Delivery zones are not just a circle around your restaurant. They are how you decide where it is worth sending a driver, at what fee, in how much time and with what level of service. If you set them up roughly, you may end up with delays, complaints and orders that do not make financial sense. If you set them up properly, you control costs better, protect your kitchen and your drivers, and give the customer a clear picture before they order.
1. Start with real time, not just kilometres
The most common mistake is setting zones only by distance. Two areas at the same number of kilometres can have completely different delivery times, depending on traffic, traffic lights, one-way streets, parking or hills. So, before you decide on fees, measure the real journey time.
Do a simple exercise for 3-5 days:
- Choose key points: squares, neighbourhoods, offices, colleges or apartment blocks where you deliver often.
- Measure the round-trip time: not only the route to the customer, but also the return journey or the continuation to another order.
- Note difficult times: lunchtime, evening, Saturday, market days or times with heavier traffic.
- Calculate delivery delay: entering an apartment block, waiting for the customer, payment at the door.
This way, you will see which areas are genuinely close and which only look close on the map.
2. Split the area into simple, clear zones
Your zones should be easy for you, your staff and the customer to understand. Do not create ten different fees if your team finds them hard to explain. Usually, it is enough to start with 2-4 zones and improve them as you go.
A practical model is this:
- Zone A: very nearby area, fast delivery, low or zero fee.
- Zone B: normal distance, standard delivery fee.
- Zone C: further away or more difficult area, higher fee and possibly a higher minimum order.
- Out-of-coverage zone: areas you do not serve consistently, or only serve during quieter times.
Try to base the boundaries on known points: main roads, bridges, squares, the seafront, ring roads or neighbourhoods. Customers understand “up to this avenue” more easily than a vague “up to 3 kilometres”.
3. Calculate the delivery fee based on your costs
The delivery fee should be fair for the customer, but also sustainable for your business. If you set it too low, every distant order may cost you time and money. If you set it too high without clear reasoning, the customer may hesitate to complete the order.
To get a clear picture, calculate:
- Driver time: how many minutes are committed to that specific zone.
- Fuel or operating cost: especially if the route is long or has a lot of traffic.
- Opportunity cost: how many nearby orders the driver could complete in the same time.
- Average order value: if an area often brings in small orders, you may need a minimum amount.
Hypothetical example: if a nearby delivery takes 12 minutes in total and a distant one takes 30 minutes, it does not make sense for them to have the same fee. You can keep a low fee in the nearby zone and gradually increase the fee for more demanding areas.
4. Set a minimum order per zone
The minimum order is one of the most useful tools for protecting your delivery operation. It does not need to be the same everywhere. The further away the area is, the more sense it makes to ask for a higher minimum amount, so the journey is financially viable.
You can work with simple logic:
- Nearby zone: low minimum amount, because delivery is quick.
- Middle zone: slightly higher minimum, so the driver’s time is covered.
- Distant zone: higher minimum or restrictions during peak hours.
Be careful not to make it too abrupt, though. If customers see a minimum order that is much higher than what they usually buy, they may leave. A good practice is to give them a clear indication: “You need another X amount for delivery to your area”. This way, they do not feel rejected; they know what they need to add.
5. Use free delivery with a limit, not without rules
Free delivery can help orders, but if you offer it in every area and for every amount, it can create a problem for you. It is better to use it as an incentive for a larger order, not as a permanent promise with no limit.
Practical options you can try:
- Free delivery only in the nearby zone: especially if delivery is fast and frequent.
- Free delivery above a specific amount: a different limit per zone, depending on distance.
- Free delivery during quiet times: if you want to fill gaps in production.
- No free delivery in difficult zones: if you know they require a lot of time.
Hypothetical example: you could offer free delivery in Zone A above €12, in Zone B above €18, and keep a fixed fee in Zone C. The important thing is for the rule to be simple and to appear before the customer reaches the end of the order.
6. Adjust to peak hours and kitchen capacity
Your zones do not need to be the same all day. If, on a Friday night, the kitchen is under pressure and the drivers are constantly on the move, a distant area can create delays for all your other customers too. It is better to temporarily reduce coverage or increase the estimated delivery time than to promise something you cannot deliver.
Set rules for difficult times:
- Limit distant zones: especially when you have few drivers.
- Increase preparation time: so the customer knows what to expect.
- Prioritise nearby orders: to keep speed consistent.
- Temporarily pause orders: if the kitchen has reached its limit.
An online ordering system like Wiiz Eat can help here, because it lets you set delivery or collection, delivery fee, minimum order, free delivery limit, average preparation time and a temporary pause on orders when needed.
7. Organise your drivers around the zones
Even the best-designed zones will not work if your drivers do not have a clear picture. The team needs to know which areas are nearby, which are difficult and when it is not worth opening up a long route for just one order.
Create a simple process:
- Group orders: if two customers are in the same direction, send them together when possible without damaging the timing.
- Do not overload one driver: three orders in unrelated areas usually lead to delays.
- Give clear addresses: floor, doorbell, customer comments and payment method.
- Set the delivery order: not only based on who ordered first, but also based on the route.
If you want to organise this flow better, also see the guide App for your drivers, with practical ideas on how your delivery team can work more clearly.
8. Communicate the rules clearly and improve them often
The customer should not discover the delivery fee at the last step as an unpleasant surprise. The more clearly you present the zones, fees, minimum amount and delivery time, the fewer cancellations and complaints you will have.
Use simple language:
- “We deliver to the areas...” followed by a list of neighbourhoods or key points.
- “The delivery fee is calculated by area” without complicated explanations.
- “At peak times, the time may change” to set a realistic expectation.
- “For orders outside the zone, call us” if you want to keep some flexibility.
Finally, check your zones every few weeks. See which areas orders come from, where you are delayed, where there are frequent complaints and which routes are not worth it. Delivery zones are not something you create once and then forget. They are a tool that should follow the reality of your restaurant.