RMDA Industry Insights - Using AI Strategically in Food Delivery and Catering
By: Tameshia Weaver
Why AI Matters for Third‑Party Delivery Companies
Restaurant industry leaders are buzzing about artificial intelligence, but most admit they aren’t ready to deploy it.
A Deloitte survey found that 98% of restaurant executives expect AI to significantly impact the customer experience within three years, yet fewer than one-third feel prepared for this transformation (Source: fastcompany.com).
Our question to you as a Food Delivery Service Operator:
How prepared are you for AI and the impact it will have on the way you do business?
For third‑party delivery companies, the stakes are just as high. We handle dispatching, driver management, restaurant partnerships and customer service for hundreds of businesses at once. AI’s promise is improved efficiency, better customer experiences and data‑driven marketing - directly overlapping with our operations.
But like restaurants, many delivery companies face a gap between AI excitement and readiness.
Where Restaurants and Delivery Companies Overlap
Enhancing the Guest Experience
Restaurants see AI as a tool to make dining more enjoyable, whether by taking orders via voice, predicting preferences or personalizing promotions. Over 60% of surveyed executives said enhancing customer experience is their top AI goal and 63% already use AI daily for this purpose (Source: retailsystems.org).
Delivery platforms share this priority: we’re measured by delivery times, order accuracy and satisfaction. AI‑driven route optimization and real‑time driver tracking can cut delays, while chatbots and voice assistants answer questions and resolve issues quickly.
Handling Complexity and Scaling Operations
Restaurants are experimenting with AI for inventory management (55% daily use) (Source: retailsystems.org), demand forecasting and kitchen automation.
Delivery companies face similar logistical puzzles: balancing driver availability with order volumes, coordinating multiple restaurant menus and schedules, and managing surge periods. AI can analyze historical data to predict demand surges, assign drivers efficiently and even suggest batching orders to reduce mileage.
Personalized Marketing and Loyalty
A reservation platform showed how AI‑generated text messages segmented customers and booked 1,800 reservations, generating nearly $500 k in six months with a 98% open rate (Source: fastcompany.com).
Delivery companies can adopt similar tools to send targeted offers based on ordering habits, time of day or weather. About half of operators already see high impact from AI‑enhanced loyalty tech (Source: fastcompany.com).
Voice and Conversational AI
Less than 20% of restaurant leaders use conversational voice AI today, but roughly a third are testing or piloting it, and another third are developing a strategy (Source: fastcompany.com).
Voice AI can staff drive‑thru order taking, upselling based on context, or answer phones to provide information.
For delivery companies, voice bots could handle customer calls, update order statuses and collect delivery instructions without tying up agents
Emerging Technologies and Robotics
Big brands like Taco Bell and Burger King use AI voice systems to streamline drive‑thru orders, while Miso Robotics’ “Flippy” robot automates frying and grilling tasks (Source: retailsystems.org).
Yum China’s KFC managers are piloting hands‑free AI assistants that remind them about inventory and help troubleshoot issues (Source: fastcompany.com).
These examples foreshadow autonomous delivery vehicles and kitchen robots that could transform the food delivery ecosystem.
Delivery companies should monitor these pilots for lessons but remember that transformative hardware adoption is likely years away (Source: fastcompany.com).
AI’s Impact on Food Delivery & Catering
Route Optimization & Dispatching – AI algorithms analyse order patterns, traffic and weather to schedule drivers and create efficient routes. This reduces wait times and maximizes capacity, especially during corporate catering events with strict timelines.
Dynamic Pricing & Promotions – By tracking demand and menu popularity, AI can suggest surge pricing or discounts to balance load. It can also craft personalized promos based on a customer’s past orders. Real‑world results show that AI‑generated texts can drive meaningful revenue (Source: fastcompany.com)
Fraud Prevention & Secure Transactions – AI monitors transaction patterns to flag anomalies, protecting both customers and restaurants from fraud. In an industry where margins are thin and order volumes high, reducing chargebacks is critical.
Inventory & Supply Chain – For restaurants, predictive ordering reduces waste and ensures menu availability. Delivery companies can use similar models to forecast packaging needs, driver shifts and even fuel consumption.
Customer Support – AI‑powered chatbots handle simple questions and update customers on order status, escalating complex issues to human agents. This hybrid approach is becoming more common (Source: a3logics.com)
Finding the right AI strategy: Steps for September
Start with Clear Goals
Identify operational pain points where AI can deliver quick wins, reducing delivery times, preventing cancellations or improving order accuracy. Resist the urge to invest in flashy technology without a defined business case.
*Remember: Generative AI is used daily by only 9% of restaurants today (Source: retailsystems.org). Focus on proven tools like chatbots, route optimization and demand forecasting.
Pilot and Measure
Follow restaurants’ lead: more than 70% of execs plan to increase AI investment next year (Source: retailsystems.org), but many are still piloting.
Choose a few markets or restaurant partners to test AI‑powered dispatch or marketing. Collect data on cost savings, delivery time and customer satisfaction.
Use metrics to refine your approach before scaling.
Invest in Talent and Infrastructure
The top challenges for AI adoption are scalable use cases, risk management and technical talent (Source: retailsystems.org). Build or partner with teams that understand both food operations and machine learning.
Ensure data is clean and accessible across your platform, and integrate AI tools with your POS and driver systems.
Align with Restaurant Partners
Share best practices from early adopters and offer consultation. Many small operators feel left behind because AI tools are built for large chains (Source: fastcompany.com)
By acting as an advisor, helping them adopt voice ordering, predictive analytics or loyalty personalization, you strengthen relationships and ensure your platform remains integral to their success.
Maintain the Human Touch
Even as AI becomes ubiquitous, hospitality still hinges on human connection.
Use AI to handle repetitive tasks and free your team to focus on delivering exceptional service.
Keep lines of communication open with restaurants and diners to ensure technology enhances, rather than replaces, the dining experience.
Final thoughts
AI isn’t a futuristic buzzword anymore…it’s already reshaping the restaurant, catering, and delivery ecosystem.
The Deloitte survey shows the industry’s enthusiasm and its readiness gap. Third‑party delivery companies sit at the intersection of restaurants, drivers and customers, making us uniquely positioned to harness AI’s potential.
By starting with clear goals, piloting thoughtfully and investing in people and infrastructure, we can turn AI from hype into a competitive advantage—not just in Q4 2025 but well into the future.
