How Albanian Restaurants Can Compete with Food Delivery Apps

Food delivery apps like Glovo have changed the way Albanians order food. For restaurants, these platforms bring new customers, but at a steep cost: commissions ranging from 15% to 30% per order. For a business with thin profit margins, this is a serious challenge.

The goal is not to completely eliminate delivery apps. They have their place. The goal is to reduce your dependency on them by building your own direct channels with customers. Here is how.

Your Own Website with Online Ordering

The most important step is to have your own website with an online ordering system. When a customer orders directly from your website, you pay no commission. All the profit stays with you.

A modern restaurant website should include: an updated digital menu, online ordering with digital payment or cash on delivery options, business hours and location information, contact details, and professional food photography.

Most customers who order through Glovo do not even know they can order directly. If you make it easy for them, many will prefer to order direct, especially if you give them a reason to do so.

Loyalty Programs

An excellent way to retain customers is a simple loyalty program. It does not need to be complicated. It can be as simple as: every 10th order is free, or get a free drink when you order directly.

Every order a customer places directly through your website instead of through the delivery app is money saved. If the average app commission is 20% and the average order is 2,000 ALL, you save 400 ALL per direct order. Invest a portion of these savings into rewarding loyal customers.

Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile is free and is one of the most powerful tools for restaurants. When someone searches "restaurants near me" on Google, your profile appears with complete information: hours, location, phone number, photos, and customer reviews.

Make sure your profile is complete and up to date. Upload new photos regularly. Respond to reviews, both positive and negative. Add a link to your website for direct ordering. An active Google profile is like a free advertisement that works 24 hours a day.

Building an Instagram Community

Instagram is the ideal platform for restaurants. Food is visual, and people want to see what they will eat before ordering. But most restaurants in Albania make the same mistake: they only post food photos with no context.

The restaurants that are doing it right on Instagram show the cooking process, introduce their staff, share stories from happy customers, and create content that people want to share. They also use Instagram Stories to announce daily specials and direct followers straight to their online ordering page.

Build a community, not just an account. When customers feel connected to your brand, they will order directly from you instead of through an app.

Email, SMS, and QR Codes

Collect your customers' phone numbers and email addresses (with their permission) and use them to communicate directly. A simple SMS like "Today's special offer: order 2 pizzas and get 1 free. Order direct: [link]" can bring in dozens of orders.

QR codes are a powerful tool that many restaurants in Albania are not yet taking advantage of. Place a QR code on every table that links directly to your digital menu or ordering page. When customers are physically in your restaurant, plant a seed for next time: "Order directly from our website and save."

Every direct contact with a customer is an opportunity to build a relationship that does not need a middleman.

Your Own Delivery vs. Third Party

If you have the capacity, consider creating your own delivery service. This can be as simple as one employee with a scooter covering your area. The cost of a delivery person is almost always lower than the 20-30% commission you pay to delivery apps.

For restaurants that cannot create their own delivery service, a smart strategy is to use the apps to win new customers, then convert those customers into direct orderers. Include a flyer in every order placed through the app: "Order directly from our website and get 10% off."

Conclusion

Delivery apps are not the enemy. They are a tool that should be used wisely. The problem arises when a restaurant depends entirely on them and has no direct channel to its own customers.

By investing in a website with online ordering, a strong presence on Google and Instagram, direct communication with customers, and loyalty programs, Albanian restaurants can significantly reduce their dependency on third-party apps and increase their profits.

At Wildfire, we help restaurants and businesses across Albania build a digital presence that drives direct customers. Contact us for a free consultation.

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