Food Delivery Platform Feature Spec Template

Never incentivize speed directly. Avoid per-minute bonuses or time-based penalties that encourage reckless driving. Instead, optimize the system around the driver: dispatch them closer to the restaurant, batch orders efficiently, and reduce wait times at pickup. Set realistic ETAs that include buffer time. Track delivery speed as a system metric, not a driver performance metric.

Target 2.5-3.5 active orders per available driver during peak hours. Below 2.0 means you are overstaffed (driver idle time costs money). Above 4.0 means delivery times will spike and driver satisfaction will drop. Monitor this ratio in real-time by zone and adjust incentives (surge pay to attract drivers, pause new orders to reduce demand) when the ratio drifts out of range.

First, identify the root cause through data. If actual prep times consistently exceed the restaurant's stated prep time, adjust the ETA model to use actual historical averages instead of the restaurant's estimate. If the restaurant is genuinely slow, surface this in customer-facing sorting (lower ranking, longer ETA displayed). Provide the restaurant with a prep time report showing their performance vs. peers in their category. Only delist restaurants that consistently violate food safety or timing SLAs.

Offer pre-delivery tipping at checkout (with a "you can adjust after delivery" note) and allow tip modification for up to 1 hour after delivery. Pre-delivery tips improve driver acceptance rates and create a better driver experience. Post-delivery adjustment lets customers reward exceptional service or reduce tips for poor experiences. Show the driver the pre-delivery tip amount to incentivize good service.

The top 3 reasons customers contact support are: (1) "Where is my order?" (solved by real-time tracking and proactive delay notifications), (2) "My order is wrong" (solved by driver verification and photo proof), (3) "I want a refund" (solved by automated refund for verified issues). Proactive communication reduces contacts by 30-40%. Send push notifications at every state change. When an order is delayed beyond the ETA, notify the customer before they have to ask.