Last month, a restaurant owner in Casablanca discovered he was paying 180,000 MAD annually in delivery commissions — enough to hire two full-time employees. This isn't unusual. Most restaurants using traditional delivery platforms lose 30% of every order to commission fees, while struggling with zones they can't control and drivers they can't manage.
A restaurant delivery management system changes this equation. But only if you understand the operational details that determine success or failure.
Why Your Restaurant Delivery Zone Setup Determines Success or Failure
Your delivery zone isn't just a circle on a map. It's the foundation of your unit economics. Get it wrong, and you'll bleed money on every order — no matter how good your food is.
Most online food ordering and delivery platforms push radius zones because they're simple. Draw a 5km circle around your restaurant. Done. But that 5km radius covers 78.5 square kilometers — including areas where you'll never get enough orders to justify the delivery cost.
The Hidden Cost of Radius Zones
Here's what the platforms don't tell you: a 5km radius zone includes profitable neighborhoods and money-losing ones. In Agadir, that might mean delivering to both touristy Secteur Balnéaire (high order density) and residential Tikiouine (sparse orders). Every delivery to low-density areas costs you money.
Polygon zones cut delivery costs by 40%. Instead of a circle, you draw custom boundaries around profitable neighborhoods. Skip the dead zones. Focus on areas with at least three orders per square kilometer — the minimum density for profitable delivery.
Polygon Zone Strategy for Casablanca Restaurants
A smart Casablanca restaurant targets Maarif and Gauthier — dense neighborhoods with high order volumes. They skip Sidi Moumen despite being closer. Why? Order density. Maarif generates 12 orders per square kilometer during dinner rush. Sidi Moumen generates two.
Food delivery management software like OCHI lets you draw these custom polygons. Set different delivery fees per zone. Charge 15 MAD for high-density areas, 25 MAD for medium-density. Turn off low-density zones during slow hours. This level of control transforms your delivery economics.
Commission Models: The 30% Problem No One Talks About
Traditional platforms take 30% of every order. They call it a "marketing fee" or "technology cost." Let's call it what it is: a profit killer.
Run the numbers for any Moroccan restaurant:
| Metric |
Traditional Platform (30% commission) |
Zero-Commission System |
| Average order value |
100 MAD |
100 MAD |
| Commission per order |
30 MAD |
0 MAD |
| Monthly orders (500) |
15,000 MAD lost |
0 MAD lost |
| Annual commission |
180,000 MAD |
0 MAD |
| Profit margin on 25% food cost |
45 MAD (45%) |
75 MAD (75%) |
That 180,000 MAD? It's two full-time delivery drivers. A marketing budget. Kitchen equipment. Growth capital you're handing to a platform that doesn't cook a single meal.
Zero-Commission Math That Actually Works
OCHI operates on zero commission. You keep 100% of every order. Same 100 MAD order, but now you pocket the full 75 MAD profit margin. That's a 67% improvement in profitability per order.
Restaurants using zero-commission food ordering and delivery platforms report 43% higher profit margins. They reinvest in better ingredients, staff training, and marketing. They build direct customer relationships through their branded subdomain (yourname.ochi.ma) instead of being just another listing.
Driver Assignment Systems: Auto vs Manual Control
Who decides which driver takes which order? This question determines whether your customer gets hot food in 25 minutes or cold food in 45.
Why Auto-Assignment Often Fails
Traditional platforms use "smart" algorithms that optimize for the platform, not your restaurant. During Agadir's dinner rush in Hay Mohammadi, their system might assign your driver to a competitor's order first because it's "on the way." Your customer waits.
Drivers game the system too. They see a 8km delivery to Bensergao and skip it, waiting for shorter runs. Your long-distance orders sit. Customers complain. You can't intervene because you don't control the assignment.
Batch Delivery Strategy
Restaurant delivery software should let you batch orders intelligently. Group 3-4 orders within a 2km radius. Send one driver. Cut delivery time from 45 to 25 minutes average.
OCHI's system shows you exactly this: pending orders on a map, driver locations, optimal routes. You decide whether to batch orders to Talborjt together or send them separately. During lunch rush, batch aggressively. During slow afternoons, prioritize speed. You're in control.
GPS Tracking: Customer Expectations vs Restaurant Reality
Every customer wants to know where their food is. How you answer that question determines whether they order again.
The Support Call Reduction Effect
Before GPS tracking: 40% of customers call asking about their order. Your staff spends half their time on the phone instead of serving walk-in customers. After implementing real-time tracking: calls drop to 8%.
The math is simple. If you handle 50 delivery orders daily, that's 20 phone calls reduced to four. Sixteen fewer interruptions. Your staff stays focused. Service improves. Ratings climb from 4.2 to 4.7 stars average.
OCHI's Real-Time Tracking Advantage
Customers see their driver on a live map that updates every 30 seconds. They get SMS notifications at each milestone: order confirmed, preparation started, driver assigned, on the way. No more guessing.
You monitor everything from one dashboard. See all active deliveries, driver locations, and delivery times. Spot problems before customers complain. A driver stuck in traffic near Place Al Amal? Reassign the order. Customer happy. Problem solved.
