Outsourcing delivery?

Does anyone have any experience with delivery companies that specialize in food delivery for the Chicago area? I don't think my restaurant needs a full-time delivery person, however we stand to gain a lot by having delivery available (especially in these winter months). Any feedback/suggestions are appreciated. thanks!

I know several companies use bike messengers. Potbelly is a good example. I guess it depends on how fragile your food is. Good luck!

I worked as a driver for various messenger services for over 10 years. I once applied and trained with DiningIn.com. I didn't end up working there, but based on the two days of training I took, they seem like a reputable company with a decent-sized fleet of drivers. They are only focused on the Loop and Lincoln Park.

http://www.diningin.com

Based on my experience in the messenger industry, I would not recommend calling a conventional messenger service for food delivery.

the delivery co i looked into charges a weekly fee so if you don't have a lot of deliveries, it doesn't pay to use em.

If you don't think you're going to do many - the best thing to do is to use your staff. Busboys, dishwashers, hosts, you can usually find someone. If you can't spare someone, test out for a week having your own delivery guy. Pay him $40 a shift + tips and see what happens. If there's a call for delivery which it sounds like there is, I wouldn't deal with a delivery service. Doing it yourself would be much more economical. Regardless, start your delivery range small and treat deliveries like you would a customer in the restaurant, if not better. You can't entertain someone at home who is waiting for their food like you can in the restaurant.

It's important to find a driver with a good attitude and treat the customers with respect. My dad has a restaurant, and had drivers that caused us a few customers in the past.