cancel anytime, and there are no contracts. Book a free demo today!