A Review of Online Food Delivery (OFD) Impact on Food Businesses

Abstract

The emergence and widespread adoption of online food delivery (OFD) platforms have revolutionized how people order and receive food, thus creating both opportunities and challenges for the food business. With this shift from bricks to clicks in the food industry, it is necessary to study the impact of OFD platforms on food businesses. Objective: This review paper analyzes existing literature to provide a comprehensive overview of how OFD influences customer preferences, business operations, and the economic performance of the food business. Additionally, it highlights the dual-edged effects of OFD adoption, offering insights and recommendations to various stakeholders to adapt strategically and integrate OFD services sustainably. Methodology: The methodology involved a comprehensive review of scholarly articles. Findings: The findings reveal that OFD has necessitated significant operational changes in restaurants, such as optimizing workflows and integrating advanced technologies, while high platform fees have impacted profitability, especially for small businesses. Expectations of online customers, including food quality and ensuring timely deliveries have become a critical focus for restaurants. This Review underscores the need for further research to explore long-term impacts providing valuable insights for the food businesses aiming to foster a balanced and beneficial integration of technology in the food industry.