10 Ways to Increase Your Uber Eats Rankings

Uber Eats is one of the most popular food delivery services in the United States and its reach expands across 44 additional countries. With millions of users daily, it comes as no surprise that restaurants who partner with the service can expect to see a significant increase in both sales and exposure. Those who rank highest through the Uber Eats platform; however, will benefit exponentially more than those with lower rankings. To make the most of your partnership, discover 10 ways to increase your Uber Eats rankings:

1. Decrease Prep Time

While all food delivery service apps rely on an algorithm to recommend restaurants to consumers, no one knows exactly what the algorithm is looking for. It is clear; however, that consumers who are ordering from services like Uber Eats prefer to order from restaurants who can offer the fastest delivery times. Although the delivery portion is being outsourced, the app takes the restaurant’s prep times into consideration when ranking restaurants and determining their delivery estimates. To boost your ranking on Uber Eats, it is wise to attempt to cut your prep time down as much as possible. One of the simplest ways to do this is to integrate all your incoming food delivery service orders into your existing point-of-sale system. This can be done simply with an app like OrderOut and will allow all the orders to be sent directly to the kitchen where prepping the order can be done instantly after the order is placed by the consumer.

2. Improve Ratings

Another aspect that is taken into consideration by the Uber Eats algorithm when making restaurant recommendations is the restaurant’s ratings. While your restaurant may have superb ratings on platforms like Google or Yelp for in-house dining, Uber Eats reviews focus solely on the customers’ experiences with their food delivery orders. Naturally, the quality of the food will play a large role in these ratings, but do not underestimate the value of order accuracy/customization, solid take-out packaging and including convenient items like plastic cutlery or condiments.

3. Update Hours of Operation

Nothing is more frustrating for customers than attempting to place an order only to discover that a restaurant is not currently accepting them or that they are closed. Because of this, it is crucial to ensure that your hours of operation are always up to date. These hours may change due to holidays or other circumstances so be sure to keep your information with Uber Eats updated.

4. Offer Special Offers

Advertising a special offer can drastically increase your restaurant’s ranking on Uber Eats. Many times, Uber Eats will showcase current deals and these can be alluring for new customers. They can be as simple as a $5-off coupon for new customers or a weekly special. In either case, it will ensure that your restaurant receives maximum exposure on Uber Eats.

5. Allow Future Orders

Flexibility is a must, as Uber Eats caters to a wide variety of individuals who lead hectic lifestyles. From families to professionals, it may be difficult to find the time to place a large order when it is needed. To accommodate these users, allow future orders to be placed. This means that they can place their order at lunch time and schedule a delivery for minutes after they arrive home for dinner. This ease of use can also boost rankings on Uber Eats.

6. Expand Your Menu

Again, the Uber Eats algorithm for ranking is a bit mysterious but we do know that the platform seems to prioritize those with a larger menu. It is also helpful if you offer a wide variety of cuisine types, i.e. Thai and Japanese. This is important because the app categorizes menus by the type of cuisine offered and can help users find exactly what they are looking for with ease.

7. Aim For a “Featured” Spot

While there is no guarantee that a restaurant will be featured on Uber Eats, it is a feat that will drastically improve rankings. To give your establishment the best chance of being featured, be sure to keep prep times to a minimum, provide quality dishes, offer exceptional customer service and maintain high customer ratings.

8. Add Photos

One of the most enticing portions on any menu is the photographs. The look of a dish can draw in customers and encourage them to select that particular meal, while also letting them know what to expect. The same goes for online menus and Uber Eats profiles. Adding pictures to menus along with photos of the restaurant itself can help users decide what they want to order and can make them feel more secure in ordering from a new restaurant.

9. Make Pickups Simple for Drivers

Uber Eats drivers are much different than traditional in-house delivery drivers. They do not have the same access to the restaurant, they do not know the staff members and there are a lot of them. This means that it can make it difficult to navigate pick-ups in a timely fashion when there are also customers picking up their own orders. Unlike regular pick-up customers, time is money for Uber Eats drivers and the ease (or lack thereof) of pickup can affect delivery times and ultimately, reviews. To streamline the process for everyone involved, prioritize orders being picked up by third-party drivers. Some simple ways to do this includes posting signs instructing Uber Eats drivers to call upon arrival or creating a designated pick-up area for drivers that is separate from regular take out lines.

10. Communicate with Existing Customers

Local customers have already decided that they love your establishment. They likely dine in and call ahead for pick-up from time to time. Many of these customers; however, may not be current users of Uber Eats. To ensure that you make the most of your partnership with Uber Eats, be sure to inform your existing customers of the delivery option being offered. This will encourage them to sign up for the platform and can offer them a new sense of convenience that leads to increased customer loyalty and satisfaction. This may also help with rankings on the platform as the number of orders placed are taken into consideration.

After putting these 10 ways to increase your Uber Eats rankings in place, you should begin to notice a drastic improvement in the revenue generated from online orders. Want to learn more about partnering with Uber Eats? Explore the benefits of signing up today.