From insight to implementation: a roadmap for third-party online food delivery

Purpose This paper examines how third-party online food delivery reshapes restaurant economics and operations and translates empirical interview findings into a practical, evidence-based roadmap for adoption. The study aims to help managers decide when and how to list with delivery aggregators while protecting core assets and unit economics. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2019 with 17 US restaurant owners and operators, including 11 active users of third-party online food delivery and 6 non-users. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings were synthesized with subsequent industry developments, including COVID-19 impacts and emerging automation and AI technologies, to derive pragmatic stage-gate guidance for practitioners. Findings Three crosscutting themes emerged: motivations and perceived benefits, operational adjustments and predictable trade-offs. These themes converge on three practical conditions that determine net benefit from platform delivery: positive menu item contribution margins, reliable delivery workflows with packing quality assurance and access to order-level data for ROI analysis. Building on user experience, the paper presents a four-stage stage-gate roadmap with stage-specific gates, measurable criteria and remedial decision rules to screen fit, pilot operations, validate systems and commercial terms and scale with durable governance. Originality/value The paper converts qualitative insights into an actionable stage-gate adoption framework that bridges academic analysis and managerial practice. It offers concrete gate criteria and deliverables that managers, consultants and researchers can use to test, negotiate and govern platform delivery while preserving brand and operational assets.