Takeout and delivery services have provided the restaurant industry with an indispensable lifeline through the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but many establishments still struggle to meet the cost and logistical issues around food and beverage delivery and payment processing.

In order to help eligible food and beverage sellers leverage on-demand delivery services, Square is expanding on-demand delivery to Canada. Square has partnered exclusively with DoorDash to offer you food and beverage delivery services — including alcohol in eligible provinces — at launch.

DoorDash has strong network coverage across all of Canada, giving you access to reliable, professional courier delivery without having to hire your own delivery drivers. All while increasing profits by significantly reducing the number of commissions associated with third-party delivery apps.

An answer to ongoing uncertainty and instability in the food and beverage industry

Nationally, many provinces still have pandemic-related restrictions, and food delivery remains a prominent revenue stream for restaurants. However, ongoing uncertainty around the pandemic has made it especially challenging for restaurants and food and beverage sellers to plan “return to normal” operations in the short and long term. Delivery services will most likely remain a key source of revenue for your business, and Square is working to help you maximize your profits without paying excessive fees to third-party delivery apps.

Save on commissions with on-demand delivery through Square

Sellers can pay up to 30% in commission fees from third-party delivery companies. Meanwhile, on-demand delivery with Square drastically cuts your commission rates and allows you to keep a larger share of the revenue generated from your food and beverage delivery services.

With Square, there is a flat dispatch fee of $1.50 CAD + tax per on-demand delivery order and DoorDash charges an additional flat fee + tax per delivery.

Square’s standard card processing fees apply to on-demand delivery orders.

Build and own your customer relationships and community

When your customers can’t enjoy the full dine-in experience, a seamless, safe, and user-friendly delivery experience is the next best thing. However, along with the sky-high commission rates and fees, most third-party apps own your customer data and control the transaction so that there’s little to no room for customer service and relationship retention on the restaurant’s end.

Whether you’re looking to personalize the delivery experience or build brand awareness and loyalty programs, customer communication is essential to maximizing your profits through on-demand food and beverage delivery services. When your customers place orders on Square Online instead of a third-party marketplace, you will receive their contact information in your customer directory, which allows you to track and store sales history for each customer.

When paired with Square Marketing and Loyalty, you can build and strengthen every customer relationship, create open lines of communication, and incentivize customers to keep coming back.

Order processing and management

With Square Online Store, your delivery orders instantly flow into your point of sale (either SPOS or RPOS) and route to your kitchen printing systems, just like an in-person order. No extra tablets or changes are required — just launch your ordering page and go!

Terms and conditions

When on-demand delivery launches in Canada, sellers will be able to use DoorDash as a delivery service provider (DSP).

DoorDash does not operate in the province of Nunavut.

Alcohol delivery is only available in the following provinces:

Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
Quebec
Ontario

Who can benefit the most from Square’s new on-demand delivery services in Canada?

Restaurants and food and beverage sellers of every size have been affected by the shift to delivery services, and the resulting costs and revenue loss associated with using third-party delivery apps. Square on-demand delivery in Canada is ideal for restaurant owners and food and beverage sellers that want more control over the delivery process and customer experience while maximizing revenue and profits in the process.

Square on-demand delivery services are especially ideal for:

Quick Serve Restaurants (QSRs)

Your diners want high-quality food, but don’t have time for table service. In the absence of servers and bussers, diners manage their own orders and receive high-quality food for affordable prices in a fraction of the time. These restaurants thrive on volume to make up for their lower ticket sizes. You need online order capturing capabilities and delivery integrations, but don’t need reservation or waitlist management.

Fast-casual

The in-person dining experience is still key, but service standards are less formal and designed to increase the pace of customer flow. In addition to the in-person diners, you expect a significant amount of overall sales to come from online sources, including pick-up and delivery orders.

Food trucks and pop-ups

Your customers want high-quality food, but need it fast and don’t expect much in the way of service. Operational restrictions to account for due to the lack of a fixed location make online integrations and customer relationships especially important for your business development and revenue.

Keep more of your profits on the table

Sign up for Square’s on-demand delivery feature today to maximize your delivery profits and build a strong customer base for your brand!