Frankston dad’s food delivery app aims to help save local restaurants from high fees
As restaurants struggle through tough coronavirus trading restrictions, a Frankston South dad has created a new way to connect locals with their favourite foodie spots while keeping more money in traders’ pockets. Here’s how it works.
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Restaurateurs in Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula are jumping on board an exclusive direct food order program in a bid to save on “high fee” mainstream apps.
Community mobile food appBite Local — created by Frankston South man and Biz Apps founder Dave Wilton — allows hungry customers to order direct from their favourite restaurant without leaving owners forking out up to 30 per cent of the takings to traditional order companies.
HAVE YOUR SAY: What eatery would you download the app for and why? Tell us in the comments section
The innovative idea comes after Mr Wilton was stood down from his management role at a travel company on April 1, and his two eldest children — Fynn and Aisha — were left jobless from local eateries that struggled to stay afloat amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
“I’ve been a Frankston local for 20 years and love this community. Many of us have kids, family, or friends who work in hospitality, and it’s devastating to see so many restaurant owners struggling,” Mr Wilton told the Leader.
“Third-party food delivery apps control the market and give nothing to our community. Bite Local takes a local approach, investing in local business and ensuring owners recoup the money they deserve.”
The Bite Local app follows concerned Melbourne trader’s pleas to mainstream delivery companies to slash commission of up to 35 per cent as they struggled to survive the COVID-19 outbreak.
In May, Uber Eats cut commission down to 30 per cent and also allowed restaurants to use their own delivery drivers.
“Bite Local will be a new marketing tool for these businesses (and) restaurants featured on the app will have access to a much broader customer base,” Mr Wilton said.
“A family that orders pizza on a Friday night now might consider Indian or Thai on another night.”
Ranelagh Club Mt Eliza, Bobo’s Pizza and Dava Thai Frankston have all jumped on board the program, with Mr Wilton hoping for more to sign up as customers increasingly rely on takeaway food amid strict dine-in conditions.
“We are now able to dine in, however consumer behaviour has changed long-term,” Mr Wilton said.
“There is belief that many people will eat out less often than prior to COVID-19.”
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Bite Localis free to download for consumers, with a small monthly membership fee for restaurateurs and no upfront costs, commissions or ongoing fees.
Owners will receive a page equipped with food ordering, receiving and table reservation features as well as the option to add a delivery driver if needed.
“We need our community to download the app, show the food industry that we care by buy direct and support local,” Mr Wilton said.
“Restaurants are the fabric of our Frankston and Mornington Peninsula community and we all want to see them prosper.”
For more information and to sign up, click here.