Can meal-delivery operations be enhanced through strategic courier repositioning?

This paper addresses a scheduling problem inherent to food-delivery operations, where a company managing a feet of couriers must assign customer orders in a manner that minimizes a weighted function of delivery delays. Effective scheduling is critical to maintaining customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. We propose a novel deterministic algorithm that integrates mathematical modeling with a strategic courier repositioning approach. The primary objective is to assess whether incorporating strategic repositioning can enhance the Quality of Service (QoS) offered to customers by reducing delays and optimizing courier utilization. Our methodology is evaluated using real-world data from food delivery operations in the city of Rome, providing a practical context to measure its impact. The results highlight the potential benefits and limitations of strategic repositioning within this specific application, offering valuable insights for companies aiming to refine their delivery operations and improve customer experience.