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What will I be doing ?
We live in a take-out society. Every year, the number of meals eaten away from home increasees-as does the number of restaurant meals eaten at home. This is where a food-delivery business can offer : grocery delivery, video delivery, even package delivery.

What will I need to start ?
To deliver food to homes you’ll not only need a vehicle, you’ll need one that can carry food safety and efficiently. Because of fuel fumes, the food should not be placed in the trunk, but should ride with the driver. You may need to replace a seat with an insulated box or install one in a van.
You may also need to obtain a food handler’s license or certificate, and may be a commercial vehicle license, depending on your state and county requirements. Who would tell if you’re using a car without proper licensing ? Your competition !
You will also need a cellular telephone so customers can contact you while you’re on the road.

Who will my customers be ?
Who will hire you to deliver food and other perishables ? In most cases, you’ll be working for the restaurants who want to sell more take-out food. Your customers may also include caterers and even individuals. One successful food-delivery service specialized in delivering fast-food products made and sold at a local shopping mall. The owner/driver picked up orders at the back door, placed them in insulated boxes and headed out. The restaurants knew that the service would be at the back door on the hour and half-hour between 4 and 9 p.m., seven days a week, and timed food preparation to match these times. Customers knew it, too, and called in orders asking for delivery.
In a smaller town with fewer restaurants, an enterprising delivery service took lunch orders for a factory, then placed the orders with area restaurants and time delivery for noon. Another developed a pizza-and-a-movie order system that kept her busy full-time.

How much should I charge ?
Your food-delivery service will establish an hourly rate of $20 to $40, but price in other ways. Some services charge the restaurant a percentage of the bill, typically about 20 percent, with a minimum delivery charge of $2 per delivery. Others charge by the mileage, comparable to the price established by local taxi companies. A few specialize in one or two restaurants, contracting by the hour. Tips are kept by the driver.

How much will I make ?
“Hustle” is the name of this business. If you can safely and efficiently deliver food when people want it, you can make good money-and even better tips. In fact, full-time food-delivery services can earn $20,000 to $30,000 profit a year. Make sure that you drive within the speed limits and obey other traffic laws; unsafe driving is not good for business or customer relations.

How can I get started ?
Begin studying local opportunities. Find out if someone else is already offering such a service and, if so, how can you do it better or for a different customer. Also consider cooperating with another delivery service, defining territories that are efficient for both while combining your marketing efforts.
Also look at unique ways to promote your service with a catchy name (Dan’s Mobile Diner) or symbol (a chef on a bicycle). The more people see your delivery vehicle-clean and safely driven-the more they will think of you when they want restaurant food at home.
Once you’ve designed and tested your food-delivery service, produce a brochure or flier and hand it out to restaurants that may hire your business. Also ask friends to call restaurants asking if they offer delivery service.

From the book of Dan Ramsey, Title : 101 Best Home Businesses, CAREER PRESS, 3 Tice Road, P.O. Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417, 1-800-CAREER-1, 201-848-0310 (NJ and outside U.S.), FAX : 201-848-1727

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