The sustainability of Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt for restaurateurs is a current issue that affects many restaurants and takeaways. With the rise of delivery service platforms, you, as a restaurateur, have the opportunity to conveniently bring your food and drinks to your customers. By using these platforms, you, as a restaurateur, can potentially benefit from a larger customer base and increase your sales. At the same time, however, this can lead to customers increasingly ordering from large chains instead of supporting local businesses.
Another aspect to consider is third-party dependency. If you, as a restaurateur, handle your deliveries exclusively via Lieferando, UberEats or Wolt, you may have less control over the entire delivery process. This can lead to problems such as late deliveries or lack of quality assurance. You also depend on the delivery services in your city delivering and being available to you. Lieferando as the market leader covers a delivery area of over 250 cities in Germany. Thanks to the Uber Group, UberEats covers 86 cities across Germany and Wolt is only represented in 19 German cities.
In this comparison we assume that all of them, ie Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt deliver in your city. Which delivery service is worthwhile for your restaurant? And how sustainable are these services really? In this article we will compare the pros and cons of Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt for restaurateurs and also look at the possibility of an in-house delivery service.
What are the costs if I want to sell food via Lieferando, UberEats or Wolt?
Lieferando costs and prices for restaurant owners
Lieferando is the best-known platform for food delivery in Germany. With a large customer base, Lieferando offers numerous advantages for restaurants. Ordering is easy and there are various marketing options to increase your visibility. There are basically two ways to use Lieferando services.
UberEats costs and prices for restaurant owners
UberEats has conquered the German market in recent years and is enjoying growing popularity. The delivery service belongs to the Uber Group and drivers can decide for themselves whether they want to deliver food or transport people. The delivery structure of UberEats is similar to that of Lieferando.
Wolt costs and prices for restaurant owners
Wolt is an emerging platform available in various German cities. With its focus on quality and user experience, Wolt offers an attractive alternative for restaurants and has an almost identical delivery system to Lieferando. The only difference: in addition to the delivery of food, Wolt also offers the delivery of groceries in supermarkets, drugstores or flower shops.
Sustainability from Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt for restaurateurs
Sustainability plays an important role in today's hospitality industry. Restaurateurs are faced with the challenge of making their operations more environmentally friendly and making sustainable decisions. But how sustainable are Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt for restaurateurs? We take a closer look.
What are the environmental impacts of Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt? And which delivery service delivers in an environmentally friendly way?
Delivery service platforms do have some positive environmental impacts. By bundling orders and optimizing route planning, they can enable more efficient deliveries. This can result in fewer vehicle kilometers and thus a reduction in CO₂ emissions. In addition, many platforms rely on electric vehicles or bicycle couriers to further reduce the environmental impact.
Lieferando mainly uses bicycle couriers and offers drivers the option of choosing the scooter as the delivery vehicle. UberEats and Wolt let their suppliers choose which vehicle they choose. At UberEats, due to the company structure, a lot of deliveries are made by car, and at Wolt, the bicycle is the dominant delivery vehicle.
Can Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt offer food in reusable containers?
Yes, you can sell sustainably in reusable containers with your restaurant via Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt. But your initiative is required here! You have the choice between the simple variant, in which you sometimes use non-recyclable disposable containers to protect your food and drinks during transport, and the better variant, in which you use reusable containers.
Reusable alternatives for delivery services
Lieferando and UberEats enable you, as a restaurant owner, to use reusable containers from the providers Vytal and RECUP (REBOWL). You can simply choose your preferred partner and make the delivery more sustainable!
Wolt goes one step further and, in addition to partners Vytal and RECUP (REBOWL), has another partner: Relevo.
What are Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt doing to combat food waste?
Another issue related to the sustainability of Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt for restaurateurs is potential food waste. When orders are canceled or mis-shipped, food may be lost. This is not only economically unfavorable, but also ecologically questionable.
Lieferando sets a good example here and appeals to customers and encourages sustainable behavior with valuable tips against food waste. Lieferando also provides recipes for leftovers.
UberEats and Wolt are a little more reserved. No information can be found on the two companies' initiatives against food waste.
Comparison overview:
| characteristic | Lieferando | About Eats | Wolt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reach and distribution within Germany | high (over 250 cities) | medium (86 cities) | low (19 cities) |
| finder's commission | low (13% of order value) | low (15% of order value) | no |
| Costs for self-collection by your customers | no | no | low (0€) |
| Commission as a deliveryman | high (30% of the order value) | high (30% of the order value) | high (25-30% of the order value) |
| sustainability of the delivery method | good (bicycle or scooter) | needs improvement (mostly car and bicycle) | very good (mainly bicycle) |
| Variety of reusable container partners | high (Vytal and RECUP (REBOWL)) | high (Vytal and RECUP (REBOWL)) | very high (Vytal, RECUP (REBOWL) and Relevo) |
| Commitment against food waste | good (tips and recipes for using up leftovers) | no | no |
As an alternative to external delivery services, there is the possibility of offering an in-house delivery service.
Advantages and disadvantages of an in-house delivery service
Considering an in-house delivery service can allow restaurateurs greater control over the delivery process and sustainability. Here are some pros and cons to consider:
Advantages
- Better control over sustainability measures : With an in-house delivery service, restaurateurs have the opportunity to use environmentally friendly packaging, optimize the number of delivery vehicles and implement sustainable delivery processes.
- Direct customer contact : With an in-house delivery service, restaurateurs can establish direct contact with their customers and receive their feedback. This allows for better customer retention and the ability to cater to individual needs.
- Empowering the Local Economy : By promoting an in-house delivery service, restaurateurs can support the local economy and create a direct connection to the community.
Disadvantages
- Higher costs : An in-house delivery service can be associated with higher costs as additional resources such as delivery vehicles and staff are required. Restaurateurs must therefore carefully weigh the financial implications.
- Potential Logistical Expenses : Arranging your own delivery service requires careful planning and logistics to ensure efficient and reliable delivery.
- Limited Customer Base : Compared to delivery service platforms, a home delivery service can reach a limited customer base. Restaurateurs may need to invest in marketing efforts to increase their reach.
Conclusion
The sustainability of Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt for restaurateurs is an important issue that restaurateurs should consider when deciding for or against these platforms. While they have some positive impacts, there are also challenges related to packaging waste, food waste and supporting local economies. An in-house delivery service can be an alternative to improve sustainability and maintain control over the delivery process.
We recommend offering an in-house delivery service where it is (financially) possible. If your restaurant enjoys a little more notoriety, this can definitely be a lot more profitable than having to resort to platforms like Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt. For smaller restaurants, it is a good idea to use the delivery services as intermediaries in order to gain a little more notoriety. As a result, an in-house delivery service may be set up in the future.
In smaller towns where none of the three delivery services are offered, the only option is an in-house delivery service. Here we advise you to weigh up individually whether a delivery service is necessary and profitable at all. It might help to talk to your customers and just ask them about their needs.
