Foodpanda.ph  is a new online delivery service that is accessible online or via an application. 

It is headquartered in Germany operating in 40 countries worldwide. It was launched in June 2014 in the Philippines and its partner stores are growing (we actually visisted some of the partner stores of Food Panda in Maginhawa yesterday). Its mission is to offer the convenience to offer more food and restaurant choices with excellent customer service experience for the Filipinos.  

Sometime last month, I received an invite to meet the people behind the Food Panda – but unfortunately, I missed the event because of heavy rain. They are very nice to actually give me voucher codes so I could use and try the food delivery service. There are rare occasions we call for food delivery –

• Mom doesn’t have time to cook.
• We want pizza
• We have gift certificates we want to use.
• We want pizza. 
• I am craving for fastfood.
• I want pizza

How to order via Food Panda?

1. Download the app in Google Play or iOS

2. Add your location and it will automatically locate the partner restaurants in your area.

3. Select the restaurant (in my case, I have easily located Gerry’s Grill).

4. Pick the items in the menu and add in your cart.

5. Confirm your order and address.

6. Submit your order.

I ordered at 9 in the morning, and the app notified me that the store was still closed. I checked the operation hours of Gerry’s Grill, Lucky China Mall (where my orders would come from) – noted that store opens at 10 in the morning. I tried processing and submitting my orders at 10 in the morning, but it only went through at 10:30 in the morning. Food delivery charge is Free for orders Php 500 above. It depends on the restaurant, but for Gerry’s Grill, minimum order is Php 500.

After a few minutes, I have received a message via my mobile phone and my email address confirming my order and delivery address.

 

I was also contacted by the personnel from Gerry’s Grill to confirm the same information. The person also informed me that some of the items I ordered are not available, but since I have someone from Gerry’s Grill, we were able to settle the new order timely.

I also asked if they opened late that day (I tried submitting order as early as 10 in the morning same as their opening hour) – the Gerry’s Grill person said they actually open at 11 and open the Food Panda system at 10:30 am. 

Gerry’s Grill promised to delivery at 12 pm – they will open at 11 am and will process the order in 60 minutes. I thought we have food at home and we were not really hungry, so I said okay. 

When the delivery came – I did a quick interview of the rider. So, actually, they just get the order from Food Panda and the partner restaurant will be the one to delivery, hence no Food Panda branding. 

The food came hot and fresh, packed in reusable plastic containers. I couldn’t complain.

Two hours after the food was delivered, I received another email from Food Panda requesting for feedback on my delivery experience. 

What I like about Food Panda?

• I love that it easily locates the partner restaurants in your area (based on your delivery address). I have tried different food service delivery and most of them refuse to delivery in our address (because I live in Tondo, Manila! Hello!). So I hate the trouble of calling each and every restaurant, or confirming with a Food Service Delivery rep if a certain restaurant delivers in our area (most of them do not!). This is not the case for Food Panda. The app suggests restaurants based on your area. 
• It is my first time to order food via app (ah, I hate talking and waiting in the phone) and I find it really efficient especially if you are busy and doing a lot of other things.
• Communication system is very effective. You instantly receive text message and email after your order – it gives ease to the customers ensuring that the orders went through.

What areas can be improved?

• The app needs to be updated to allow the users to type in the complete mailing address. I had to add mine in the Notes/Landmarks field.
• It seems that the restaurant/app only accepts the order sent via Food Panda once the restaurant opens for business. It would be good to have this noted in the listing to allow users to determine which restaurants to choose before selecting orders.

I think Food Panda offers a really good concept in food delivery service. It even gets more exciting with the partnership with new restaurants (watch out for my Food Panda Food Crawl post!). I just hope that Food Panda and its partners would be able to sustain and maintain the quick and efficient food service delivery. 

http://www.foodpanda.ph/