fooddelivery

Food delivery refers to the process of preparing meals at a restaurant or other food service facility and delivering them to a customer’s location, typically via on-demand digital platforms. Orders are placed through websites or mobile apps, with payment and sometimes tip handling integrated into the platform. Delivery can be performed by a restaurant’s own staff or by third-party couriers contracted or employed by a platform, depending on the business model.

Historically, takeout and courier services predated online ordering, but modern food delivery expanded rapidly with online ordering in the late 1990s and mobile apps in the 2010s. Today, it covers restaurant meals as well as groceries, meal kits, and other prepared foods, with specialized platforms and hybrid models.

Key operations include order management, route optimization, and real-time tracking. Packaging is designed to preserve temperature and presentation, while drivers or riders coordinate ETA through GPS data. Cold-chain and food-safety considerations are important, as is insurance and liability coverage for incidents.

Economically, platforms charge restaurants commissions and customers may pay delivery fees, with tips often constituting a significant portion of courier earnings. In many markets, delivery has become a substantial channel for revenue for restaurants, while also raising concerns about labor classification, worker rights, tipping norms, and wage stability.

Regulation varies by jurisdiction and covers health inspections, licensing, and labor standards. Environmental concerns include packaging waste and traffic impacts. Overall, food delivery is a rapidly evolving segment of the food service industry, shaped by technology, consumer demand, and policy debates.