Busiest Times for QSR Delivery by the Numbers
Aug 16, 2023
Market
To staff up or not staff up: that is the question.
In the restaurant business, there’s little margin for error. It's a race against time, and every second counts. Knowing when to staff up to meet demand can make all the difference, so any insight into future trends is invaluable.
We don’t have a crystal ball, but we’ve got the next best thing—historical data.
There is no one-size-fits-all time frame. Every restaurant's busy periods will depend on factors like location, menu, and season. But we can still dive into the numbers to identify patterns that can help you make informed business decisions.
The best way to use this article:
If your franchise locations are new to delivery, this is an excellent starting point. Make sure you check out our hot tips for maximizing delivery ROI at the bottom of this piece. If you have already established your delivery business, we recommend comparing this data with your own to identify overlaps and opportunities.
Busiest days of the week for food delivery
Food delivery demand peaks during certain days of the week, as both Uber Eats and DoorDash data reveal clear patterns. Uber Eats encourages drivers to prioritize working from Wednesday through Sunday, as these are the busiest days. Customers often opt for delivery during midweek workdays for convenience and over the weekend to relax, leading to a higher volume of orders.
What are the busiest holidays for food delivery?
Holidays are among the highest-volume days of the year for restaurants offering delivery, as customers often opt for convenience when celebrating or gathering with friends and family.
DoorDash shares its busiest holidays for delivery demand each year. There are some surprises, but many of the usual busy-ness suspects that drive demand for meal time convenience made the list. Here are the numbers for 2023, based on the average number of deliveries per open restaurant location:
1. Christmas (December 25, 2023)
2. New Year's Day (January 1, 2023)
3. Mother's Day (May 14, 2023)
4. Easter (April 9, 2023)
5. New Year's Eve (December 31, 2023)
6. Memorial Day (May 29, 2023)
7. Labor Day (September 4, 2023)
8. Men's College Basketball Finals (April 1, 2023) (It’s a holiday for some)
9. Thanksgiving (November 23, 2023)
10. Veterans Day (November 11, 2023)
The weekends before major holidays are major busy, too
Here’s more data from Doordash that ranks the busiest days for delivery in 2023 when just looking at weekend days before or after major holidays.
Sunday before Halloween
Friday before Presidents Day
Friday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Friday before Veterans Day
Sunday before Indigenous Peoples' Day
Friday before Halloween
Friday before the Fourth of July
Friday before Memorial Day
Friday before Indigenous Peoples' Day
Friday before Juneteenth
Certain events lead to higher demand for fast food delivery
External factors such as weather conditions and major events can significantly impact peak hours, leading to a higher volume of orders.
Bad Weather: Adverse weather conditions often increase the demand for food delivery, as people prefer to stay indoors. Rain, snow, or extreme heat can create peak hours at unexpected times.
Major Events: Sporting events like the Super Bowl, concerts, or large gatherings can cause a surge in orders, especially during halftime or intermissions. Being prepared and proactive during these events can help you manage the increased demand effectively.
March and April are the busiest months for fast food delivery according to PrepProof data
Breaking PrepProof data down by the month, we've found that our quick service restaurant partners see their highest delivery volume in March, followed by April.
Why are March and April the leading months for food delivery?
It comes down to a mix of the factors discussed above. The shortlist:
March Madness: March Madness is a huge event in the United States, driving significant delivery demand as people gather to watch the games. Since the finals extend into early April, the impact likely continues into that month.
Easter: Easter typically falls in April, and like other holidays, it’s a timeframe when people might prefer the convenience of getting a meal delivered, especially if they are hosting or attending gatherings.
Early Spring Weather: March and April often bring unpredictable weather—rain and sometimes lingering cold spells—which can encourage people to stay indoors and order delivery rather than go out.
Spring Cleaning Fuel: Although we don’t have specific data, our experience suggests that fast food delivery often accompanies tasks that take longer or require more energy than expected. It’s easy to imagine people realizing they're starving and don’t want to cook or leave the house after they’ve spent hours cleaning out their closets.
St. Patrick's Day: Though it doesn't crack the top ten in holiday ordering, delivery orders still see a boost around St. Patrick's Day. People coming home from celebrating the holiday or recovering the next day often opt for the convenience of fast food delivery. As the saying goes, nothing fights a hangover like a cheeseburger and a Shamrock Shake.
Will my delivery business be busy at the same time as my in-house service?
There’s a restaurant version of Murphy’s Law: busy days often align during peak times like weekends, holidays, and major events (e.g., sporting events, festivals). On these occasions, both delivery and dine-in traffic increase because consumers are looking for convenience.
There are also instances when the relationship is inverse, especially during poor weather conditions. As we mentioned above, adverse weather like heavy rain or snow often deters customers from dining out but increases the demand for delivery. In such cases, delivery sales peak while in-restaurant dining drops.
Hot tips and software recommendations for partnering with DSPs and maximizing delivery ROI
Wondering how to prepare your restaurant staff for these high order volume days? Here are some tips to manage and optimize restaurant operations for third-party delivery:
Staff up for these holidays. You may want to have an expo overseeing delivery orders, or double-checking each order before making the hand off to delivery drivers to avoid having missing or incorrect items.
Announce your promotions in advance: On busy delivery days, you're not just competing with other restaurants in your category; you're also up against all other restaurants offering delivery. It's important to reach customers early so, best case scenario, they decide to order from your location before the busy day arrives.
Create a walk-up location for courier pick-up: Having a separate counter or area inside your franchise locations specifically for delivery driver pick can mitigate disruptions to your in-house and drive through customers.
Curbside pickup spaces: Assigning a few parking spots for curbside pickup, allowing delivery drivers to quickly pick up orders without using the drive-thru.Using technology for efficiency: Implementing a kitchen display system (KDS) that syncs with your restaurant delivery software to prioritize and track delivery orders separately from drive-thru and in-store orders. Install a Ring doorbell to greet the courier when they arrive. Ensure each of your restaurants has added courier pick-up instructions in the operating merchant portal.
Recoup unjust chargebacks: Delivery orders frequently have higher cancellation rates and more instances of missing items, leading to increased refunds. Unfortunately, restaurants often absorb these losses, even when the issue isn't their fault.
Food delivery software PrepProof helps combat unjust refunds automatically. It enables quick-service restaurant operators to recover thousands of dollars in lost revenue per location each year by actively managing disputes and ensuring every issue is resolved promptly and accurately.PrepProof stands by its services and only charges restaurants a fee when it helps win their money back.
