Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt in comparison: Which is the most sustainable delivery service?
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The sustainability of Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt for restaurateurs is a hot topic affecting many restaurants and takeaways. With the rise of delivery service platforms, you, as a restaurateur, have the ability to conveniently bring your food and beverages to 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 ordering more from large chains instead of supporting local businesses.
Another aspect to consider is the dependence on third-party vendors. If you, as a restaurateur, handle your deliveries exclusively through Lieferando, UberEats or Wolt, you may have less control over the entire delivery process. This can lead to issues like late deliveries or lack of quality assurance. You also rely on delivery services to deliver in your city and have them available to you. As the market leader, Lieferando covers a delivery area of over 250 cities in Germany. UberEats covers 86 cities across Germany thanks to the Uber Group, and Wolt is only present in 19 German cities.
In this comparison, we assume that all of them, i.e. 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'll compare the pros and cons of Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt for restaurateurs, while also shedding light on the possibility of an in-house delivery service.
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What are my costs if I want to sell food through Lieferando, UberEats or Wolt?
Lieferando costs and prices for restaurant owners
Lieferando is the best-known food delivery platform in Germany. With a large customer base, Lieferando offers numerous advantages for restaurants. Ordering is easy and there are several marketing options to increase your visibility. There are basically two ways to claim services from Lieferando.
UberEats costs and prices for restaurant owners
UberEats has conquered the German market in recent years and is becoming increasingly popular. The delivery service is part of the Uber group and drivers:inside 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 several 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 is that Wolt offers delivery of groceries, supermarkets, drugstores or flower stores in addition to food delivery.
Sustainability of Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt for restaurateurs
Sustainability plays an important role in today's restaurant industry. Restaurateurs face the challenge of making their businesses more environmentally friendly and making sustainable choices. 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?
The delivery service platforms definitely have some positive impacts on the environment. By bundling orders and optimizing route planning, they can enable more efficient deliveries. This can lead to fewer vehicle miles and thus a reduction in CO₂ emissions. In addition, many platforms rely on electric vehicles or bicycle couriers to further reduce environmental impact.
Lieferando mainly uses bicycle couriers and offers drivers* the option of choosing a scooter as their delivery vehicle. UberEats and Wolt allow their suppliers to choose which vehicle they want to use. At UberEats, a lot of deliveries are made by car due to the company structure, and at Wolt the bicycle dominates as a delivery vehicle.
Can you offer food in reusable containers at Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt?
Yes, you can sell sustainable food in reusable containers with your restaurant via Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt. But this is where your initiative is needed! You have the choice between the easy option, where you use partially poorly recyclable disposable containers to protect your food and drinks during transport, and the better option, where you resort to reusable containers.
Reusable alternatives offered by delivery services
Lieferando and UberEats allow you, as a restaurant owner, to use reusable containers from the providers Vytal and RECUP (REBOWL). You can simply choose your preferred partner to make delivery more sustainable!
Wolt goes one better and has another partner in addition to Vytal and RECUP (REBOWL): Relevo.
What are Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt doing about food waste?
Another issue related to the sustainability of Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt for restaurateurs is potential food waste. When orders are canceled or delivered incorrectly, food can 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 by providing valuable tips against food waste. In addition, Lieferando provides recipes for using leftovers.
UberEats and Wolt are a bit more reserved. You won't find any information on initiatives against food waste from either company.
Comparison overview:
| Feature | Lieferando | Uber Eats | Wolt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reach and distribution within Germany | high (over 250 cities) | medium (86 cities) | low (19 cities) |
| Agency commission | low (13% of the order value) | low (15% of the order value) | n.a. |
| Costs for self-collection of your customers | n.a. | n.a. | low (0€) |
| Commission as delivery agent | 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 (mostly bicycle) |
| Diversity 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 leftovers) | n.a. | n.a. |
As an alternative to external delivery services, it is possible to offer an in-house delivery service.
Advantages and disadvantages of an in-house delivery service
Considering an in-house delivery service can give restaurateurs greater control over the delivery process and sustainability. Here are some pros and cons to consider:
Advantages
- Greater 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 enables better customer loyalty and the possibility to respond to individual needs.
- Strengthening the local economy: by promoting an in-house delivery service, restaurateurs can support the local economy and connect directly with the community.
Disadvantages
- Higher costs: an in-house delivery service can come at a higher cost, as additional resources such as delivery vehicles and staff are required. Therefore, restaurateurs must carefully consider the financial implications.
- Potential logistics overhead: Organizing an in-house delivery service requires careful planning and logistics to ensure efficient and reliable delivery.
- Limited customer base: compared to delivery platforms, an in-house delivery service can reach a limited customer base. Restaurateurs may need to invest in marketing efforts to increase their reach.
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Conclusion
The sustainability of Lieferando, UberEats, and Wolt for restaurateurs is an important issue for restaurateurs to consider when deciding whether or not to use these platforms. While they have some positive impacts, there are also challenges related to packaging waste, food waste, and supporting the local economy. An in-house delivery service can be an alternative to improve sustainability and maintain control over the delivery process.
We recommend where it is (financially) feasible to offer an in-house delivery service. If your restaurant is somewhat well known, this may well be much more profitable than having to rely on platforms like Lieferando, UberEats and Wolt. For smaller restaurants, it is a good idea to use the delivery services as an intermediary in order to gain a little more recognition. This may allow an in-house delivery service to be built in the future.
In smaller localities, where none of the three delivery services is offered, only the possibility of an in-house delivery service remains. Here we advise you to weigh up individually whether a delivery service is at all necessary and profitable. It might help to talk to your customers and ask them about their needs.
2 comments
Trinkgeld gebe ich in Cash, dann weiß ich das der Lieferfahrer es bekommt.
Ihr habt vergessen dass Lieferando noch 0,70€ pro Transaktion berechnet. Das heißt wenn der Kunde online mit Karte zahlt, berechnet uns Liefernado als Gastronomen diesen Betrag für jede Transaktion. Das hat Wolt nicht zum Beispiel. Darüber hinaus behält Lieferando nochmal 20% des abgegebenen Trinkgeldes. Heißt wenn Kunden online Trinkgelder geben die eigentlich für die Fahrer gedacht sind behält Lieferando nochmals 20% davon.