The pandemic is changing how many of us order food and how many restaurants serve up plates. And for restaurants across the nation, that means more take-out and delivery options.
However, CNN Business reports that some common delivery apps may not be helping as much as we think they are. Mathieu Palombino, owner of New York’s Motorino Pizza chain, told CNN that delivery apps, like Seamless, GrubHub and Uber Eats, can charge around 30% per order. And for restaurant owners who already deal with paper-thin profit margins, that could mean the difference between making money or losing money on an order.
To help ease some of the struggle, cities such as Denver, Los Angeles and New York City have put emergency limits in place. They now cap the delivery surcharges to 15% per order. The companies have also tried to help out as much as possible, cutting the surcharges if restaurants offer to use their own delivery employees. But, some restaurant owners, such as Palombino, say it just is not enough.
Instead, restaurant owners say customers should just call the place directly. CNN reports that forgoing the delivery apps can help the restaurants stay in business. Owners say that many offer their own delivery services. And if the restaurant does not deliver, ordering a take-out meal and picking it up yourself is better. It may be more expensive, but it could make the difference between ordering from your favorite restaurant again or the restaurant closing down for good.