The 101 of Growing Your Delivery Business

I recently met with the CEO of a Japanese F&B group in Singapore.

His challenge? Competition is getting stiff, and expanding by opening new outlets feels riskier than ever.

Instead of increasing overheads, he wanted to focus on maximizing sales within his existing stores—leveraging the SKUs, staff, and kitchen capacity he already had.

His question: How can I increase revenue without opening new locations?

He was thinking about what to sell—but I told him that’s the wrong question. The better question is: Who are you selling to, and when?

Most restaurants approach delivery as an extension of their dine-in menu. But the best-performing brands design their delivery strategy around their customers’ real-world needs.

Step 1: Understand the Market Segments and Occasions

Instead of treating delivery as a one-size-fits-all channel, size up the real opportunities and build a menu that fits them.

⭐️ Kids’ Parties: A Growing Market with High-Volume Orders

As a parent, I attend at least 10 birthday parties a year through my daughter’s classmates. Some take place at function venues, others right in the classroom.

That’s just one small segment—but the total market size is huge.

• Children aged 0-14 make up about 13.8% of Singapore’s population (833,520 children).
• The 4-8 age group alone accounts for 297,000 children.

The demand for party catering for kids is rising. But most restaurants don’t design menus for it.

Paris Baguette serves up a variety of bite-sized boxes and platters, perfect for party spreads and kid-friendly gatherings.

What works:

• Fuss-free, easy-to-eat meals that cater to children’s food preferences.
• Consider parental concerns—limit fried items, avoid overly sugary foods.
• Make ordering easy—offer kids’ party sets so parents don’t have to customize each meal.

⭐️ Corporate Meals: Different Needs for Different Events

Not all corporate orders are the same. A meal ordered for a training session is different from one for a networking event.

• Training sessions – Bento boxes or individually packed meals for convenience.
• Networking events – Communal platters and sharing bites to encourage interaction.

Many restaurants miss out on corporate orders simply because they don’t design menus tailored to these occasions.

Pagi Sore has launched a dedicated bento box menu tailored specifically for corporate orders.

⭐️ Family Meals: What Works for Dine-In May Not Work for Delivery

Sushi is great for dine-in, but when families order delivery, they tend to choose communal meals.

Older family members, especially, prefer cooked food over raw items.

For a Japanese restaurant, this means:

• Highlight family-style set meals instead of just individual portions.
• Offer cooked dishes that cater to older family members alongside sushi options.
• Make ordering for groups intuitive and frictionless.

Rappu, known for its dine-in handroll and sake experience, has introduced delivery-friendly bundles and bento sets made for sharing on its eShop.

Step 2: Fix the Biggest Mistake in Delivery Menus

The biggest mistake restaurants make? They simply port their dine-in menu to their eShop.

A typical dine-in menu flows like this:

Appetizers → Mains → Desserts

But when customers order delivery—especially for groups—they don’t order this way.

Think about the last time you ordered food for a gathering.

• You’re ordering in bulk.
• The most frustrating part is checking what everyone wants.

If your online store is built like a dine-in menu, it forces customers to click multiple times to build a meal from scratch.

Instead, design your delivery menu for how people actually order.

• Show curated bundles first – "Party Set for 6," "Family Feast for 4."
• List your best-selling signatures next.
• Keep à la carte options at the bottom for customization.

A good eCommerce experience is about reducing the number of clicks to purchase.

Position your bundles and signature dishes upfront to maximise conversion opportunities.

If you make ordering seamless, you’ll sell more.

Step 3: The Best Customers Are Already Inside Your Restaurant

One of the biggest advantages restaurants overlook? Your best delivery customers are the ones who have already dined in.

Think about it—someone who has already experienced your food is far more likely to order it again. But most restaurants don’t actively collect customer data and market delivery to them.

Here’s what high-performing restaurants do:

• Capture dine-in customers into a database—whether through a reservation system, loyalty check-ins, or payment terminals.
• Use that data to promote delivery directly—instead of waiting for them to discover it.
• Run targeted promotions—offering past diners a reason to try delivery.

If you’re launching a delivery business, your first move should be to activate your existing customers.

• Email your consolidated database—your past customers are the most likely to order.
• Run matched audience ads—target customers who have dined in but haven’t ordered delivery.
• Leverage retargeting—ensure customers see your delivery offering multiple times.

The fastest path to delivery growth isn’t chasing new customers—it’s converting the ones you already have.

Execution is Everything—And That’s Where We Come In

The truth is, growing a delivery business isn’t just about offering delivery—it’s about optimizing every step of the process.

• Are you designing your menu for return customers, not just first-time orders?
• Are you making it ridiculously easy for customers to place bulk orders?
• Are you actively marketing your delivery service to the right audience?

At Oddle, we’ve helped restaurants scale their delivery revenue sustainably by building systems that work. We start with what already works — menus designed to sell more, promotions that drive repeat orders, smart settings that maximise profits, and operational setups that protect your brand.

If you’re serious about unlocking the full potential of your delivery business, there’s no one better to talk to.

Book a Free Google Review Strategy Call →

Jonathan Lim

Founder & CEO, Oddle