Slow delivery, how to be part of efficient and sustainable deliveries in the hospitality industry

The food delivery market has been consolidating in recent years and has left a series of consumption habits that will be maintained over time. According to Just Eat’s annual report, significant growth is expected in the next five years, reaching 1,680 million euros in 2027 in this sector. And, according to AECOC, 72% of consumers order food from home in a restaurant or through a platform and 24% do it once a week, their motivations are to stay in the comfort of home and the alternative to having to cook.

It is a reality that delivery is a tool used by the majority of the population and, in turn, it has been very useful for restaurants to survive during the pandemic. But how efficient and sustainable is the delivery service?

Slow delivery in hospitality

Sustainable food is a clear trend in 2023, users are betting on products or shipments that guarantee a positive impact on both their health and the environment. The evolution of consumer habits has an impact on delivery management, which is why the so-called “slow delivery” trend is increasingly present in this market.

The slow label, as a strategy of resistance and as a lifestyle, is attributed to Carlo Petrini, activist and food critic for the newspaper L’Unità. His commitment to slowness as a category, to a diet that cornered rushing and focused on the quality, healthiness and local color of food, had a notable impact and established the phases of the slow movement.

The main goal of slow delivery is order scheduling. The user is the one who decides on the real urgency of his shipment, for example, in the hotel industry, the user schedules the order for dinner in advance and requests that the order be brought to him two hours later, in such a way that the workers can organize it all taking into account sustainability such as expenses the workers can organize it all taking into account sustainability such as expenses.. Urgent and immediate deliveries are not sustainable over time as they multiply operating costs and have a very high environmental impact.

Slow delivery does not mean that the user will wait indefinitely for their order, but rather the implementation of a balanced planning based on cost optimization and emission control.

Sustainability is a concern that is increasing among online customers and is settling as a culture and way of consuming to which the hospitality sector is no stranger. And you, are you already part of the slow movement?

If you need to implement take away or a delivery service in your business, you can download the full version of our guide for free here.