7 steps to boost your Uber Eats ranking

The usage of food delivery platforms peaked during the pandemic, and it’s safe to say that they haven’t lost their popularity in recent times. Apps like Uber Eats and Deliveroo are still thriving, with customers all over the country logging in to get their favourite meal delivered right to their doorstep.

More and more restaurant owners are signing up to these services to take advantage of the industry’s many benefits, such as reaching new customers and boosting order volume.

So, do you want to know how you can stand out from the crowd in such a competitive market? How to master the algorithm of these delivery apps? How to get more orders on UberEats? 

We’re here with some tips to get you ranked higher on delivery services like Uber Eats, Just Eat, Deliveroo and more.

How does the algorithm of UberEats work?

The first thing you need to know is simple: the delivery platforms highlight the restaurants that are most likely to make them money. To identify these restaurants, they use an algorithm. This formula uses different criteria to evaluate each restaurant before ranking it. Here are some of the criteria considered during this UberEats ranking process:

Order preparation time

The time you take to prepare food for each order has a big impact on the overall delivery time. A faster order means a happier customer and therefore a customer who is likely to use the app again for their next meal. This is why the algorithm favours restaurants that accept and complete orders quickly.

Customer reviews 

This one is pretty simple. If customers are happy enough with your service that they leave a review on the app, this looks great for you and the delivery provider. The more positive customer feedback (number of stars, comments) you receive, the more the algorithm will notice you.

The conversion rate 

The algorithm is interested in the ratio between the number of people who have seen your menu and those who have placed an order. To increase this conversion rate, your menu should be appealing at first glance, so that users click into your restaurant profile and are always convinced to make an order. 

The distance between the restaurant and the home

Usually, the algorithm of these food delivery platforms will prioritise restaurants closer to the user’s selected address in the first results. There’s not much you can do to favour this particular criteria.

Direct searches

Restaurants whose name is frequently typed into the search bar will get a visibility boost. This is one of the reasons why large chains are always at the top of searches. But by focusing on the quality of your food, and your customer experience, you can also benefit from this online reputation.

Give newcomers a chance

Many platforms, such as Just Eat, have decided to give new restaurants a chance to get a good placement while waiting for their first customer feedback. So when your restaurant starts operating on a delivery app, make sure to ask the provider if this is an option for you. 

Now that we've identified the criteria the algorithm looks for, let's move on to some tips that will help you get the top spot, and fill you in on how to get more orders on UberEats.

7 tips to rank well on UberEats, Deliveroo, Just Eat

1. Optimise your menu for delivery

On online ordering apps, it's best to offer a menu that is tailored to offer the most efficient and high-quality delivery service. You don't need to change your dishes, redesign the whole menu, but you will want to rework the photos,maybe offer fewer products, or remove items that might be difficult to deliver. If you're looking to increase sales, optimising your online menu is an important step.

2. Improve your photos on the platform

"A picture is worth a thousand words"—this is very much the case on delivery platforms. Users of these apps are often looking for a quick solution to satisfy their hunger. What will sometimes attract them is not the right description, but the right photo. 

To make your restaurant stand out, we advise you to hire a professional to shoot your best dishes. By the way, the activation fee for your Uber Eats account includes a first photo session.

3. Reduce preparation time

Some things are out of your hands, like delivery time. What you can optimise, however, is your preparation time.

In other words: find the most efficient way of working, cut out unnecessary steps, organise yourself well between on-site and delivery orders so that you don't lose time. 

4. Get closer to your customers

Customer/restaurant distance is one of the first criteria monitored by the algorithm. So if you want to reach customers far away from you, there is a solution that is increasingly used: the Dark Kitchen. Also called cloud kitchen, or ghost restaurant, these are spaces dedicated specifically to the preparation of dishes, without the element of a restaurant space. You can rent this space, bring your team, and deliver to the surrounding area.

5. Offer promotions 

Why offer promotions? Because your restaurant can get a better positioning on food delivery apps if you offer users some nice deals. For example, one of the offers UberEats allows restaurants to enable is "One dish bought = One dish offered", which can boost you to the top of the list.

Type of promotions you can offer:

• Percentage discount on one order

• Discount after a certain amount of orders

• Free product with a certain order value

• Buy one, get one free

• Discount on the user’s first order

6. Get better ratings

Users won’t just look to delivery apps for reviews on your service, they can switch to platforms like Tripadvisor, or Facebook to check out other people’s experiences. If these reviews are positive, the more likely it is for users to place an order with you via Uber Eats and the likes. 

How to get better ratings:

• Be as efficient as possible

• Encourage customers to leave reviews after ordering

• Respond to reviews regularly 

7. Stand out from competing restaurants

As we've seen, competition is tough on these platforms, especially when you're up against better-known restaurants. So how can you stand out on delivery platforms?

Create a community

This is one of the most effective ways to differentiate yourself, as you will have a loyal customer base with the goal of supporting your restaurant. Of course, getting the reputation of a franchise is not something that can be done in two days, but knowing that 60 to 70% of your restaurant's future turnover comes from regular customers, there is plenty of time to develop a community.

Personalise your deliveries

With UberEats and Deliveroo, the whole process happens online. In order to bring back some sort of human touch to the customer experience, why now leave a personalised note inside each order? Thank the customer for choosing your restaurant, call them by their first name for a friendly touch, offer an extra portion or a dessert—any little gesture could earn you a loyal customer.

Switch to sponsored ads 

If you're still struggling to boost your restaurant's visibility, consider sponsorship. On UberEats, for example, all you have to do is go to your Restaurant Portal, and define the following three criteria for your establishment to appear in the first results of the platform:

• Do you want to reach new or existing customers?

• What weekly budget do you want to allocate?

• What maximum CPC do you want to invest?