The food delivery industry has seen significant growth in the last decade, and it is expected to continue to increase over the coming years. By 2023, industry experts are predicting that worldwide revenues could be as much as $287 billion. As a restaurant owner or manager of a food service business, this means you need to stay ahead of the latest trends so that you can ensure your establishment remains relevant in an increasingly digital world. In this blog post, we will explore nine top trends for food delivery services in 2023 – helping you make informed decisions about when and where best to invest your time and resources. Read on to find out more!

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Trends:

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1. Customers will increasingly use mobile apps to order food, rather than calling or visiting a restaurant in person

2. Delivery-only restaurants will continue to grow in popularity

3. Delivery times will become shorter as companies compete to offer the quickest service

4. More options for self-delivery and hybrid deliveries

5. AI driven delivery automation is the new thing

6. The use of drones and robots for food delivery will increase

7. Meal kit delivery services will become more popular

8. Restaurants will start offering healthy meal delivery options

9. There will be more focus on environmental sustainability, with packaging made from biodegradable materials

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1. Customers will increasingly use mobile apps to order food, rather than calling or visiting a restaurant in person

In the post Covid world, digital ordering of food is quickly becoming the norm. Companies have released mobile apps to make ordering easier, meaning customers no longer need to call or visit a restaurant in person.

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People can quickly and easily order what they want, often with a few easy swipes or clicks on their phone or laptop.

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These mobile apps are transforming how we consume food: you can track your order, customize it with various ingredients and enjoy delivery without ever having to leave the comfort of your home.

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Businesses everywhere have had to adapt their services due to the global adoption of digital ordering; some have even gone so far as to offer their own unique app for ordering purposes. With this trend, convenience has become the name of the game when it comes time for customers to purchase their meals.

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2. Delivery-only restaurants will continue to grow in popularity

With digital ordering and 3rd party delivery applications gaining traction in the past few years, it's predicted that delivery-only restaurants, also known as virtual kitchens, will continue to grow in popularity in 2023.

These digital-first restaurants don't have a physical storefront but rather operate entirely through digital channels such as ordering portals and dedicated third-party delivery apps like UberEats or Grubhub. Offering lower overhead costs, these virtual brands can focus on their digital customer experience while keeping their prices competitive in the market. With more digital consumers joining monthly, digital businesses are likely to continue succeeding and becoming more mainstream into 2023 and beyond.

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3. Delivery times will become shorter as companies compete to offer the quickest service

faster delivery times are quickly becoming the standard for companies competing in today's faster paced digital market. As customers become more accustomed to the convenience of faster delivery, businesses have responded with a new range of services that make faster order fulfillment a reality. Through better customer experience initiatives such as live tracking of orders and faster available delivery windows, companies are revolutionizing the way we get products delivered faster than ever before. And it isn't just customers that benefit - faster delivery can increase customer loyalty and better reviews, leading to more successful business outcomes in the long term.

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4. More options for self-delivery and hybrid deliveries

For businesses, faster and more efficient delivery options can mean the difference between keeping customers happy or losing them to a faster, better-quality competitor. Offering more options for in-house self-delivery and hybrid deliveries with third party services could be a great way to improve the customer experience. Customers could benefit from faster delivery as well as live tracking for their orders, which would build trust and make it easier to monitor their packages throughout the entire delivery cycle. In addition, having multiple delivery options would also increase the efficiency of the delivery process, giving businesses a better chance of success.

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5. AI driven delivery automation is the new thing

Restaurants are increasingly turning to AI driven delivery automation to faster their service and improve customer experience. Through automated dispatch, cost-per-delivery is reduced, and faster delivery enabled while minimizing human intervention. Customers can also now track their orders live with notifications and updates on the estimated time of arrival of food items. This not only ensures faster delivery and convenience but also gives customers transparency into the whole process.

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6. The use of drones and robots for food delivery will increase

As innovations in automation continue to improve, many businesses are turning to the use of drones and robots for food delivery in an effort to lower labor cost and increase efficiency. AI-driven drones and robots offer an incredibly efficient way to deliver food orders quickly and accurately. These advances have the potential to reshape the delivery industry in ways we have never seen before, with shorter wait times for customers and lower cost for businesses. As drone and robotics technology continues to develop, it is certain that the use of these methods for food delivery will become increasingly commonplace.

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7. Meal kit delivery services will become more popular

Meal kit delivery services are an ideal choice when it comes to lower cost, easy to prepare meals. Not only do they provide lower costs than buying the ingredients from a grocery store, the convenience of having the ingredients pre-portioned and measured saves time. Additionally, meal kit delivery services typically have a great selection of healthy options that allow users to try recipes they may not have otherwise cooked. With lower cost, easy preparation and a selection of healthy options available, meal kit delivery services look poised to become ever more popular as a way to make quick and effortless meals at home.

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8. Restaurants will start offering healthy meal delivery options

As people become increasingly health conscious in their diets, restaurants are beginning to make strides towards offering healthy options. Meal delivery services now feature multiple vegan and meat-less dishes that appeal to a wide range of health-focused individuals. It is becoming easier for restaurant chains to offer healthy meals through delivery services as they can be made with fewer ingredients and require less time to prepare. With these options available, it's becoming possible to maintain even the strictest dietary restrictions while enjoying meals from the comfort of home!

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9. There will be more focus on environmental sustainability, with packaging made from biodegradable materials

With the increasing awareness of environmental sustainability, there has been an increased focus on finding solutions that reduce our carbon footprint. Packaging is one such area where biodegradable materials are being used to replace traditional plastic and paper products. This reduces the amount of waste that is produced by consumers, while also allowing for the safe transport and display of products in a more sustainable fashion. As people become more conscious of the need for environmental protection, biodegradable packaging will become commonplace in homes and businesses around the world.

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As technology advances, more automation and artificial intelligence is bound to become a part of food delivery and takeout services in 2023. Self-service ordering, personalized meal kits, contactless payments, and delivery drones are only a few examples of how technology has been shaping the food industry recently. Coupled with e-commerce growth and adoption, the trends in food delivery that we can expect to see by 2023 suggest a new age of convenience for customers and considerable opportunities for businesses. Overall, by 2023, technology will likely play an integral role in every facet of food delivery and takeout—from order processing to inventory management to payment solutions.

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