Delivery platform visibility optimization
Understand the algorithms, optimize your levers and climb the search results to receive more orders.
How algorithms rank your restaurant
Uber Eats and Deliveroo use sophisticated algorithms to determine the display order of restaurants. Understanding these criteria means being able to act on your positioning in a concrete and measurable way.
Average rating and reviews
Your overall rating is the primary sorting criterion. A restaurant at 4.5 stars will be shown before a restaurant at 4.2, all else being equal. Recent reviews (last 30 days) count more than older ones. Responding to reviews also boosts your internal quality score.
Preparation time
Platforms measure the time between receiving the order and handing it to the delivery person. A preparation time below your category average significantly improves your ranking. Conversely, regular delays penalize you in the long run.
Acceptance rate
Every refused or ignored order negatively impacts your score. Platforms expect an acceptance rate above 95%. Below 90%, your visibility drops drastically and you risk commission penalties.
Activity and consistency
Being online regularly and during broad time slots is rewarded by algorithms. A restaurant open 7 days a week with extended hours will have more visibility than one open only during peak hours. Consistency is key.
Conversion rate
The ratio between people who see your restaurant and those who order is measured. Appetizing photos, clear descriptions and consistent prices improve this rate. A high conversion rate signals to algorithms that your restaurant is relevant.
Cancellation rate
Restaurant-initiated cancellations are severely penalized. Each cancellation reduces your reliability score. It is better to deactivate an out-of-stock item than to cancel an order after accepting it. Keep your cancellation rate below 2%.
Optimizing your time slots
Being present at the right times is just as important as the quality of your food. Algorithms value regularity and availability during high-demand slots. Here is how to optimize your hours.
11:30 — 14:00
Lunch
Intensity : HighBe online from 11:00 to capture the first orders. The peak is between 12:00 and 13:00. Prepare your workstations before opening to avoid delays on the first orders.
18:30 — 21:30
Dinner
Intensity : Very highThe most profitable slot. Be operational from 18:00. The absolute peak is between 19:30 and 20:30 on Fridays and Saturdays. Strengthen your team on those days.
14:00 — 18:30
Afternoon
Intensity : LowAn underestimated slot. Competition is reduced and customers ordering at these hours are less demanding on delivery times. Ideal for desserts, drinks and snacks.
21:30 — 23:00
Late evening
Intensity : MediumHigh demand on weekends. Few restaurants are still open, which reduces competition. Offer a simplified menu to manage team fatigue at the end of service.
Photos and descriptions that convert
On delivery platforms, your customers order with their eyes. A quality photo can increase orders for a dish by 25 to 35%. Here are the essential rules for visuals that make people want to order.
Natural lighting
Photograph your dishes in natural light or with warm lighting. Avoid flash and fluorescent lights that distort colors. Daylight through a window gives the best results at zero cost.
45-degree angle
The ideal angle for food photography is between 30 and 45 degrees. It lets you see the contents of the dish while showing its volume and texture. Avoid photos taken strictly from above except for pizzas and poke bowls.
Neutral, clean background
Use a plain background (light wood, white marble, slate) with no visual distractions. The dish should be the main subject. Avoid cluttered backgrounds or dirty tables visible in the frame.
Minimalist staging
Add one or two contextual elements: a napkin corner, fresh ingredients, a piece of cutlery. No more. The goal is to make the dish appetizing, not to create a complex setting that draws attention away.
Descriptions that convert
Name your dishes in an appetizing and precise way. "Artisan burger with Charolais beef, aged cheddar, house sauce" converts better than "Classic burger". Mention premium ingredients and preparation methods.
Regular updates
Renew your photos every 3 to 6 months. Platforms favor restaurants that update their content. New photos also give regular customers a sense of freshness and evolution.
Speed and acceptance rate
The two most impactful operational metrics are your preparation time and acceptance rate. Here is how to optimize them without sacrificing quality.
Advance preparation (mise en place)
Prepare your ingredients, sauces and garnishes before the rush. Rigorous mise en place can reduce your preparation time by 30 to 40%. Every minute saved improves your algorithmic score.
Dispatch station organization
Dedicate a specific space to online order dispatch. Pre-assembled packaging, accessible labels, separate verification zone. This streamlines the process and reduces errors.
Automatic acceptance
Enable automatic order acceptance if your setup allows. Every second between receiving and accepting counts in your preparation time calculation. Automatic acceptance eliminates this delay.
Smart refusal management
If you must refuse an order, do it immediately rather than letting it expire. A quick refusal is less penalizing than an ignored order. Better yet, deactivate out-of-stock items to avoid refusals.
The snowball effect of speed
A fast restaurant receives more orders, which improves its activity score. More orders mean more potential reviews, which improves the rating. A better rating attracts more visitors and orders. It is a virtuous cycle: each operational improvement leads to others. Investing in speed is the lever with the highest return on investment.
Promotions and marketing on delivery platforms
The promotional tools built into delivery platforms are powerful visibility levers. Used well, they increase your orders without eroding your margins. Used poorly, they can cost you dearly.
Launch offers
Offer a 20 to 30% discount on first orders. Platforms highlight restaurants with active promotions in a dedicated section, which increases your visibility by 50 to 100% during the offer period.
Limit to 7 days to create urgency. Target new customers only.
Free delivery
The free delivery offer is the most powerful lever in terms of conversion. It can increase your orders by 30 to 50%. Build the cost into your prices if necessary, but offer it regularly.
Set a minimum order (e.g. free delivery from €20) to protect your margins.
Free item
Offer a low-cost item (drink, dessert, side) for any order exceeding a certain amount. This mechanic increases the average basket while giving customers the impression of getting a good deal.
Choose a high-margin item. A homemade cookie costs €0.30 and impresses the customer.
Happy Hours
Offer discounts during slow slots (14:00-18:00, Monday-Tuesday). This smooths your activity, keeps your team busy during idle hours and improves your consistency indicator with algorithms.
Communicate your promotional hours in your restaurant description.
Measuring your progress: key metrics
What cannot be measured cannot be improved. Track these six indicators every week to manage your visibility and quickly detect performance drops.
Average rating
> 4.5 starsTrack your progress week by week. Every tenth of a point impacts your visibility. Goal: maintain a rating above 4.5 on both platforms.
Acceptance rate
> 95%Every refused or expired order reduces this rate. Aim for 98% or more. Below 90%, your commissions can be increased and your ranking penalized.
Average preparation time
< 15 minMeasure the time between acceptance and handover to the delivery person. The target varies by cuisine type, but stay below your category average. Ideally under 15 minutes.
Cancellation rate
< 2%Restaurant-initiated cancellations are very penalizing. Keep this rate below 2%. Deactivate out-of-stock items rather than canceling orders.
Average basket
IncreasingTrack the evolution of your average basket. Cross-promotions (free dessert from X euros) and combo menus naturally increase this figure.
Number of orders
Weekly growthThe final indicator of your visibility. Regular growth, even 5% per week, indicates that your optimizations are working.
Tip: create a weekly dashboard
Use a simple spreadsheet (Google Sheets or Excel) to track these 6 metrics every week. Compare periods to identify trends. A regular 10-minute weekly check lets you detect a problem before it significantly impacts your revenue. The Uber Eats Manager and Deliveroo Partner Hub portals provide all this data.