To set up delivery for your restaurant in Cyprus, start with the basics: what you will deliver, where you will deliver, how long it will take, which drivers you will use and through which channel you will take orders. If these are not clear, delivery quickly becomes a source of mistakes, delays and poor customer experiences.
You do not need to get everything perfect from day one. But you do need to set it up in the right order. First, choose products that travel well, then define areas and timings, organise your kitchen and packaging, and finally set rules for communication with customers and drivers. Below you will find a practical plan to help you start in an organised way.
1. Choose a menu that can handle delivery
Delivery is not simply a copy of your dine-in menu. Some dishes arrive perfectly, while others lose texture, temperature or presentation within a few minutes. Before you open up for orders, create a smaller delivery version of your menu.
- Keep dishes that travel well: burgers, wraps, pizzas, cooked dishes, bowls, grilled items with the right packaging.
- Be careful with delicate items: fried foods that go soft, salads with dressing, dishes with sauces that spill.
- Separate ingredients where needed: sauces, bread, chips, salad or toppings separately.
- Do a test run: prepare the dish, leave it in the packaging for 20-30 minutes and try it as a customer would.
If a dish does not arrive as it should, do not force it. A smaller menu with consistent quality is better than a large menu that creates complaints.
2. Define areas, minimum order and delivery charge
The most common trap is saying “we go everywhere” without calculating timings. In Cyprus, distances may look short, but traffic, peak hours and parking difficulties can change the picture significantly.
Start with zones. For example, hypothetically:
- Zone A: nearby areas, 10-15 minutes’ travel time.
- Zone B: medium distance, 15-25 minutes.
- Zone C: further away, only at quieter times or with a higher minimum order.
For each zone, set a minimum order, possible delivery charge and realistic delivery time. Do not promise 25 minutes if you usually need 40. Customers accept an honest time more easily than a delay with no update.
3. Set up a clear flow from order to door
Delivery needs a process, not improvisation. Write down, on paper or in a shared place, the steps the team follows every time an order comes in. This reduces mistakes, especially when you are under pressure.
- Order intake: who checks it and who confirms it?
- Kitchen time: who informs the team about delivery priority?
- Bag check: who checks dishes, extras, drinks, cutlery and order receipt?
- Driver assignment: who decides who leaves and in what order?
- Customer update: what do you say if there is a delay or an item is unavailable?
Set one simple rule: no bag leaves without a second check. A forgotten soft drink can cost you more in time and frustration than it seems.
4. Organise your drivers with rules and tools
If you have your own drivers, you need clear rules for shifts, areas, delivery order and communication. Do not leave the driver to decide alone every time, especially when there are several orders at once.
Create a basic protocol:
- the driver only collects a bag that has been checked,
- confirms the name, area and payment method,
- calls the customer only if they cannot find the address,
- updates you immediately if they are delayed or if there is a delivery problem.
To reduce phone calls and confusion, you can organise the process digitally. See a practical guide for an app for your drivers, especially if you work with your own fleet and want clearer assignments. At Wiiz Eat, for example, there is a free app for the restaurant’s drivers, with the address opening in Google Maps after they take the order.
5. Choose how you will take online orders
The phone is useful, but it is not enough when orders increase. Customers want to see the menu, prices, options, extras and preparation time without waiting on the line. You want fewer mistakes from orders that were misheard.
You have two main directions. One is marketplace platforms, where customers find you in a shared environment with other businesses. These usually charge commission per order and do not publish a fixed percentage. According to the Cyprus Mail in January 2025, restaurants in Cyprus reported 19-25% per order with delivery and 10% for collection.
The other direction is to have your own ordering channel. Wiiz Eat, for example, is an online ordering system for the restaurant itself, not a marketplace, with your own link and QR code for Instagram, Google, bags and shopfront. The charge is €0.15 per accepted order, rejected orders are not charged, with a €250 one-off activation fee, prices excluding VAT and with no commitment.
6. Create packaging that protects the experience
Packaging is not a detail. It is your “plate” in the customer’s home. If the bag arrives wet, if the chips have gone soft or if the sauce has spilled, the customer will not think the journey is to blame. They will think the restaurant did not take care.
- Use the right size: boxes that are too large let the food move around.
- Separate hot and cold: do not put a salad next to a piping hot dish.
- Seal sauces properly: prefer separate containers for liquids.
- Add labels: dish name, extras, allergens where needed.
- Test stacking: the bag must withstand movement and braking.
Once a week, check random orders before they leave. You will quickly spot which packaging is not working.
7. Prepare the kitchen for peak hours
Delivery should not ruin your dine-in operation, nor the other way round. If everything goes through the same line with no priorities, you will have delays on both sides. You need a clear way to manage it.
Before the rush, prepare:
- ingredients cut and measured for the most popular dishes,
- packaging open and easy to access,
- a separate point for ready delivery orders,
- a list of products that have run out, so you do not accept wrong orders,
- one person in charge who watches timings and priorities.
If a dish takes a long time, write it clearly on the menu or remove it during difficult hours. In online ordering systems you can also temporarily hide dishes that have run out or temporarily pause orders when the kitchen is under pressure.
8. Measure the experience and improve every week
Delivery needs constant adjustment. Do not wait only for complaints. Every week, sit down with the team for 20 minutes and look at what went well and what did not. Keep simple notes, not complicated files.
- Which orders were late? Was it a kitchen, driver or area issue?
- Which dishes received complaints? Do they perhaps not travel well?
- At what times does the operation get blocked? Do you need a smaller menu or more preparation?
- Which areas are not worthwhile? Do they need a different charge or a restriction?
- What do customers often ask for? Add options, extras or clarifications to the menu.
Good delivery is built gradually. Start with a small radius, a stable menu and a clear process. When your team can maintain quality and timings, then open more areas, more hours or more dishes.