Steak-Out Char-Broiled Delivery celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. It began as the dream of a workaholic who ate in his office and was tired of pizza and Chinese. While customers are encouraged to eat in if they like, delivery is the brand’s forte. The company has 70 locations (3 company stores and the rest franchises) in 18 states, mainly in the southeastern region of the U.S. The average ticket is $8–$10 at lunch, $12–$14 at dinner. Gas prices have driven some locations to charge a small delivery fee.

New items are constantly being added to a broad menu that includes steaks, grilled chicken, sandwiches, seafood, salads, and desserts, However, says Tim Myers, vice president of marketing for the Norcross, Georgia–based company, you will never see Steak-Out doing fried foods such as the oft-requested french fries. “Fried foods just don’t travel well. We do either baked or grilled,” he says. “Everything we do is designed around delivery.”

To that end, Steak-Out uses Genpak Styrofoam delivery packages and wraps items individually so that dishes travel well and stay warm. Cold food is separately bagged and never touches hot food. Lettuce, tomato, and onion are packed separately from burgers. Baked potatoes are used as “hot rocks” to keep the rest of the order hot.

“We shoot to have an order to you in 30 minutes,” Myers says. “Our delivery area is a 10-minute drive time plus we allow 20 minutes to cook and get it out the door.”

Order accuracy is one of the most important factors for successful delivery, explains Myers. “At a restaurant, if you forget to put butter on the table you can still bring it out. If we forget butter when we deliver your order, we’ve ruined your meal.”

“It takes a while to build your delivery business up,” says Charo Chicken President and CEO Ray Perry. “You have to be committed to delivery. You need a separate delivery station identified in your restaurant with its own point-of-sale system and phone. Everything must be assembled fast and efficiently and then out the door in a reasonable time.”

Charo Chicken, based in Huntington Beach, California, is a 26-unit chain. Its menu includes fire-grilled chicken, Mexican dishes, salads, baked potatoes, and sandwiches. The chain offers delivery within a three-mile radius with a minimum order of $10. Delivery fees range from $1.89–$2.50. The average delivery check is a little over $25.

“I see the whole segment of food delivered to the home growing, particularly here in California. When you’ve got two in the family working, trying to pick up the kids and get home after work, they’re all hungry and they don’t want to go out—they want food delivered,” Perry says.

With 24 flavors of wings, a variety of sandwiches, salads, appetizers, and kids’ meals, Planet Wings’ large menu sets it apart among delivery restaurants, says Bruce Downie, chief operating officer of the Newburg, New York–based chain. Founded by Franco Fidanza in 1995, Planet Wings began life as a pizza restaurant. Competition in pizza delivery drove Fidanza to try selling wings at Super Bowl time. When his wing sales eclipsed his pizza numbers, the first Planet Wings soon opened.

“In the beginning, the biggest challenge was getting deliveries out and complete due to our extensive menu,” Downie says. Planet Wings now has a double-check system for accuracy. Once the cooks put the food in containers, a dispatch person physically looks into every container before the driver takes the order out.

“Most products deliver well. We do burgers and fries but fries are a challenge. We use a seasoned curly fry because it holds up better for delivery,” Downie says.

Planet Wings uses insulated bags for metro locations and heated bags at rural sites where distances are longer. Delivery radius depends upon the market. “Drivers take a couple of deliveries with them when they go. Our goal is delivery in 12–15 minutes from the time the food leaves the store—most deliveries are quicker,” he says. An average individual check for Planet Wings runs between $10–12 (slightly higher in New York), Downie says. A delivery charge is not mandatory and varies by location or store.

“Good delivery service doesn’t happen by chance,” Downie says. “It’s as critical as serving someone at a table. It’s easy to see if customers are happy and your staff is doing well inside a restaurant. In delivery, drivers are taking food to customers, and you have no idea about the interaction.” Planet Wings gives drivers several weeks of training with instruction in politeness and how to talk to customers. “But it’s a challenge to keep qualified drivers out there,” Downie admits. “Recruiting is hard, and you always have a percentage that are inexperienced.”

Planet Wings is building a store/training facility in Richmond, Virginia, where franchisees will be required to attend two weeks of training. Downie sees “monumental” growth for delivery across all food sectors in the future. “More people don’t want to go out now because of high gas prices. They love the convenience of delivery,” he says.