Things You'll Need:
- Computer with Internet access
- Website
- Phone line
- Voicemail
- Fax
- Cell phone
- Reliable transportation
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Step 1
Decide whether to deliver restaurant meals, gourmet chef-prepared meals or both. Choose your target market. A good example of a target market is corporate offices. You could provide them with a lunch delivery service Monday through Friday.
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Step 2
Research online or look through the phone book to get a list of restaurants in your area. Discuss your proposal with restaurant managers. Ask for menus and price lists to place online. Agree on a commission for each meal delivered.
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Step 3
Visit the United States Personal Chef Association website to find a personal chef to team up with who can prepare gourmet meals. Scroll down the website main page and click on the "Find a Personal Chef" link. Type in your zip code and press the ¨Search¨ button.
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Step 4
Contact several personal chefs in your area and discuss your proposal. Ask chefs to provide you with menu and prices to place online. Add a commission to the price of each meal.
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Step 5
Fill out all required business registration forms with city, state and federal agencies.
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Step 6
Set up a website that allows customers to place orders online. Display menus and prices online for easy ordering.
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Step 7
Generate a flat rate to charge customers for delivery service. Advertise the price online, on menus and on flyers.
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Step 1
Determine the delivery area. Start off small and add area as you grow. Plot the area on a street map.
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Step 2
Market your meal delivery business by leaving business cards, menus or flyers with customers, businesses and neighborhoods.
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Step 3
Coordinate with the chef and restaurant to determine the best communication method ahead of time. Use fax, phone or online services.
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Step 4
Begin to take customers' orders. Fax or phone orders to the restaurant or chef. Pick up and deliver the food to customers, then collect payment. Keep track of each order and pay restaurant and chef as agreed upon.
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Step 5
Provide quick service with a smile. Listen to customers' requests or complaints. Meet customer demands and watch your business grow.
Comments
mikehandy12 said
on 9/28/2008 If you are wondering why there isn't one of these clever businesses in each area...especially considering the demand today from consumers for their favorite restaurant meals to be prepared and delivered, not to mentioned the demand from restaurants to increase their sales. It's a no brainer right! Wrong. Most go out of business in six months or less. Why, because it's more complicated than you think. Like many small businesses, the owner ends up building themselves a low paying delivery job. Go to www.RestaurantDeliveryUSA.com to find out how to do it correctly. They help people set these up and make huge profits.
JasonML420 said
on 7/21/2008 Online ordering isn't always that easy, unless you use an outside source, like waiter.com or lunchandearn.com. Some companies will also provide new customer bases with online ordering, like rxlunches or www,lunchandearn.com, both who bring the very reliable pharmaceutical sales rep lunches.