Starting an online multi - restaurant delivery service

[RJFA]

Hello everybody,

I'm new to the for forum so bare with me a little. I recently graduated med school just to find out I like the profession but I'm not in love with it. I've always wanted to have my own business but was to afraid to engage in the process since I was raised in the "Get Rich Slow Lane".

I believe the food industry is one that even thou has ups and downs it will never disappear. I can say on my behalf and a lot of people I know that food is something that makes us happy and when it comes to eating good food, prices are not an issue as long as we get what we like. I know there are some multi-restaurant delivery services in the USA but none in Puerto Rico.

Although the Island is undergoing a critical financial situation there is a lot of local and outside entrepreneurs betting on the island as a small business startup and investment option.

I have already designed the idea and a preliminary plan to attract local restaurants to join the movement as well as customers to visit the webpage for food ordering and restaurant information.

So with these in mind, would you be so kind to shed some words of wisdom to this frustrated med student with a desire to get out of the ordinary and start being extraordinary? Thanks in advance!

 

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[Joey El]

...I know there are some multi-restaurant delivery services in the USA but none in Puerto Rico.

Although the Island is undergoing a critical financial situation there is a lot of local and outside entrepreneurs betting on the island as a small business startup and investment option.

I have already designed the idea and a preliminary plan to attract local restaurants to join the movement as well as customers to visit the webpage for food ordering and restaurant information.

So with these in mind, would you be so kind to shed some words of wisdom to this frustrated med student with a desire to get out of the ordinary and start being extraordinary? Thanks in advance!

Welcome!

Don't do this, but the idea would seem to be something you could brand and ethically build locally. I recommend Gregory V. Diehl's book to guide you in pre-selling to both sides of the market.

Good luck!

 

[Lex DeVille]

I have already designed the idea and a preliminary plan to attract local restaurants to join the movement as well as customers to visit the webpage for food ordering and restaurant information

Take action. Seems like the most logical next step.

If you get more specific about what you want advice on, someone might be able to go into more detail about that particular point.

Based on this post it seems like you know what you're trying to do and you've planned it out. So execute and make it happen.

 

[RJFA]

Welcome!

Don't do this, but the idea would seem to be something you could brand and ethically build locally. I recommend Gregory V. Diehl's book to guide you in pre-selling to both sides of the market.

Good luck!

Thanks for your response Joey El. I will definetly look into this book.

 

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[RJFA]

Take action. Seems like the most logical next step.

If you get more specific about what you want advice on, someone might be able to go into more detail about that particular point.

Based on this post it seems like you know what you're trying to do and you've planned it out. So execute and make it happen.

Thanks SinisterLex. I am doing all of this from scratch without partners or investors. So I have things to learn on the way and is the main reason I joined the Forum and bought some sweet books.

 

[Joey El]

Thanks for your response Joey El. I will definetly look into this book.

That's great. And as SinisterLex mentioned, act.

Deliveroo (the company operating everywhere in my area) have been busted ripping off their workers, as mentioned in the linked article in my first post.

So your idea has been validated by a possible competitor...which is great.
And you can avoid the pitfalls they made in "chasing the money", obviously it doesn't ever pay in the long run.

You'll add awesome value and it is an ideal model for bootstrapping.

Cheers

 

[Gregory Diehl]

Thanks for your response Joey El. I will definetly look into this book.

The book is Brand Identity Breakthrough, and launches on Amazon on May 20, but you can preorder here if you like: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C37VTAW/?tag=tff-amazonparser-20

Happy to answer any questions if I can help with your situation.

 

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[Rudynate]

Hello everybody,

I'm new to the for forum so bare with me a little. I recently graduated med school just to find out I like the profession but I'm not in love with it. I've always wanted to have my own business but was to afraid to engage in the process since I was raised in the "Get Rich Slow Lane".

I believe the food industry is one that even thou has ups and downs it will never disappear. I can say on my behalf and a lot of people I know that food is something that makes us happy and when it comes to eating good food, prices are not an issue as long as we get what we like. I know there are some multi-restaurant delivery services in the USA but none in Puerto Rico.

Although the Island is undergoing a critical financial situation there is a lot of local and outside entrepreneurs betting on the island as a small business startup and investment option.

I have already designed the idea and a preliminary plan to attract local restaurants to join the movement as well as customers to visit the webpage for food ordering and restaurant information.

So with these in mind, would you be so kind to shed some words of wisdom to this frustrated med student with a desire to get out of the ordinary and start being extraordinary? Thanks in advance!

I have been a Hello Fresh subscriber for about a month and I am completely blown away by the intelligence of their business model. It's a slightly different niche than you are targeting, because it delivers groceries, rather than prepared food. Every week you get three meals, delivered by UPS. Everything is fresh and high quality. The groceries come with recipes and preparation instructions. Anyone but a rank beginner could follow the instructions/recipes and produce a great meal. The finished meals are near-restaurant quality, each about 500-600 calories, good macronutrient ratios, etc. The recipes are all developed by Jamie Oliver, who I think has an ownership interest in the company. They use every interaction with them as an opportunity to create more value.

 

[DaRK9]

Deliveroo (the company operating everywhere in my area) have been busted ripping off their workers, as mentioned in the linked article in my first post.

A contract which they agreed upon as consenting parties. This is the same system as Uber.

No such thing as a free delivery.

 

[Boo Blizzi]

I have thought about a biz like this for years, but could never get the math to work. In that time, I have seen companies like Task Rabbit spring up and have to reinvent themselves or get more investors because they couldn't get the model to work either.

Just the other day I was reading an article about how Grubhub was profitable when they only took orders and made restaurants do their own delivery, but now their investors are demanding they provide delivery service to compete with companies like Door Dash, who raised $127 mil to finance that aspect of the biz. The CEO is pissed because he said Grubhub had to raise $90 mil just to run a company that will only breaking even.

 

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[Mineralogic]

I have thought about a biz like this for years, but could never get the math to work. In that time, I have seen companies like Task Rabbit spring up and have to reinvent themselves or get more investors because they couldn't get the model to work either.

Just the other day I was reading an article about how Grubhub was profitable when they only took orders and made restaurants do their own delivery, but now their investors are demanding they provide delivery service to compete with companies like Door Dash, who raised $127 mil to finance that aspect of the biz. The CEO is pissed because he said Grubhub had to raise $90 mil just to run a company that will only breaking even.

venture capital is hurting...yes hurting people as you just said and stopping natural selection of real businesses/value creation

Some people might have a tough time swallowing this, but creating endless bubble after bubble via venture cap private, and then public markets is actually a negative thing big time to echo your thoughts here. Damon Johns talks about the power of broke in this regard as well

Hot off the press today in the WSJ http://www.wsj.com/articles/this-tech-bubble-is-bursting-1462161662

 

[nradam123]

So you want to built a multi-restaurant delivery service.
A little like Tiny Owl, Food Panda, Zomato (Its a food catalogue company), Just Eat .etc

All these companies are extremely successful. I would recommend, research the above companies first. Install their app, check their website, read their post in social media and Quora.

Even before making a website you can start doing things manually. Meetup with restaurants, capture their food menu, and ask you friends who want to order. Get some orders so that you will get the ball rolling and build some momentum.

About delivery I am not sure how things work in Puerto Rico. In India, we have delivery services available both locally and country wide. Sometimes the restaurant itself will have delivery people. And payment/commission .etc is something that you have to work out.

If you want to start out with a website asap with minimum investment I would recommend to make a WordPress website. You can search "Food Panda WordPress Theme" and you will get some leads. Since these websites are Responsive you can forget making an app for now. If you want a cheap website/app made search in Fiverr.

Its easier to tell than execute, but HEY I just told you a little gameplan.

Peace

 

[Rudynate]

Even before making a website you can start doing things manually. Meetup with restaurants, capture their food menu, and ask you friends who want to order. Get some orders so that you will get the ball rolling and build some momentum.

There's a pie business here in San Francisco, nationally famous, started by a woman in her own kitchen. She loved pies and making them and started making pies at night, after work and after her kids were in bed. She was selling them locally to friends and a few restaurants and cafes. She was mentioned in an article in the New York Times, and the rest is history.

 

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[AndrewNC]

They have an app too...

https://hungrybuffs.com/some/boulder/delivery/featured